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Read books online Ā» Fiction Ā» North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (classic literature books .txt) šŸ“–

Book online Ā«North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (classic literature books .txt) šŸ“–Ā». Author Elizabeth Gaskell



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give way, or where shall we all be? There is not another person in the house fit to give a direction of any kind, and there is so much to be done. Thereā€™s whoā€™s to manage the funeral; and whoā€™s to come to it; and where itā€™s to be; and all to be settled: and Master Frederickā€™s like one crazed with crying, and master never was a good one for settling; and, poor gentleman, he goes about now as if he was lost. Itā€™s bad enough, my dear, I know; but death comes to us all; and youā€™re well off never to have lost any friend till now.ā€˜Perhaps so. But this seemed a loss by itself; not to bear comparison with any other event in the world. Margaret did not take any comfort from what Dixon said, but the unusual tenderness of the prim old servantā€™s manner touched her to the heart; and, more from a desire to show her gratitude for this than for any other reason, she roused herself up, and smiled in answer to Dixonā€™s anxious look at her; and went to tell her father and brother that breakfast was ready.

Mr. Hale cameā€”as if in a dream, or rather with the unconscious motion of a sleep-walker, whose eyes and mind perceive other things than what are present. Frederick came briskly in, with a forced cheerfulness, grasped her hand, looked into her eyes, and burst into tears. She had to try and think of little nothings to say all breakfast-time, in order to prevent the recurrence of her companionsā€™ thoughts too strongly to the last meal they had taken together, when there had been a continual strained listening for some sound or signal from the sick-room.

After breakfast, she resolved to speak to her father, about the funeral. He shook his head, and assented to all she proposed, though many of her propositions absolutely contradicted one another. Margaret gained no real decision from him; and was leaving the room languidly, to have a consultation with Dixon, when Mr. Hale motioned her back to his side.

ā€˜Ask Mr. Bell,ā€™ said he in a hollow voice.

ā€˜Mr. Bell!ā€™ said she, a little surprised. ā€˜Mr. Bell of Oxford?ā€™

ā€˜Mr. Bell,ā€™ he repeated. ā€˜Yes. He was my groomā€™s-man.ā€™

Margaret understood the association.

ā€˜I will write to-day,ā€™ said she. He sank again into listlessness. All morning she toiled on, longing for rest, but in a continual whirl of melancholy business.

Towards evening, Dixon said to her:

ā€˜Iā€™ve done it, miss. I was really afraid for master, that heā€™d have a stroke with grief. Heā€™s been all this day with poor missus; and when Iā€™ve listened at the door, Iā€™ve heard him talking to her, and talking to her, as if she was alive. When I went in he would be quite quiet, but all in a maze like. So I thought to myself, he ought to be roused; and if it gives him a shock at first, it will, maybe, be the better afterwards. So Iā€™ve been and told him, that I donā€™t think itā€™s safe for Master Frederick to be here. And I donā€™t. It was only on Tuesday, when I was out, that I met-a Southampton manā€”the first Iā€™ve seen since I came to Milton; they donā€™t make their way much up here, I think. Well, it was young Leonards, old Leonards the draperā€™s son, as great a scamp as ever livedā€”who plagued his father almost to death, and then ran off to sea. I never could abide him. He was in the Orion at the same time as Master Frederick, I know; though I donā€™t recollect if he was there at the mutiny.ā€™

ā€˜Did he know you?ā€™ said Margaret, eagerly.

ā€˜Why, thatā€™s the worst of it. I donā€™t believe he would have known me but for my being such a fool as to call out his name. He were a Southampton man, in a strange place, or else I should never have been so ready to call cousins with him, a nasty, good-for-nothing fellow. Says he, ā€œMiss Dixon! who would haā€™ thought of seeing you here? But perhaps I mistake, and youā€™re Miss Dixon no longer?ā€ So I told him he might still address me as an unmarried lady, though if I hadnā€™t been so particular, Iā€™d had good chances of matrimony. He was polite enough: ā€œHe couldnā€™t look at me and doubt me.ā€ But I were not to be caught with such chaff from such a fellow as him, and so I told him; and, by way of being even, I asked him after his father (who I knew had turned him out of doors), as if they was the best friends as ever was. So then, to spite meā€”for you see we were getting savage, for all we were so civil to each otherā€”he began to inquire after Master Frederick, and said, what a scrape heā€™d got into (as if Master Frederickā€™s scrapes would ever wash George Leonardsā€™ white, or make ā€˜em look otherwise than nasty, dirty black), and how heā€™d be hung for mutiny if ever he were caught, and how a hundred pound reward had been offered for catching him, and what a disgrace he had been to his familyā€”all to spite me, you see, my dear, because before now Iā€™ve helped old Mr. Leonards to give George a good rating, down in Southampton. So I said, there were other families be thankful if they could think they were earning an honest living as I knew, who had far more cause to blush for their sons, and to far away from home. To which he made answer, like the impudent chap he is, that he were in a confidential situation, and if I knew of any young man who had been so unfortunate as to lead vicious courses, and wanted to turn steady, heā€™d have no objection to lend him his patronage. He, indeed! Why, heā€™d corrupt a sairt. Iā€™ve not felt so bad myself for years as when I were standing talking to him the other day. I could have cried to think I couldnā€™t spite him better, for he kept smiling in my face, as if he took all my compliments for earnest; and I couldnā€™t see that he minded what I said in the least, while I was mad with all his speeches.ā€™

