North and South
by
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell

Part 11 out of 11



fall in with the tyrannical humours of a moneyed partner with
whom he felt sure that he should quarrel in a few months.

So he waited, and stood on one side with profound humility, as
the news swept through the Exchange, of the enormous fortune
which his brother-in-law had made by his daring speculation. It
was a nine days' wonder. Success brought with it its worldly
consequence of extreme admiration. No one was considered so wise
and far-seeing as Mr. Watson.


CHAPTER LI


MEETING AGAIN

'Bear up, brave heart! we will be calm and strong;
Sure, we can master eyes, or cheek, or tongue,
Nor let the smallest tell-tale sign appear
She ever was, and is, and will be dear.'
RHYMING PLAY.

It was a hot summer's evening. Edith came into Margaret's
bedroom, the first time in her habit, the second ready dressed
for dinner. No one was there at first; the next time Edith found
Dixon laying out Margaret's dress on the bed; but no Margaret.
Edith remained to fidget about.

'Oh, Dixon! not those horrid blue flowers to that dead
gold-coloured gown. What taste! Wait a minute, and I will bring
you some pomegranate blossoms.'

'It's not a dead gold-colour, ma'am. It's a straw-colour. And
blue always goes with straw-colour.' But Edith had brought the
brilliant scarlet flowers before Dixon had got half through her
remonstrance.

'Where is Miss Hale?' asked Edith, as soon as she had tried the
effect of the garniture. 'I can't think,' she went on, pettishly,
'how my aunt allowed her to get into such rambling habits in
Milton! I'm sure I'm always expecting to hear of her having met
with something horrible among all those wretched places she pokes
herself into. I should never dare to go down some of those
streets without a servant. They're not fit for ladies.'

Dixon was still huffed about her despised taste; so she replied,
rather shortly:

'It's no wonder to my mind, when I hear ladies talk such a deal
about being ladies--and when they're such fearful, delicate,
dainty ladies too--I say it's no wonder to me that there are no
longer any saints on earth----'

'Oh, Margaret! here you are! I have been so wanting you. But how
your cheeks are flushed with the heat, poor child! But only think
what that tiresome Henry has done; really, he exceeds
brother-in-law's limits. Just when my party was made up so
beautifully--fitted in so precisely for Mr. Colthurst--there has
Henry come, with an apology it is true, and making use of your
name for an excuse, and asked me if he may bring that Mr.
Thornton of Milton--your tenant, you know--who is in London about
some law business. It will spoil my number, quite.'

'I don't mind dinner. I don't want any,' said Margaret, in a low
voice. 'Dixon can get me a cup of tea here, and I will be in the
drawing-room by the time you come up. I shall really be glad to
lie down.'

'No, no! that will never do. You do look wretchedly white, to be
sure; but that is just the heat, and we can't do without you
possibly. (Those flowers a little lower, Dixon. They look
glorious flames, Margaret, in your black hair.) You know we
planned you to talk about Milton to Mr. Colthurst. Oh! to be
sure! and this man comes from Milton. I believe it will be
capital, after all. Mr. Colthurst can pump him well on all the
subjects in which he is interested, and it will be great fun to
trace out your experiences, and this Mr. Thornton's wisdom, in
Mr. Colthurst's next speech in the House. Really, I think it is a
happy hit of Henry's. I asked him if he was a man one would be
ashamed of; and he replied, "Not if you've any sense in you, my
little sister." So I suppose he Is able to sound his h's, which
is not a common Darkshire accomplishment--eh, Margaret?'

'Mr. Lennox did not say why Mr. Thornton was come up to town? Was
it law business connected with the property?' asked Margaret, in
a constrained voice.

'Oh! he's failed, or something of the kind, that Henry told you
of that day you had such a headache,--what was it? (There, that's
capital, Dixon. Miss Hale does us credit, does she not?) I wish I
was as tall as a queen, and as brown as a gipsy, Margaret.'

