Mrs. Thornton had quite enough of natural humour to make her feel theludicrousness of the position in which she was left. There was nothingfor it but to show herself out. She was not particularly annoyed atMargaret"s way of behaving. She did not care enough for her for that.
She had taken Mrs. Thornton"s remonstrance to the full as keenly toheart as that lady expected; and Margaret"s passion at once mollified hervisitor, far more than any silence or reserve could have done. It showedthe effect of her words. "My young lady," thought Mrs. Thornton toherself; "you"ve a pretty good temper of your own. If John and you hadcome together, he would have had to keep a tight hand over you, tomake you know your place. But I don"t think you will go a-walkingagain with your beau, at such an hour of the day, in a hurry. You"ve toomuch pride and spirit in you for that. I like to see a girl fly out at thenotion of being talked about. It shows they"re neither giddy, nor hold bynature. As for that girl, she might be hold, but she"d never be giddy. I"lldo her that justice. Now as to Fanny, she"d be giddy, and not bold. She"sno courage in her, poor thing!"
Mr. Thornton was not spending the morning so satisfactorily as hismother. She, at any rate, was fulfilling her determined purpose. He wastrying to understand where he stood; what damage the strike had donehim. A good deal of his capital was locked up in new and expensivemachinery; and he had also bought cotton largely, with a view to somegreat orders which he had in hand. The strike had thrown him terriblybehindhand, as to the completion of these orders. Even with his ownaccustomed and skilled workpeople, he would have had some difficultyin fulfilling his engagements; as it was, the incompetence of the Irishhands, who had to be trained to their work, at a time requiring unusualactivity, was a daily annoyance.
It was not a favourable hour for Higgins to make his request. But he hadpromised Margaret to do it at any cost. So, though every moment addedto his repugnance, his pride, and his sullenness of temper, he stoodleaning against the dead wall, hour after hour, first on one leg, then onthe other. At last the latch was sharply lifted, and out came Mr.
Thornton.
"I want for to speak to yo", sir."
"Can"t stay now, my man. I"m too late as it is."
"Well, sir, I reckon I can wait till yo" come back."
Mr. Thornton was half way down the street. Higgins sighed. But it wasno use. To catch him in the street was his only chance of seeing "themeaster;" if he had rung the lodge bell, or even gone up to the house toask for him, he would have been referred to the overlooker. So he stoodstill again, vouchsafing no answer, but a short nod of recognition to thefew men who knew and spoke to him, as the crowd drove out of themillyard at dinner-time, and scowling with all his might at the Irish"knobsticks" who had just been imported. At last Mr. Thornton returned.
"What! you there still!"
"Ay, sir. I mun speak to yo"."
"Come in here, then. Stay, we"ll go across the yard; the men are notcome back, and we shall have it to ourselves. These good people, I see,are at dinner;" said he, closing the door of the porter"s lodge.
He stopped to speak to the overlooker. The latter said in a low tone:
"I suppose you know, sir, that that man is Higgins, one of the leaders ofthe Union; he that made that speech in Hurstfield."
"No, I didn"t," said Mr. Thornton, looking round sharply at his follower.
Higgins was known to him by name as a turbulent spirit.
"Come along," said he, and his tone was rougher than before. "It is mensuch as this," thought he, "who interrupt commerce and injure the verytown they live in: mere demagogues, lovers of power, at whatever costto others."
"Well, sir! what do you want with me?" said Mr. Thornton, facing roundat him, as soon as they were in the counting-house of the mill.
"My name is Higgins"-"
I know that," broke in Mr. Thornton. "What do you want, Mr. Higgins?
That"s the question."
"I want work."
"Work! You"re a pretty chap to come asking me for work. You don"twant impudence, that"s very clear."
"I"ve getten enemies and backbiters, like my betters; but I ne"er heerd o"
ony of them calling me o"er-modest," said Higgins. His blood was a littleroused by Mr. Thornton"s manner, more than by his words.
Mr. Thornton saw a letter addressed to himself on the table. He took itup and read it through. At the end, he looked up and said, "What are youwaiting for?"