"Sleep on, my love, in thy cold bed,Never to be disquieted!
My last Good Night--thou wilt not wakeTill I thy fate shall overtake."
DR. KING.
Home seemed unnaturally quiet after all this terror and noisycommotion. Her father had seen all due preparation made for herrefreshment on her return; and then sate down again in his accustomedchair, to fall into one of his sad waking dreams. Dixon had got MaryHiggins to scold and direct in the kitchen; and her scolding was not theless energetic because it was delivered in an angry whisper; for,speaking above her breath she would have thought irreverent, as long asthere was any one dead lying in the house. Margaret had resolved not tomention the crowning and closing affright to her father. There was nouse in speaking about it; it had ended well; the only thing to be fearedwas lest Leonards should in some way borrow money enough to effecthis purpose of following Frederick to London, and hunting him outthere. But there were immense chances against the success of any suchplan; and Margaret determined not to torment herself by thinking ofwhat she could do nothing to prevent. Frederick would be as much onhis guard as she could put him; and in a day or two at most he would besafely out of England.
"I suppose we shall hear from Mr. Bell to-morrow," said Margaret.
"Yes," replied her father. "I suppose so."
"If he can come, he will be here to-morrow evening, I should think."
"If he cannot come, I shall ask Mr. Thornton to go with me to thefuneral. I cannot go alone. I should break down utterly."
"Don"t ask Mr. Thornton, papa. Let me go with you," said Margaret,impetuously.
"You! My dear, women do not generally go."
"No: because they can"t control themselves. Women of our class don"tgo, because they have no power over their emotions, and yet areashamed of showing them. Poor women go, and don"t care if they areseen overwhelmed with grief. But I promise you, papa, that if you willlet me go, I will be no trouble. Don"t have a stranger, and leave me out.
Dear papa! if Mr. Bell cannot come, I shall go. I won"t urge my wishagainst your will, if he does."
Mr. Bell could not come. He had the gout. It was a most affectionateletter, and expressed great and true regret for his inability to attend. Hehoped to come and pay them a visit soon, if they would have him; hisMilton property required some looking after, and his agent had writtento him to say that his presence was absolutely necessary; or else he hadavoided coming near Milton as long as he could, and now the only thingthat would reconcile him to this necessary visit was the idea that heshould see, and might possibly be able to comfort his old friend.
Margaret had all the difficulty in the world to persuade her father not toinvite Mr. Thornton. She had an indescribable repugnance to this stepbeing taken. The night before the funeral, came a stately note from Mrs.
Thornton to Miss Hale, saying that, at her son"s desire, their carriageshould attend the funeral, if it would not be disagreeable to the family.
Margaret tossed the note to her father.
"Oh, don"t let us have these forms," said she. "Let us go alone--you andme, papa. They don"t care for us, or else he would have offered to gohimself, and not have proposed this sending an empty carriage."
"I thought you were so extremely averse to his going, Margaret," saidMr. Hale in some surprise.
"And so I am. I don"t want him to come at all; and I should especiallydislike the idea of our asking him. But this seems such a mockery ofmourning that I did not expect it from him." She startled her father bybursting into tears. She had been so subdued in her grief, so thoughtfulfor others, so gentle and patient in all things, that he could notunderstand her impatient ways to-night; she seemed agitated andrestless; and at all the tenderness which her father in his turn nowlavished upon her, she only cried the more.