'But about Mr. Thornton?'

'Oh I really have such a terrible head for law business. Henry
will like nothing better than to tell you all about it. I know
the impression he made upon me was, that Mr. Thornton is very
badly off, and a very respectable man, and that I'm to be very
civil to him; and as I did not know how, I came to you to ask you
to help me. And now come down with me, and rest on the sofa for a
quarter of an hour.'

The privileged brother-in-law came early and Margaret reddening
as she spoke, began to ask him the questions she wanted to hear
answered about Mr. Thornton.

'He came up about this sub-letting the property--Marlborough
Mills, and the house and premises adjoining, I mean. He is unable
to keep it on; and there are deeds and leases to be looked over,
and agreements to be drawn up. I hope Edith will receive him
properly; but she was rather put out, as I could see, by the
liberty I had taken in begging for an invitation for him. But I
thought you would like to have some attention shown him: and one
would be particularly scrupulous in paying every respect to a man
who is going down in the world.' He had dropped his voice to
speak to Margaret, by whom he was sitting; but as he ended he
sprang up, and introduced Mr. Thornton, who had that moment
entered, to Edith and Captain Lennox.

Margaret looked with an anxious eye at Mr. Thornton while he was
thus occupied. It was considerably more than a year since she had
seen him; and events had occurred to change him much in that
time. His fine figure yet bore him above the common height of
men; and gave him a distinguished appearance, from the ease of
motion which arose out of it, and was natural to him; but his
face looked older and care-worn; yet a noble composure sate upon
it, which impressed those who had just been hearing of his
changed position, with a sense of inherent dignity and manly
strength. He was aware, from the first glance he had given round
the room, that Margaret was there; he had seen her intent look of
occupation as she listened to Mr. Henry Lennox; and he came up to
her with the perfectly regulated manner of an old friend. With
his first calm words a vivid colour flashed into her cheeks,
which never left them again during the evening. She did not seem
to have much to say to him. She disappointed him by the quiet way
in which she asked what seemed to him to be the merely necessary
questions respecting her old acquaintances, in Milton; but others
came in--more intimate in the house than he--and he fell into the
background, where he and Mr. Lennox talked together from time to
time.

'You think Miss Hale looking well,' said Mr. Lennox, 'don't you?
Milton didn't agree with her, I imagine; for when she first came
to London, I thought I had never seen any one so much changed.
To-night she is looking radiant. But she is much stronger. Last
autumn she was fatigued with a walk of a couple of miles. On
Friday evening we walked up to Hampstead and back. Yet on
Saturday she looked as well as she does now.

'We!' Who? They two alone?

Mr. Colthurst was a very clever man, and a rising member of
parliament. He had a quick eye at discerning character, and was
struck by a remark which Mr. Thornton made at dinner-time. He
enquired from Edith who that gentleman was; and, rather to her
surprise, she found, from the tone of his 'Indeed!' that Mr.
Thornton of Milton was not such an unknown name to him as she had
imagined it would be. Her dinner was going off well. Henry was in
good humour, and brought out his dry caustic wit admirably. Mr.
Thornton and Mr. Colthurst found one or two mutual subjects of
interest, which they could only touch upon then, reserving them
for more private after-dinner talk. Margaret looked beautiful in
the pomegranate flowers; and if she did lean back in her chair
and speak but little, Edith was not annoyed, for the conversation
flowed on smoothly without her. Margaret was watching Mr.
Thornton's face. He never looked at her; so she might study him
unobserved, and note the changes which even this short time had
wrought in him. Only at some unexpected mot of Mr. Lennox's, his
face flashed out into the old look of intense enjoyment; the
merry brightness returned to his eyes, the lips just parted to
suggest the brilliant smile of former days; and for an instant,
his glance instinctively sought hers, as if he wanted her
sympathy. But when their eyes met, his whole countenance changed;
he was grave and anxious once more; and he resolutely avoided
even looking near her again during dinner.

