'Mother,' said he, stopping, and bravely speaking out the truth,

'I wish you would like Miss Hale.' 'Why?' asked she, startled by his earnest, yet tender manner.

'You're never thinking of marrying her?--a girl without a penny.' 'She would never have me,' said he, with a short laugh.

'No, I don't think she would,' answered his mother. 'She laughed

in my face, when I praised her for speaking out something Mr.

Bell had said in your favour. I liked the girl for doing it so

frankly, for it made me sure she had no thought of you; and the

next minute she vexed me so by seeming to think----Well, never

mind! Only you're right in saying she's too good an opinion of

herself to think of you. The saucy jade! I should like to know

where she'd find a better!' If these words hurt her son, the

dusky light prevented him from betraying any emotion. In a minute

he came up quite cheerfully to his mother, and putting one hand

lightly on her shoulder, said: 'Well, as I'm just as much convinced of the truth of what you

have been saying as you can be; and as I have no thought or

expectation of ever asking her to be my wife, you'll believe me

for the future that I'm quite disinterested in speaking about

her. I foresee trouble for that girl--perhaps want of motherly

care--and I only wish you to be ready to be a friend to her, in

case she needs one. Now, Fanny,' said he, 'I trust you have

delicacy enough to understand, that it is as great an injury to

Miss Hale as to me--in fact, she would think it a greater--to

suppose that I have any reason, more than I now give, for begging

you and my mother to show her every kindly attention.' 'I cannot forgive her her pride,' said his mother; 'I will

befriend her, if there is need, for your asking, John. I would

befriend Jezebel herself if you asked me. But this girl, who

turns up her nose at us all--who turns up her nose at you----' 'Nay, mother; I have never yet put myself, and I mean never to

put myself, within reach of her contempt.' 'Contempt, indeed!'--(One of Mrs. Thornton's expressive

snorts.)--'Don't go on speaking of Miss Hale, John, if I've to be

kind to her. When I'm with her, I don't know if I like or dislike

her most; but when I think of her, and hear you talk of her, I

hate her. I can see she's given herself airs to you as well as if

you'd told me out.' 'And if she has,' said he--and then he paused for a moment--then

went on: 'I'm not a lad, to be cowed by a proud look from a

woman, or to care for her misunderstanding me and my position. I

can laugh at it!' 'To be sure! and at her too, with her fine notions and haughty

tosses!' 'I only wonder why you talk so much about her, then,' said Fanny.

'I'm sure, I'm tired enough of the subject.' 'Well!' said her brother, with a shade of bitterness. 'Suppose we

find some more agreeable subject. What do you say to a strike, by

way of something pleasant to talk about?' 'Have the hands actually turned out?' asked Mrs. Thornton, with

vivid interest.




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