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023 - Mistakes · North and South

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  Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
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  Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Megan Olson in Waxaw,
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  Speaker 1: North Carolina, September two thousand seven, North and South by
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  Speaker 1: Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, Chapter twenty three Mistakes which when his
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  Speaker 1: mother saw she in her mind was troubled, sore newest
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  Speaker 1: well what to ween? Spencer. Margaret had not been gone
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  Speaker 1: five minutes when mister Thornton came in his face. All aglow,
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  Speaker 1: I could not come sooner, the superintendent would. Where is she?
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  Speaker 1: He looked round the dining room, and then almost fiercely
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  Speaker 1: at his mother, who was quietly rearranging the disturbed furniture,
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  Speaker 1: and did not instantly reply. Where is miss Hale? He
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  Speaker 1: asked again? Gone home, said she rather shortly, gone home. Yes,
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  Speaker 1: she was a great deal better. Indeed, I don't believe
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  Speaker 1: it was so very much of a hurt. Only some
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  Speaker 1: people faint at the least thing. I am sorry she
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  Speaker 1: has gone home, said he, walking uneasily about. She could
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  Speaker 1: not have been fit for it, she said she was,
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  Speaker 1: and mister Lowe said she was. I went for him myself.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you, mother. He stopped and partly held out his
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  Speaker 1: hand to give her a grateful shake, But she did
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  Speaker 1: not notice the movement. What have you done with your
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  Speaker 1: Irish people? Sent to the dragon for a good meal
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  Speaker 1: for them poor wretches? And then luckily I caught father Grady,
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  Speaker 1: and I've asked him in to speak to them and
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  Speaker 1: dissuade them from going off in a body? How did
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  Speaker 1: miss Hale go home? I am sure she could not walk,
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  Speaker 1: she had a Everything was done properly, even to the pang.
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  Speaker 1: Let us talk of something else. She has caused disturbance enough.
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  Speaker 1: I don't know where I should have been but for her?
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  Speaker 1: Are you become so helpless as to be defended by
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  Speaker 1: a girl? Asked missus Thornton scornfully. He reddened. Not many
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  Speaker 1: girls would have taken the blows on herself which were
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  Speaker 1: meant for me, meant with right down good will too.
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  Speaker 1: A girl in love will do a good deal, replied
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  Speaker 1: missus Thornton. Shortly, Mother, he made a step forwards, stood still,
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  Speaker 1: heaved with passion. She was a little startled at the
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  Speaker 1: evident force he used to keep himself calm. She was
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  Speaker 1: not sure of the nature of the emotions she had provoked.
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  Speaker 1: It was only their violence that was clear, was it anger?
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  Speaker 1: His eyes glowed, his figure was dilated, his breath came
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  Speaker 1: thick and fast. It was a mixture of joy, of anger,
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  Speaker 1: of pride, of glad, surprise, of panting, doubt. But she
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  Speaker 1: could not read it. Still it made her uneasy, as
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  Speaker 1: the presence of all strong feeling of which the cause
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  Speaker 1: is not fully understood or sympathized in always has this effect.
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  Speaker 1: She went to the sideboard, opened a drawer, and took
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  Speaker 1: out a duster, which she kept there for any occasional purpose.
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  Speaker 1: She had seen a drop of Ea deu colonne on
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  Speaker 1: the polished arm of the sofa, and instinctively sought to
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  Speaker 1: wipe it off, But she kept her back turned to
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  Speaker 1: her son much longer than was necessary, and when she spoke,
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  Speaker 1: her voice seemed unusual and constrained. You have taken some
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  Speaker 1: steps about the rioter's I suppose you don't apprehend any
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  Speaker 1: more at violence? Do you? Where were the police never
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  Speaker 1: at hand when they're wanted. On the contrary, I saw
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  Speaker 1: three or four of them when the gates gave way,
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  Speaker 1: struggling and beating about in fine fashion, and more came
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  Speaker 1: running up just when the yard was clearing. I might
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  Speaker 1: have given some of the fellows in charge then if
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  Speaker 1: I had had my wits about me. But there will
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  Speaker 1: be no difficulty. Plenty of people can identify them. But
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  Speaker 1: won't they come back to night. I'm going to see
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  Speaker 1: about a sufficient guard for the premises. I have appointed
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  Speaker 1: to meet Captain Henbury in half an hour at the station.
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  Speaker 1: You must have some tea first tea. Yes, I suppose
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  Speaker 1: I must. It's half past six and I may be
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  Speaker 1: out for some time. Don't sit up for me, mother.
