"On earth is known to noneThe smile that is not sister to a tear."
ELLIOTT.
Margaret and her father walked home. The night was fine, the streetsclean, and with her pretty white silk, like Leezie Lindsay"s gown o"
green satin, in the ballad, "kilted up to her knee," she was off with herfather--ready to dance along with the excitement of the cool, fresh nightair.
"I rather think Thornton is not quite easy in his mind about this strike.
He seemed very anxious to-night."
"I should wonder if he were not. But he spoke with his usual coolness tothe others, when they suggested different things, just before we cameaway."
"So he did after dinner as well. It would take a good deal to stir himfrom his cool manner of speaking; but his face strikes me as anxious."
"I should be, if I were he. He must know of the growing anger andhardly smothered hatred of his workpeople, who all look upon him aswhat the Bible calls a "hard man,"--not so much unjust as unfeeling;clear in judgment, standing upon his "rights" as no human being oughtto stand, considering what we and all our petty rights are in the sight ofthe Almighty. I am glad you think he looks anxious. When I rememberBoucher"s half mad words and ways, I cannot bear to think how coollyMr. Thornton spoke."
"In the first place, I am not so convinced as you are about that manBoucher"s utter distress; for the moment, he was badly off, I don"t doubt.
But there is always a mysterious supply of money from these Unions;and, from what you said, it was evident the man was of a passionate,demonstrative nature, and gave strong expression to all he felt."
"Oh, papa!"
"Well! I only want you to do justice to Mr. Thornton, who is, I suspect,of an exactly opposite nature,--a man who is far too proud to show hisfeelings. Just the character I should have thought beforehand, youwould have admired, Margaret."
"So I do,--so I should; but I don"t feel quite so sure as you do of theexistence of those feelings. He is a man of great strength of character,-ofunusual intellect, considering the few advantages he has had."
"Not so few. He has led a practical life from a very early age; has beencalled upon to exercise judgment and self-control. All that developesone part of the intellect. To be sure, he needs some of the knowledge ofthe past, which gives the truest basis for conjecture as to the future; buthe knows this need,--he perceives it, and that is something. You arequite prejudiced against Mr. Thornton, Margaret."
"He is the first specimen of a manufacturer--of a person engaged in trade-that I had ever the opportunity of studying, papa. He is my first olive:
let me make a face while I swallow it. I know he is good of his kind,and by and by I shall like the kind. I rather think I am already beginningto do so. I was very much interested by what the gentlemen weretalking about, although I did not understand half of it. I was quite sorrywhen Miss Thornton came to take me to the other end of the room,saying she was sure I should be uncomfortable at being the only ladyamong so many gentlemen. I had never thought about it, I was so busylistening; and the ladies were so dull, papa--oh, so dull! Yet I think itwas clever too. It reminded me of our old game of having each so manynouns to introduce into a sentence."
"What do you mean, child?" asked Mr. Hale.
"Why, they took nouns that were signs of things which gave evidence ofwealth,--housekeepers, under-gardeners, extent of glass, valuable lace,diamonds, and all such things; and each one formed her speech so as tobring them all in, in the prettiest accidental manner possible."
"You will be as proud of your one servant when you get her, if all is trueabout her that Mrs. Thornton says."
"To be sure, I shall. I felt like a great hypocrite to-night, sitting there inmy white silk gown, with my idle hands before me, when I rememberedall the good, thorough, house-work they had done to-day. They took mefor a fine lady, I"m sure."
"Even I was mistaken enough to think you looked like a lady my dear,"
said Mr. Hale, quietly smiling.
But smiles were changed to white and trembling looks, when they sawDixon"s face, as she opened the door.
"Oh, master!--Oh, Miss Margaret! Thank God you are come! Dr.
Donaldson is here. The servant next door went for him, for thecharwoman is gone home. She"s better now; but, oh, sir! I thought she"dhave died an hour ago."
Mr. Hale caught Margaret"s arm to steady himself from falling. Helooked at her face, and saw an expression upon it of surprise andextremest sorrow, but not the agony of terror that contracted his ownunprepared heart. She knew more than he did, and yet she listened withthat hopeless expression of awed apprehension.
"Oh! I should not have left her--wicked daughter that I am!" moanedforth Margaret, as she supported her trembling father"s hasty steps upstairs.
Dr. Donaldson met them on the landing.
"She is better now," he whispered. "The opiate has taken effect. Thespasms were very bad: no wonder they frightened your maid; but she"llrally this time."
"This time! Let me go to her!" Half an hour ago, Mr. Hale was a middle-aged man; now his sight was dim, his senses wavering, his walktottering, as if he were seventy years of age.
Dr. Donaldson took his arm, and led him into the bedroom. Margaretfollowed close. There lay her mother, with an unmistakable look on herface. She might be better now; she was sleeping, but Death had signedher for his own, and it was clear that ere long he would return to takepossession. Mr. Hale looked at her for some time without a word. Thenhe began to shake all over, and, turning away from Dr. Donaldson"sanxious care, he groped to find the door; he could not see it, althoughseveral candles, brought in the sudden affright, were burning and flaringthere. He staggered into the drawing-room, and felt about for a chair.
Dr. Donaldson wheeled one to him, and placed him in it. He felt hispulse.
"Speak to him, Miss Hale. We must rouse him."
"Papa!" said Margaret, with a crying voice that was wild with pain.
"Papa! Speak to me!" The speculation came again into his eyes, and hemade a great effort.
"Margaret, did you know of this? Oh, it was cruel of you!"
"No, sir, it was not cruel!" replied Dr. Donaldson, with quick decision.