ā€˜But you did not tell him anything about usā€”about Frederick?ā€™

ā€˜Not I,ā€™ said Dixon. ā€˜He had never the grace to ask where I was staying; and I shouldnā€™t have told him if he had asked. Nor did I ask him what his precious situation was. He was waiting for a bus, and just then it drove up, and he hailed it. But, to plague me to the last, he turned back before he got in, and said, ā€œIf you can help me to trap Lieutenant Hale, Miss Dixon, weā€™ll go partners in the reward. I know youā€™d like to be my partner, now wouldnā€™t you? Donā€™t be shy, but say yes.ā€ And he jumped on the bus, and I saw his ugly face leering at me with a wicked smile to think how heā€™d had the last word of plaguing.ā€™

Margaret was made very uncomfortable by this account of Dixonā€™s.

ā€˜Have you told Frederick?ā€™ asked she.

ā€˜No,ā€™ said Dixon. ā€˜I were uneasy in my mind at knowing that bad Leonards was in town; but there was so much else to think about that I did not dwell on it at all. But when I saw master sitting so stiff, and with his eyes so glazed and sad, I thought it might rouse him to have to think of Master Frederickā€™s safety a bit. So I told him all, though I blushed to say how a young man had been speaking to me. And it has done master good. And if weā€™re to keep Master Frederick in hiding, he would have to go, poor fellow, before Mr. Bell came.ā€™

ā€˜Oh, Iā€™m not afraid of Mr. Bell; but I am afraid of this Leonards. I must tell Frederick. What did Leonards look like?ā€™

ā€˜A bad-looking fellow, I can assure you, miss. Whiskers such as I should be ashamed to wearā€”they are so red. And for all he said heā€™d got a confidential situation, he was dressed in fustian just like a working-man.ā€™

It was evident that Frederick must go. Go, too, when he had so completely vaulted into his place in the family, and promised to be such a stay and staff to his father and sister. Go, when his cares for the living mother, and sorrow for the dead, seemed to make him one of those peculiar people who are bound to us by a fellow-love for them that are taken away. Just as Margaret was thinking all this, sitting over the drawing-room fireā€”her father restless and uneasy under the pressure of this newly-aroused fear, of which he had not as yet spokenā€”Frederick came in, his brightness dimmed, but the extreme violence of his grief passed away. He came up to Margaret, and kissed her forehead.

ā€˜How wan you look, Margaret!ā€™ said he in a low voice. ā€˜You have been thinking of everybody, and no one has thought of you. Lie on this sofaā€”there is nothing for you to do.ā€™

ā€˜That is the worst,ā€™ said Margaret, in a sad whisper. But she went and lay down, and her brother covered her feet with a shawl, and then sate on the ground by her side; and the two began to talk in a subdued tone.

Margaret told him all that Dixon had related of her interview with young Leonards. Frederickā€™s lips closed with a long whew of dismay.

ā€˜I should just like to have it out with that young fellow. A worse sailor was never on board shipā€”nor a much worse man either. I declare, Margaretā€”you know the circumstances of the whole affair?ā€™

ā€˜Yes, mamma told me.ā€™

ā€˜Well, when all the sailors who were good for anything were indignant with our captain, this fellow, to curry favourā€”pah! And to think of his being here! Oh, if heā€™d a notion I was within twenty miles of him, heā€™d ferret me out to pay off old grudges. Iā€™d rather anybody had the hundred pounds they think I am worth than that rascal. What a pity poor old Dixon could not be persuaded to give me up, and make a provision for her old age!ā€™

ā€˜Oh, Frederick, hush! Donā€™t talk so.ā€™

Mr. Hale came towards them, eager and trembling. He had overheard what they were saying. He took Frederickā€™s hand in both of his:

ā€˜My boy, you must go. It is very badā€”but I see you must. You have done all you couldā€”you have been a comfort to her.ā€™

ā€˜Oh, papa, must he go?ā€™ said Margaret, pleading against her own conviction of necessity.

ā€˜I declare, Iā€™ve a good mind to face it out, and stand my trial. If I could only pick up my evidence! I cannot endure the thought of being in the power of such a blackguard as Leonards. I could almost have enjoyedā€”in other circumstancesā€”this stolen visit: it has had all the charm which the French-woman attributed to forbidden pleasures.ā€™

ā€˜One of the earliest things I can remember,ā€™ said Margaret, ā€˜was your being in some great disgrace, Fred, for stealing apples. We had plenty of our ownā€”trees loaded with them; but some one had told you that stolen fruit tasted sweetest, which you took au pied de la lettre, and off you went a-robbing. You have not changed your feelings much since then.ā€™

ā€˜Yesā€”you must go,ā€™ repeated Mr. Hale, answering Margaretā€™s question, which she had asked some time ago. His thoughts were fixed on one subject, and it was an effort to him to follow the zig-zag remarks of his childrenā€”an effort which ho did not make.

Margaret and Frederick looked at each other. That quick momentary sympathy would be theirs no longer if he went away. So much was understood

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