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  Speaker 1: You expect me to go to bed before I have
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  Speaker 1: seen you safe? Do you well? Perhaps not? He hesitated
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  Speaker 1: for a moment. But if I've time, I shall go
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  Speaker 1: round by Crampton after I've arranged with the police and
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  Speaker 1: seen Emperor and Clarkson. Their eyes met. They looked at
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  Speaker 1: each other intently for a minute. Then she asked, why
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  Speaker 1: are you you going round by Crampton to ask after
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  Speaker 1: miss Hale. I will send Williams. He must take the
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  Speaker 1: water bed she came to ask for. He shall inquire
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  Speaker 1: how she is. I must go myself, not merely to
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  Speaker 1: ask how miss Hale is. No, not merely for that
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  Speaker 1: I want to thank her for the way in which
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  Speaker 1: she stood between me and the mob. What made you
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  Speaker 1: go down at all? It was putting her head into
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  Speaker 1: the lion's mouth. He glanced sharply at her, saw that
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  Speaker 1: she did not know what had passed between him and
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  Speaker 1: Margaret in the drawing room, and replied by another question,
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  Speaker 1: Shall you be afraid to be left without me until
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  Speaker 1: I can get some of the police, or had we
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  Speaker 1: better send Williams for them now and they could be
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  Speaker 1: here by the time we have done tee. There's no
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  Speaker 1: time to be lost. I must be off in a
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  Speaker 1: quarter of an hour. Missus Thornton left the room. Her
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  Speaker 1: servants wondered at her directions, usually so sharp cut and decided,
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  Speaker 1: now confused and uncertain. Mister Thornton remained in the dining room,
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  Speaker 1: trying to think of the business he had to do
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  Speaker 1: at the police office, and in reality, thinking of Margaret.
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  Speaker 1: Everything seemed dim and vague beyond behind. Besides the touch
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  Speaker 1: of her arms round his neck, the soft clinging which
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  Speaker 1: made the dark color come and go in his cheek
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  Speaker 1: as he thought of it, the tea would have been
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  Speaker 1: very silent but for Fanny's perpetual description of her own feelings,
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  Speaker 1: as she had been alarmed and then thought they were gone,
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  Speaker 1: and then felt sick and faint and trembling in every limb.
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  Speaker 1: There that's enough, said her brother, rising from the table.
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  Speaker 1: The reality was enough for me. He was going to
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  Speaker 1: leave the room when his mother stopped him with her
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  Speaker 1: hand upon his arm. You will come back here before
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  Speaker 1: you've gone to the hailes, said she in a low,
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  Speaker 1: anxious voice. I know what I know, said Fan to herself.
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  Speaker 1: Why will it be too late to disturb them? John,
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  Speaker 1: come back to me for this one evening. It will
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  Speaker 1: be late for missus Hale, But that is not it.
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  Speaker 1: To morrow. You will come back to night John. She
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  Speaker 1: had seldom pleaded with her son at all. She was
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  Speaker 1: too proud for that, but she had never pleaded in vain.
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  Speaker 1: I will return straight here after I have done my business.
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  Speaker 1: You will be sure to inquire after them after her.
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  Speaker 1: Missus Thornton was by no means a talkative companion to Fanny,
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  Speaker 1: nor yet a good listener while her son was absent,
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  Speaker 1: But on his return, her eyes and ears were keen
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  Speaker 1: to see and to listen to all the details which
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  Speaker 1: he could give as to the steps he had taken
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  Speaker 1: to secure himself and those whom he chose to employ
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  Speaker 1: from any repetition of the day's outrages. He clearly saw
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  Speaker 1: his object. Punishment and suffering were the nat consequences to
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  Speaker 1: those who had taken part in the riot, all that
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  Speaker 1: was necessary in order that property should be protected, and
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  Speaker 1: that the will of the proprietor might cut to his end,
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  Speaker 1: clean and sharp as a sword. Mother, you know what
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  Speaker 1: I have got to say to miss Hale to morrow.
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  Speaker 1: The question came upon her suddenly, during a pause in
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  Speaker 1: which she at least had forgotten Margaret. She looked up
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  Speaker 1: at him. Yes, I do. You can hardly do otherwise?