There were only two ladies besides their own party, and as these
were occupied in conversation by her aunt and Edith, when they
went up into the drawing-room, Margaret languidly employed
herself about some work. Presently the gentlemen came up, Mr.
Colthurst and Mr. Thornton in close conversation. Mr. Lennox drew
near to Margaret, and said in a low voice:

'I really think Edith owes me thanks for my contribution to her
party. You've no idea what an agreeable, sensible fellow this
tenant of yours is. He has been the very man to give Colthurst
all the facts he wanted coaching in. I can't conceive how he
contrived to mismanage his affairs.'

'With his powers and opportunities you would have succeeded,'
said Margaret. He did not quite relish the tone in which she
spoke, although the words but expressed a thought which had
passed through his own mind. As he was silent, they caught a
swell in the sound of conversation going on near the fire-place
between Mr. Colthurst and Mr. Thornton.

'I assure you, I heard it spoken of with great
interest--curiosity as to its result, perhaps I should rather
say. I heard your name frequently mentioned during my short stay
in the neighbourhood.' Then they lost some words; and when next
they could hear Mr. Thornton was speaking.

'I have not the elements for popularity--if they spoke of me in
that way, they were mistaken. I fall slowly into new projects;
and I find it difficult to let myself be known, even by those
whom I desire to know, and with whom I would fain have no
reserve. Yet, even with all these drawbacks, I felt that I was on
the right path, and that, starting from a kind of friendship with
one, I was becoming acquainted with many. The advantages were
mutual: we were both unconsciously and consciously teaching each
other.'

'You say "were." I trust you are intending to pursue the same
course?'

'I must stop Colthurst,' said Henry Lennox, hastily. And by an
abrupt, yet apropos question, he turned the current of the
conversation, so as not to give Mr. Thornton the mortification of
acknowledging his want of success and consequent change of
position. But as soon as the newly-started subject had come to a
close, Mr. Thornton resumed the conversation just where it had
been interrupted, and gave Mr. Colthurst the reply to his
inquiry.

'I have been unsuccessful in business, and have had to give up my
position as a master. I am on the look out for a situation in
Milton, where I may meet with employment under some one who will
be willing to let me go along my own way in such matters as
these. I can depend upon myself for having no go-ahead theories
that I would rashly bring into practice. My only wish is to have
the opportunity of cultivating some intercourse with the hands
beyond the mere "cash nexus." But it might be the point
Archimedes sought from which to move the earth, to judge from the
importance attached to it by some of our manufacturers, who shake
their heads and look grave as soon as I name the one or two
experiments that I should like to try.'

'You call them "experiments" I notice,' said Mr. Colthurst, with
a delicate increase of respect in his manner.

'Because I believe them to be such. I am not sure of the
consequences that may result from them. But I am sure they ought
to be tried. I have arrived at the conviction that no mere
institutions, however wise, and however much thought may have
been required to organise and arrange them, can attach class to
class as they should be attached, unless the working out of such
institutions bring the individuals of the different classes into
actual personal contact. Such intercourse is the very breath of
life. A working man can hardly be made to feel and know how much
his employer may have laboured in his study at plans for the
benefit of his workpeople. A complete plan emerges like a piece
of machinery, apparently fitted for every emergency. But the
hands accept it as they do machinery, without understanding the
intense mental labour and forethought required to bring it to
such perfection. But I would take an idea, the working out of
which would necessitate personal intercourse; it might not go
well at first, but at every hitch interest would be felt by an
increasing number of men, and at last its success in working come
to be desired by all, as all had borne a part in the formation of
the plan; and even then I am sure that it would lose its
vitality, cease to be living, as soon as it was no longer carried
on by that sort of common interest which invariably makes people
find means and ways of seeing each other, and becoming acquainted
with each others' characters and persons, and even tricks of
temper and modes of speech. We should understand each other
better, and I'll venture to say we should like each other more.'

'And you think they may prevent the recurrence of strikes?'

