Thornton again. And yet she longed to see him, to get it over; tounderstand where she stood in his opinion. Her cheeks burnt as sherecollected how proudly she had implied an objection to trade (in theearly days of their acquaintance), because it too often led to the deceitof passing off inferior for superior goods, in the one branch; ofassuming credit for wealth and resources not possessed, in the other.
She remembered Mr. Thornton"s look of calm disdain, as in few wordshe gave her to understand that, in the great scheme of commerce, alldishonourable ways of acting were sure to prove injurious in the longrun, and that, testing such actions simply according to the poor standardof success, there was folly and not wisdom in all such, and every kindof deceit in trade, as well as in other things. She remembered--she, thenstrong in her own untempted truth--asking him, if he did not think thatbuying in the cheapest and selling in the dearest market proved somewant of the transparent justice which is so intimately connected with theidea of truth: and she had used the word chivalric--and her father hadcorrected her with the higher word, Christian; and so drawn theargument upon himself, while she sate silent by with a slight feeling ofcontempt.
No more contempt for her!--no more talk about the chivalric!
Henceforward she must feel humiliated and disgraced in his sight. Butwhen should she see him? Her heart leaped up in apprehension at everyring of the door-bell; and yet when it fell down to calmness, she feltstrangely saddened and sick at heart at each disappointment. It was veryevident that her father expected to see him, and was surprised that hedid not come. The truth was, that there were points in their conversationthe other night on which they had no time then to enlarge; but it hadbeen understood that if possible on the succeeding evening--if not then,at least the very first evening that Mr. Thornton could command,--theyshould meet for further discussion. Mr. Hale had looked forward to thismeeting ever since they had parted. He had not yet resumed theinstruction to his pupils, which he had relinquished at thecommencement of his wife"s more serious illness, so he had feweroccupations than usual; and the great interest of the last day or so(Boucher"s suicide) had driven him back with more eagerness than everupon his speculations. He was restless all evening. He kept saying, "Iquite expected to have seen Mr. Thornton. I think the messenger whobrought the book last night must have had some note, and forgot todeliver it. Do you think there has been any message left to-day?"
"I will go and inquire, papa," said Margaret, after the changes on thesesentences had been rung once or twice. "Stay, there"s a ring!" She satedown instantly, and bent her head attentively over her work. She hearda step on the stairs, but it was only one, and she knew it was Dixon"s.
She lifted up her head and sighed, and believed she felt glad.
"It"s that Higgins, sir. He wants to see you, or else Miss Hale. Or itmight be Miss Hale first, and then you, sir; for he"s in a strange kind ofway.
"He had better come up here, Dixon; and then he can see us both, andchoose which he likes for his listener."
"Oh! very well, sir. I"ve no wish to hear what he"s got to say, I"m sure;only, if you could see his shoes, I"m sure you"d say the kitchen was thefitter place.
"He can wipe them, I suppose, said Mr. Hale. So Dixon flung off, to bidhim walk up-stairs. She was a little mollified, however, when he lookedat his feet with a hesitating air; and then, sitting down on the;bottomstair, he took off the offending shoes, and without a word walked upstairs.
"Sarvant, sir!" said he, slicking his hair down when he came into theroom. "If hoo"l excuse me (looking at Margaret) for being i" mystockings; I"se been tramping a" day, and streets is none o" th" cleanest."
Margaret thought that fatigue might account for the change in hismanner, for he was unusually quiet and subdued; and he had evidentlysome difficulty in saying what he came to say.
Mr. Hale"s ever-ready sympathy with anything of shyness or hesitation,or want of self-possession, made him come to his aid.
"We shall have tea up directly, and then you"ll take a cup with us, Mr.
Higgins. I am sure you are tired, if you"ve been out much this wetrelaxing day. Margaret, my dear, can"t you hasten tea?"
Margaret could only hasten tea by taking the preparation of it into herown hands, and so offending Dixon, who was emerging out of hersorrow for her late mistress into a very touchy, irritable state. ButMartha, like all who came in contact with Margaret--even Dixonherself, in the long run--felt it a pleasure and an honour to forward anyof her wishes; and her readiness, and Margaret"s sweet forbearance,soon made Dixon ashamed of herself.
"Why master and you must always be asking the lower classes up-stairs,since we came to Milton, I cannot understand. Folk at Helstone werenever brought higher than the kitchen; and I"ve let one or two of themknow before now that they might think it an honour to be even there."
Higgins found it easier to unburden himself to one than to two. AfterMargaret left the room, he went to the door and assured himself that itwas shut. Then he came and stood close to Mr. Hale.
"Master," said he, "yo"d not guess easy what I"ve been tramping after today.
Special if yo" remember my manner o" talk yesterday. I"ve been aseeking work. I have" said he. "I said to mysel", I"d keep a civil tongue inmy head, let who would say what "em would. I"d set my teeth into mytongue sooner nor speak i" haste. For that man"s sake--yo" understand,"
jerking his thumb back in some unknown direction.
"No, I don"t," said Mr. Hale, seeing he waited for some kind of assent,and completely bewildered as to who "that man" could be.
"That chap as lies theer," said he, with another jerk. "Him as went anddrownded himself, poor chap! I did na" think he"d got it in him to lie stilland let th" water creep o"er him till he died. Boucher, yo" know."
"Yes, I know now," said Mr. Hale. "Go back to what you were saying:
you"d not speak in haste----"
"For his sake. Yet not for his sake; for where"er he is, and whate"er, he"llne"er know other clemming or cold again; but for the wife"s sake, andthe bits o" childer."
"God bless you!" said Mr. Hale, starting up; then, calming down, he saidbreathlessly, "What do you mean? Tell me out."