North and South
there—there, cowering and gibbering, with fixed ghastly eyes, in some
corner of the chamber, listening to hear whether we dare to breathe of
its presence to any one. And we dare not; poor cowards that we are!
And so she shuddered away from the threat of his enduring love. What did
he mean? Had she not the power to daunt him? She would see. It was more
daring than became a man to threaten her so. Did he ground it upon the
miserable yesterday? If need were, she would do the same to-morrow,—by
a crippled beggar, willingly and gladly,—but by him, she would do it,
just as bravely, in spite of his deductions, and the cold slime of
woman’s impertinence. She did it because it was right, and simple, and
true to save where she could save; even to try to save. “Fais ce que
dois, advienne que pourra.”
Hitherto she had not stirred from where he had left her; no outward
circumstances had roused her out of the trance of thought in which she
had been plunged by his last words, and by the look of his deep intent
passionate eyes, as their flames had made her own fall before them. She
went to the window, and threw it open, to dispel the oppression which
hung around her. Then she went and opened the door, with a sort of
impetuous wish to shake off the recollection of the past hour, in the
company of others, or in active exertion. But all was profoundly hushed
in the noonday stillness of a house, where an invalid catches the
unrefreshing sleep that is denied to the night-hours. Margaret would not
be alone. What should she do? “Go and see Bessy Higgins, of course,”
thought she, as the recollection of the message sent the night before
flashed into her mind. And away she went.
When she got there, she found Bessy lying on the settle, moved close to
the fire, though the day was sultry and oppressive. She was laid down
quite flat, as if resting languidly after some paroxysm of pain.
Margaret felt sure she ought to have the greater freedom of breathing
which a more sitting posture would procure; and, without a word, she
raised her up, and so arranged the pillows, that Bessy was more at ease,
though very languid.
“I thought I should na’ ha’ seen yo’ again,” said she, at last, looking
wistfully in Margaret’s face.
“I’m afraid you’re much worse. But I could not have come yesterday, my
mother was so ill—for many reasons,” said Margaret, colouring.
“Yo’d m’appen think I went beyond my place in sending Mary for yo’. But
the wraglin’ and the loud voices had just torn me to pieces, and I
thought when father left, oh! if I could just hear her voice, reading me
some words o’ peace and promise, I could die away into the silence and
rest o’ God, just as a baby is hushed up to sleep by its mother’s
lullaby.”
“Shall I read you a chapter, now?”
“Ay, do! M’appen I shan’t listen to th’ sense, at first; it will seem
far away—but when yo’ come to words I like—to th’ comforting
texts—it’ll seem close in my ear, and going through me as it were.”
Margaret began. Bessy tossed to and fro. If, by an effort, she attended
for one moment, it seemed as though she were convulsed into double
restlessness the next. At last, she burst out: “Don’t go on reading.
It’s no use. I’m blaspheming all the time in my mind, wi’ thinking
angrily on what canna be helped.—Yo’d hear of th’ riot, m’appen,
yesterday at Marlborough Mills? Thornton’s factory, yo’ know.”
“Your father was not there, was he?” said Margaret colouring deeply.
“Not he. He’d ha’ given his right hand if it had never come to pass.
It’s that that’s fretting me. He’s fairly knocked down in his mind by
it. It’s no use telling him, fools will always break out o’ bounds. Yo’
never saw a man so downhearted as he is.”
“But why?” asked Margaret. “I don’t understand.”
“Why, yo’ see, he’s a committee-man on this special strike. Th’ Union
appointed him because, though I say it as shouldn’t say it, he’s
reckoned a deep chap, and true to th’ back-bone. And he and t’other
committee-men laid their plans. They were to hou’d together through
thick and thin; what the major part thought, t’others were to think,
whether they would or no. And above all there was to be no going again
the law of the land. Folk would go with them if they saw them striving
and starving wi’ dumb patience; but if there was once any noise o’
fighting and struggling—even wi’ knobsticks—all was up, as they know
by th’ experience of many, and many a time before. They would try and
get speech o’ th’ knobsticks, and coax ’em, and reason wi’ ’em, and
m’appen warn ’em off; but whatever came, the Committee charged all
members o’ th’ Union to lie down and die, if need were, without striking
a blow; and then they reckoned they were sure o’ carrying th’ public
with them. And besides all that, Committee knew they were right in their
demand, and they didn’t want to have right all mixed up wi’ wrong, till
folk can’t separate it, no more nor I can the physic-powder from th’
jelly yo’ gave me to mix it in; jelly is much the biggest, but powder
tastes it all through. Well, I’ve told yo’ at length about this’n, but I
am tired out. Yo’ just think for yor’sel, what it mun be for father to
have a’ his work undone, and by such a fool as Boucher, who must needs
go right again the orders of Committee, and ruin th’ strike, just as bad
as if he meant to be a Judas. Eh! but father giv’d it him last night! He
went so far as to say, he’d go and tell police where they might find th’
ringleader o’ th’ riot; he’d give him up to th’ mill-owners to do what
they would wi’ him. He’d show the world that th’ real leaders o’ the
strike were not such as Boucher, but steady thoughtful men; good hands,
and good citizens, who were friendly to law and judgment, and would
uphold order; who only wanted their right wage, and wouldn’t work, even
though they starved, till they got ’em; but who would ne’er injure
property or life. For,” dropping her voice, “they do say, that Boucher
threw a stone at Thornton’s sister, that welly killed her.”