'Not at all. My utmost expectation only goes so far as this--that
they may render strikes not the bitter, venomous sources of
hatred they have hitherto been. A more hopeful man might imagine
that a closer and more genial intercourse between classes might
do away with strikes. But I am not a hopeful man.'

Suddenly, as if a new idea had struck him, he crossed over to
where Margaret was sitting, and began, without preface, as if he
knew she had been listening to all that had passed:

'Miss Hale, I had a round-robin from some of my men--I suspect in
Higgins' handwriting--stating their wish to work for me, if ever
I was in a position to employ men again on my own behalf. That
was good, wasn't it?'

'Yes. Just right. I am glad of it,' said Margaret, looking up
straight into his face with her speaking eyes, and then dropping
them under his eloquent glance. He gazed back at her for a
minute, as if he did not know exactly what he was about. Then
sighed; and saying, 'I knew you would like it,' he turned away,
and never spoke to her again until he bid her a formal 'good
night.'

As Mr. Lennox took his departure, Margaret said, with a blush
that she could not repress, and with some hesitation,

'Can I speak to you to-morrow? I want your help
about--something.'

'Certainly. I will come at whatever time you name. You cannot
give me a greater pleasure than by making me of any use. At
eleven? Very well.'

His eye brightened with exultation. How she was learning to
depend upon him! It seemed as if any day now might give him the
certainty, without having which he had determined never to offer
to her again.


CHAPTER LII


'PACK CLOUDS AWAY'

'For joy or grief, for hope or fear,
For all hereafter, as for here,
In peace or strife, in storm or shine.'
ANON.

Edith went about on tip-toe, and checked Sholto in all loud
speaking that next morning, as if any sudden noise would
interrupt the conference that was taking place in the
drawing-room. Two o'clock came; and they still sate there with
closed doors. Then there was a man's footstep running down
stairs; and Edith peeped out of the drawing-room.

'Well, Henry?' said she, with a look of interrogation.

'Well!' said he, rather shortly.

'Come in to lunch!'

'No, thank you, I can't. I've lost too much time here already.'

'Then it's not all settled,' said Edith despondingly.

'No! not at all. It never will be settled, if the "it" is what I
conjecture you mean. That will never be, Edith, so give up
thinking about it.'

'But it would be so nice for us all,' pleaded Edith. 'I should
always feel comfortable about the children, if I had Margaret
settled down near me. As it is, I am always afraid of her going
off to Cadiz.'

'I will try, when I marry, to look out for a young lady who has a
knowledge of the management of children. That is all I can do.
Miss Hale would not have me. And I shall not ask her.'

'Then, what have you been talking about?'

'A thousand things you would not understand: investments, and
leases, and value of land.'

'Oh, go away if that's all. You and she will be unbearably
stupid, if you've been talking all this time about such weary
things.'

'Very well. I'm coming again to-morrow, and bringing Mr. Thornton
with me, to have some more talk with Miss Hale.'

'Mr. Thornton! What has he to do with it?'

'He is Miss Hale's tenant,' said Mr. Lennox, turning away. 'And
he wishes to give up his lease.'

'Oh! very well. I can't understand details, so don't give them
me.'

'The only detail I want you to understand is, to let us have the
back drawing-room undisturbed, as it was to-day. In general, the
children and servants are so in and out, that I can never get any
business satisfactorily explained; and the arrangements we have
to make to-morrow are of importance.'

No one ever knew why Mr. Lennox did not keep to his appointment
on the following day. Mr. Thornton came true to his time; and,
after keeping him waiting for nearly an hour, Margaret came in
looking very white and anxious.

She began hurriedly:

'I am so sorry Mr. Lennox is not here,--he could have done it so
much better than I can. He is my adviser in this'----

'I am sorry that I came, if it troubles you. Shall I go to Mr.
Lennox's chambers and try and find him?'

