Mr. Hale was busy cutting bread and butter; Margaret was glad of this,for she saw that Higgins was better left to himself: that if her fatherbegan to speak ever so mildly on the subject of Higgins"s thoughts, thelatter would consider himself challenged to an argument, and wouldfeel himself bound to maintain his own ground. She and her father keptup an indifferent conversation until Higgins, scarcely aware whether heate or not, had made a very substantial meal. Then he pushed his chairaway from the table, and tried to take an interest in what they weresaying; but it was of no use; and he fell back into dreamy gloom.
Suddenly, Margaret said (she had been thinking of it for some time, butthe words had stuck in her throat), "Higgins, have you been toMarlborough Mills to seek for work?"
"Thornton"s?" asked he. "Ay, I"ve been at Thornton"s."
"And what did he say?"
"Such a chap as me is not like to see the measter. Th" o"erlooker bid mego and be d----d."
"I wish you had seen Mr. Thornton," said Mr. Hale. "He might not havegiven you work, but he would not have used such language."
"As to th" language, I"m welly used to it; it dunnot matter to me. I"m notnesh mysel" when I"m put out. It were th" fact that I were na wantedtheer, no more nor ony other place, as I minded."
"But I wish you had seen Mr. Thornton," repeated Margaret. "Would yougo again--it"s a good deal to ask, I know--but would you go to-morrowand try him? I should be so glad if you would."
"I"m afraid it would be of no use," said Mr. Hale, in a low voice. "Itwould be better to let me speak to him." Margaret still looked at Higginsfor his answer. Those grave soft eyes of hers were difficult to resist. Hegave a great sigh.
"It would tax my pride above a bit; if it were for mysel", I could stand adeal o" clemming first; I"d sooner knock him down than ask a favourfrom him. I"d a deal sooner be flogged mysel"; but yo"re not a commonwench, axing yo"r pardon, nor yet have yo" common ways about yo". I"lle"en make a wry face, and go at it to-morrow. Dunna yo" think that he"lldo it. That man has it in him to be burnt at the stake afore he"ll give in. Ido it for yo"r sake, Miss Hale, and it"s first time in my life as e"er I giveway to a woman. Neither my wife nor Bess could e"er say that muchagain me."
"All the more do I thank you," said Margaret, smiling. "Though I don"tbelieve you: I believe you have just given way to wife and daughter asmuch as most men."
"And as to Mr. Thornton," said Mr. Hale, "I"ll give you a note to him,which, I think I may venture to say, will ensure you a hearing."
"I thank yo" kindly, sir, but I"d as lief stand on my own bottom. I dunnotstomach the notion of having favour curried for me, by one as doesn"tknow the ins and outs of the quarrel. Meddling "twixt master and man isliker meddling "twixt husband and wife than aught else: it takes a deal o"
wisdom for to do ony good. I"ll stand guard at the lodge door. I"ll standthere fro" six in the morning till I get speech on him. But I"d liefer sweepth" streets, if paupers had na" got hold on that work. Dunna yo" hope,miss. There"ll be more chance o" getting milk out of a flint. I wish yo" avery good night, and many thanks to yo"."
"You"ll find your shoe"s by the kitchen fire; I took them there to dry,"
said Margaret.
He turned round and looked at her steadily, and then he brushed his leanhand across his eyes and went his way.
"How proud that man is!" said her father, who was a little annoyed at themanner in which Higgins had declined his intercession with Mr.
Thornton.
"He is," said Margaret; "but what grand makings of a man there are inhim, pride and all."
"It"s amusing to see how he evidently respects the part in Mr. Thornton"scharacter which is like his own."
"There"s granite in all these northern people, papa, is there not?"
"There was none in poor Boucher, I am afraid; none in his wife either."
"I should guess from their tones that they had Irish blood in them. Iwonder what success he"ll have to-morrow. If he and Mr. Thorntonwould speak out together as man to man--if Higgins would forget thatMr. Thornton was a master, and speak to him as he does to us--and ifMr. Thornton would be patient enough to listen to him with his humanheart, not with his master"s ears--"
"You are getting to do Mr. Thornton justice at last, Margaret," said herfather, pinching her ear.
Margaret had a strange choking at her heart, which made her unable toanswer. "Oh!" thought she, "I wish I were a man, that I could go andforce him to express his disapprobation, and tell him honestly that Iknew I deserved it. It seems hard to lose him as a friend just when I hadbegun to feel his value. How tender he was with dear mamma! If it wereonly for her sake, I wish he would come, and then at least I shouldknow how much I was abased in his eyes."