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  Speaker 1: Do otherwise? I don't understand you. I mean that, after
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  Speaker 1: allowing her feelings so to overcome her, I consider you
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  Speaker 1: bound in honor, pound in honor, said he scornfully. I'm
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  Speaker 1: afraid honor has nothing to do with it. Her feelings
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  Speaker 1: overcome her. What feelings do you mean? Nay, John, there
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  Speaker 1: is no need to be angry. Did she not rush
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  Speaker 1: down and cling to you to save you from danger?
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  Speaker 1: She did, said he, But mother continued, he stopping short
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  Speaker 1: in his walk right in front of her. I dare
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  Speaker 1: not hope I never was fainthearted before. But I cannot
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  Speaker 1: believe such a creature cares for me. Don't be foolish, John,
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  Speaker 1: such a creature. Why she might be a duke's daughter
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  Speaker 1: to hear you speak? And what proof more would you have?
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  Speaker 1: I wonder of her caring for you. I can believe
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  Speaker 1: she has had a struggle with her aristocratic way of
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  Speaker 1: viewing things, but I like her better for seeing clearly
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  Speaker 1: at last. It is a good deal for me to say,
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  Speaker 1: said Missus Thornton, smiling slowly, while the tears stood in
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  Speaker 1: her eyes. For after to night I stand second. It
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  Speaker 1: was to have you to myself, all to myself, a
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  Speaker 1: few hours longer that I begged you not to go
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  Speaker 1: until to morrow, dearest mother. Still love is selfish, and
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  Speaker 1: in an instant he reverted to his own hopes and
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  Speaker 1: fears in a way that drew the cold creeping shadow
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  Speaker 1: over Missus Thornton's heart. But I know she does not
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  Speaker 1: care for me. I shall put myself at her feet.
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  Speaker 1: I must. If it were but one chance in a
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  Speaker 1: thousand or a million, I should do it. Don't fear,
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  Speaker 1: said his mother, crushing down her own personal mortification at
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  Speaker 1: the little notice he had taken of the rare ebullition,
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  Speaker 1: of her maternal feelings, of the pang of jealousy that
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  Speaker 1: betrayed the intensity of her disregarded love. Don't be afraid,
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  Speaker 1: she said coldly. As far as love may go, she
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  Speaker 1: may be worthy of you, and must have taken a
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  Speaker 1: good deal to overcome her pride. Don't be afraid, John said,
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  Speaker 1: she kissing him as she wished him good night, and
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  Speaker 1: she went slowly and majestically out of the room. But
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  Speaker 1: when she got into her own she locked the door
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  Speaker 1: and sat down to cry unwonted tears. Margaret entered the
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  Speaker 1: room where her father and mother still sat, holding low
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  Speaker 1: conversation together. Looking very pale and white, she came close
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  Speaker 1: up to them before she could trust herself to speak.
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  Speaker 1: Missus Thornton will send the water bed, Mamma dear, how
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  Speaker 1: tired you look? Is it very hot, Margaret? Very hot?
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  Speaker 1: And the streets are rather rough. With the strike, Margaret's
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  Speaker 1: color came back, vivid and bright as ever, but it
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  Speaker 1: faded away instantly. Here has been a message from Bessy
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  Speaker 1: Higgins asking you to go to her, said Missus Hale.
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  Speaker 1: But I am sure you look too tired. Yes, said Margaret.
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  Speaker 1: I am tired. I cannot go. She was very silent
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  Speaker 1: and trembling while she made tea. She was thankful to
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  Speaker 1: see her father so much occupied with her mother as
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  Speaker 1: not to notice her looks. Even after her mother went
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  Speaker 1: to bed, he was not content to be absent from her,
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  Speaker 1: but undertook to read her to sleep. Margaret was alone.
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  Speaker 1: Now I will think of it. Now, I will remember
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  Speaker 1: it all I could not before I dared not. She
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  Speaker 1: sat still in her chair, her hands clasped on her knees,
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  Speaker 1: her lips compressed, her eyes fixed as one who sees
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  Speaker 1: a vision. She drew a deep breath. I who hates
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  Speaker 1: scenes I who have despised people for showing emotion, who
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  Speaker 1: have thought them wanting in self control? I went down
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  Speaker 1: and must needs throw myself into the meale like a
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  Speaker 1: romantic fool. Did I do any good? They would have
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  Speaker 1: got away without me, I dare say? But this was
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  Speaker 1: overleaping the rational conclusion, as in an instant, her well
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  Speaker 1: poised judgment felt no, perhaps they would not. I did
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  Speaker 1: some good. But what possessed me to defend that man
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  Speaker 1: as if he were a helpless child? Ah said, she
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  Speaker 1: clenching her hands together, it is no wonder these people
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  Speaker 1: thought I was in love with him. After disgracing myself
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  Speaker 1: in that way, I in love and with him too.
