Margaret needed all Dixon"s help in action, and silence in words; for,for some time, the latter thought it her duty to show her sense of affrontby saying as little as possible to her young lady; so the energy came outin doing rather than in speaking A fortnight was a very short time tomake arrangements for so serious a removal; as Dixon said, "Any onebut a gentleman--indeed almost any other gentleman--" but catching alook at Margaret"s straight, stern brow just here, she coughed theremainder of the sentence away, and meekly took the horehound dropthat Margaret offered her, to stop the "little tickling at my chest, miss."
But almost any one but Mr. Hale would have had practical knowledgeenough to see, that in so short a time it would be difficult to fix on anyhouse in Milton-Northern, or indeed elsewhere, to which they couldremove the furniture that had of necessity to be taken out of Helstonevicarage.
Mrs. Hale, overpowered by all the troubles and necessities forimmediate household decisions that seemed to come upon her at once,became really ill, and Margaret almost felt it as a relief when hermother fairly took to her bed, and left the management of affairs to her.
Dixon, true to her post of body-guard, attended most faithfully to hermistress, and only emerged from Mrs. Hale"s bed-room to shake herhead, and murmur to herself in a manner which Margaret did notchoose to hear. For, the one thing clear and straight before her, was thenecessity for leaving Helstone. Mr. Hale"s successor in the living wasappointed; and, at any rate, after her father"s decision; there must be nolingering now, for his sake, as well as from every other consideration.
For he came home every evening more and more depressed, after thenecessary leave-taking which he had resolved to have with everyindividual parishioner. Margaret, inexperienced as she was in all thenecessary matter-of-fact business to be got through, did not know towhom to apply for advice. The cook and Charlotte worked away withwilling arms and stout hearts at all the moving and packing; and as faras that went, Margaret"s admirable sense enabled her to see what wasbest, and to direct how it should be done. But where were they to go to?
In a week they must be gone. Straight to Milton, or where? So manyarrangements depended on this decision that Margaret resolved to askher father one evening, in spite of his evident fatigue and low spirits. Heanswered:
"My dear! I have really had too much to think about to settle this. Whatdoes your mother say? What does she wish? Poor Maria!"
He met with an echo even louder than his sigh. Dixon had just comeinto the room for another cup of tea for Mrs. Hale, and catching Mr.
Hale"s last words, and protected by his presence from Margaret"supbraiding eyes, made bold to say, "My poor mistress!"
"You don"t think her worse to-day," said Mr. Hale, turning hastily.
"I"m sure I can"t say, sir. It"s not for me to judge. The illness seems somuch more on the mind than on the body."
Mr. Hale looked infinitely distressed.
"You had better take mamma her tea while it is hot, Dixon," saidMargaret, in a tone of quiet authority.
"Oh! I beg your pardon, miss! My thoughts was otherwise occupied inthinking of my poor----of Mrs. Hale."
"Papa!" said Margaret, "it is this suspense that is bad for you both. Ofcourse, mamma must feel your change of opinions: we can"t help that,"