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023 - Ch 23 - Mistakes · North and South (version 2)

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