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  Speaker 1: Her pale cheeks suddenly became one flame of fire, and
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  Speaker 1: she covered her face with her hands. When she took
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  Speaker 1: them away, her palms were wet with scalding tears. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: how low I am fallen that they should say that
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  Speaker 1: of me. I could not have been so brave for
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  Speaker 1: any one else, just because he was so utterly indifferent
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  Speaker 1: to me. If indeed I do not positively dislike him.
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  Speaker 1: It made me the more anxious that there should be
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  Speaker 1: fair play on each side. And I could see what
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  Speaker 1: fair play was. It was not fair, said she vehemanently,
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  Speaker 1: that he should stand there, sheltered, awaiting the soldiers who
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  Speaker 1: might catch those poor maddened creatures, as in a trap,
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  Speaker 1: without an effort on his part to bring them to reason.
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  Speaker 1: And it was worse than unfair for them to set
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  Speaker 1: on him as they threatened. I would do it again.
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  Speaker 1: Let who will say what they like of me? If
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  Speaker 1: I saved one blow, one cruel, angry action that might
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  Speaker 1: otherwise have been committed, I did a woman's work. Let
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  Speaker 1: them insult my maiden pride as they will, I walk
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  Speaker 1: pure before God. She looked up, and a noble peace
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  Speaker 1: seemed to descend and calm her face till it was
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  Speaker 1: stiller than chiseled marble. Dixon came in, If you please,
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  Speaker 1: miss Margaret, here's the water bed from missus Thornton's. It's
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  Speaker 1: too late for to night. I'm afraid, for Missus is
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  Speaker 1: nearly asleep, but it will do nicely for to morrow, very,
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  Speaker 1: said Margaret. You must send our best. Thanks. Dixon left
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  Speaker 1: the room for a moment. If you please, miss Margaret.
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  Speaker 1: He says he's to ask particular how you are. I
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  Speaker 1: think he must mean missus, but he says his last
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  Speaker 1: words were to ask how miss Hale was me, said Margaret,
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  Speaker 1: drawing herself up. I am quite well, tell him, I
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  Speaker 1: am perfectly well. But her complexion was as deadly white
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  Speaker 1: as her handkerchief, and her head ached intensely. Mister Hale
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  Speaker 1: now came in. He had left his sleeping wife and wanted,
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  Speaker 1: as Margaret saw, to be amused and interested by something
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  Speaker 1: that she was to tell him with sweet patience. Did
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  Speaker 1: she bear her pain without a word of complaint? And
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  Speaker 1: rummaged up numberless small subjects for conversation, all except the riot,
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  Speaker 1: and she never named once. It turned her sick to
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  Speaker 1: think of it. Good Night, Margaret, I have every chance
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  Speaker 1: of a good night myself, and you are looking very
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  Speaker 1: pale with your watching. I shall call Dixon. If your
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  Speaker 1: mother needs anything. Do you go to bed and sleep
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  Speaker 1: like a top for I'm sure you need it, poor child.
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  Speaker 1: Good night Papa. She let her color go, the forced
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  Speaker 1: smile fade away, the eyes grow dull with heavy pain.
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  Speaker 1: She released her strong will from its laborer's task till
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  Speaker 1: morning she might feel ill and weary. She lay down
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  Speaker 1: and never stirred to move hand or foot, or even
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  Speaker 1: so much as one finger would have been an exertion
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  Speaker 1: beyond the powers of either volition or motion. She was
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  Speaker 1: so tired, so stunned, that she thought she never slept
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  Speaker 1: at all. Her feverish thoughts passed and repassed the boundary
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  Speaker 1: between sleeping and waking, and kept their own miserable identity.
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  Speaker 1: She could not be alone, prostrate, powerless as she was,
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  Speaker 1: a cloud of faces looked up at her, giving her
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  Speaker 1: no idea of fierce, vivid anger or of personal danger,
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  Speaker 1: but a deep sense of shame that she should thus
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  Speaker 1: be the object of universal regard, a sense of shame
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  Speaker 1: so acute that it seemed as if she would fain
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  Speaker 1: have burrowed into the earth to hide herself. And yet
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  Speaker 1: she could not escape out of that unwinking glare of
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  Speaker 1: many eyes. End of Chapter twenty three,