'No, thank you. I wanted to tell you, how grieved I was to find
that I am to lose you as a tenant. But, Mr. Lennox says, things
are sure to brighten'----

'Mr. Lennox knows little about it,' said Mr. Thornton quietly.
'Happy and fortunate in all a man cares for, he does not
understand what it is to find oneself no longer young--yet thrown
back to the starting-point which requires the hopeful energy of
youth--to feel one half of life gone, and nothing done--nothing
remaining of wasted opportunity, but the bitter recollection that
it has been. Miss Hale, I would rather not hear Mr. Lennox's
opinion of my affairs. Those who are happy and successful
themselves are too apt to make light of the misfortunes of
others.'

'You are unjust,' said Margaret, gently. 'Mr. Lennox has only
spoken of the great probability which he believes there to be of
your redeeming--your more than redeeming what you have
lost--don't speak till I have ended--pray don't!' And collecting
herself once more, she went on rapidly turning over some law
papers, and statements of accounts in a trembling hurried manner.
'Oh! here it is! and--he drew me out a proposal--I wish he was
here to explain it--showing that if you would take some money of
mine, eighteen thousand and fifty-seven pounds, lying just at
this moment unused in the bank, and bringing me in only two and a
half per cent.--you could pay me much better interest, and might
go on working Marlborough Mills.' Her voice had cleared itself
and become more steady. Mr. Thornton did not speak, and she went
on looking for some paper on which were written down the
proposals for security; for she was most anxious to have it all
looked upon in the light of a mere business arrangement, in which
the principal advantage would be on her side. While she sought
for this paper, her very heart-pulse was arrested by the tone in
which Mr. Thornton spoke. His voice was hoarse, and trembling
with tender passion, as he said:--

'Margaret!'

For an instant she looked up; and then sought to veil her
luminous eyes by dropping her forehead on her hands. Again,
stepping nearer, he besought her with another tremulous eager
call upon her name.

'Margaret!'

Still lower went the head; more closely hidden was the face,
almost resting on the table before her. He came close to her. He
knelt by her side, to bring his face to a level with her ear; and
whispered-panted out the words:--

'Take care.--If you do not speak--I shall claim you as my own in
some strange presumptuous way.--Send me away at once, if I must
go;--Margaret!--'

At that third call she turned her face, still covered with her
small white hands, towards him, and laid it on his shoulder,
hiding it even there; and it was too delicious to feel her soft
cheek against his, for him to wish to see either deep blushes or
loving eyes. He clasped her close. But they both kept silence. At
length she murmured in a broken voice:

'Oh, Mr. Thornton, I am not good enough!'

'Not good enough! Don't mock my own deep feeling of
unworthiness.'

After a minute or two, he gently disengaged her hands from her
face, and laid her arms as they had once before been placed to
protect him from the rioters.

'Do you remember, love?' he murmured. 'And how I requited you
with my insolence the next day?'

'I remember how wrongly I spoke to you,--that is all.'

'Look here! Lift up your head. I have something to show you!' She
slowly faced him, glowing with beautiful shame.

'Do you know these roses?' he said, drawing out his pocket-book,
in which were treasured up some dead flowers.

'No!' she replied, with innocent curiosity. 'Did I give them to
you?'

'No! Vanity; you did not. You may have worn sister roses very
probably.'

She looked at them, wondering for a minute, then she smiled a
little as she said--

'They are from Helstone, are they not? I know the deep
indentations round the leaves. Oh! have you been there? When were
you there?'

'I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is,
even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling
her mine. I went there on my return from Havre.'

'You must give them to me,' she said, trying to take them out of
his hand with gentle violence.

'Very well. Only you must pay me for them!'

'How shall I ever tell Aunt Shaw?' she whispered, after some time
of delicious silence.

'Let me speak to her.'

'Oh, no! I owe to her,--but what will she say?'

'I can guess. Her first exclamation will be, "That man!"'

'Hush!' said Margaret, 'or I shall try and show you your mother's
indignant tones as she says, "That woman!"'





 


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