“That’s not true,” said Margaret. “It was not Boucher that threw the
stone”—she went first red, then white.
“Yo’d be there then, were yo’?” asked Bessie languidly: for indeed, she
had spoken with many pauses, as if speech was unusually difficult to
her.
“Yes. Never mind. Go on. Only it was not Boucher that threw the stone.
But what did he answer to your father?”
“He did na’ speak words. He were all in such a tremble wi’ spent
passion, I could na’ bear to look at him. I heard his breath coming
quick, and at one time I thought he were sobbing. But when father said
he’d give him up to police, he gave a great cry, and struck father on
th’ face wi’ his closed fist, and he off like lightning. Father were
stunned wi’ the blow at first, for all Boucher were weak wi’ passion and
wi’ clemming. He sat down a bit, and put his hand afore his eyes; and
then made for th’ door. I dunno’ where I got strength, but I threw
mysel’ oh th’ settle and clung to him. ‘Father, father!’ said I.
‘Thou’ll never go peach on that poor clemmed man. I’ll never leave go on
thee, till thou sayst thou wunnot.’ ‘Dunnot be a fool,’ says he, ‘words
come readier than deeds to most men. I never thought o’ telling th’
police on him; though by G—, he deserves it, and I should na’ ha’
minded if some one else had done the dirty work, and got him clapped up.
But now he has strucken me, I could do it less nor ever, for it would be
getting other men to take up my quarrel. But if ever he gets well o’er
this clemming, and is in good condition, he and I’ll have an up and down
fight, purring an’ a’, and I’ll see what I can do for him.’ And so
father shook me off,—for indeed I was low and faint enough, and his
face was all clay white, where it weren’t bloody, and turned me sick to
look at. And I know not if I slept or waked, or were in a dead swoon,
till Mary come in; and I telled her to fetch yo’ to me. And now dunnot
talk to me, but just read out th’ chapter. I’m easier in my mind for
having spit it out; but I want some thoughts of the world that’s far
away to take the weary taste of it out of my mouth. Read me not a sermon
chapter, but a story chapter; they’ve pictures in them, which I see when
my eyes are shut. Read about the New Heavens, and the New Earth; and
m’appen I’ll forget this.”
Margaret read in her soft low voice. Though Bessy’s eyes were shut, she
was listening for some time, for the moisture of tears gathered heavy on
her eyelashes. At last she slept; with many starts, and muttered
pleadings. Margaret covered her up, and left her, for she had an uneasy
consciousness that she might be wanted at home, and yet, until now, it
seemed cruel to leave the dying girl.
Mrs. Hale was in the drawing-room on her daughter’s return. It was one
of her better days, and she was full of praises of the water-bed. It had
been more like the beds at Sir John Beresford’s than anything she had
slept on since. She did not know how it was, but people seemed to have
lost the art of making the same kind of beds as they used to do in her
youth. One would think it was easy enough; there was the same kind of
feathers to be had, and yet somehow, till this last night she did not
know when she had had a good sound resting sleep.
Mr. Hale suggested, that something of the merits of the feather-beds of
former days might be attributed to the activity of youth, which gave a
relish to rest; but this idea was not kindly received by his wife.
“No, indeed, Mr. Hale, it was those beds at Sir John’s. Now, Margaret,
you’re young enough, and go about in the day; are the beds comfortable?
I appeal to you. Do they give you a feeling of perfect repose when you
lie down upon them; or rather, don’t you toss about, and try in vain to
find an easy position, and wake in the morning as tired as when you went
to bed?”
Margaret laughed. “To tell the truth, mamma, I’ve never thought about my
bed at all, what kind it is. I’m so sleepy at night, that if I only lie
down anywhere, I nap off directly. So I don’t think I’m a competent
witness. But then, you know, I never had the opportunity of trying Sir
John Beresford’s beds. I never was at Oxenham.”
“Were you not? Oh, no! to be sure. It was poor darling Fred I took with
me, I remember. I only went to Oxenham once after I was married,—to
your Aunt Shaw’s wedding; and poor little Fred was the baby then. And I
know Dixon did not like changing from lady’s maid to nurse, and I was
afraid that if I took her near her old home, and amongst her own people,
she might want to leave me. But poor baby was taken ill at Oxenham, with
his teething; and, what with my being a great deal with Anna just before
her marriage, and not being very strong myself, Dixon had more of the
charge of him than she ever had before; and it made her so fond of him,
and she was so proud when he would turn away from every one and cling
to her, that I don’t believe she ever thought of leaving me again;
though it was very different from what she’d been accustomed to. Poor
Fred! Everybody loved him. He was born with the gift of winning hearts.
It makes me think very badly of Captain Reid when I know that he
disliked my own dear boy. I think it a certain proof he had a bad heart.
Ah! Your poor father, Margaret. He has left the room. He can’t bear to
hear Fred spoken of.”
“I love to hear about him, mamma. Tell me all you like; you never can
tell me too much. Tell me what he was like as a baby.”
“Why, Margaret, you must not be hurt, but he was much prettier than you
were. I remember, when I first saw you in Dixon’s arms, I said, ‘Dear,
what an ugly little thing!’ And she said, ‘It’s not every child that’s
like Master Fred, bless him!’ Dear! how well I remember it. Then I could
have had Fred in my arms every minute of the day, and his cot was close