This marring of the peace of home, by long hours of discontent,

was what Margaret was unprepared for. She knew, and had rather

revelled in the idea, that she should have to give up many

luxuries, which had only been troubles and trammels to her

freedom in Harley Street. Her keen enjoyment of every sensuous

pleasure, was balanced finely, if not overbalanced, by her

conscious pride in being able to do without them all, if need

were. But the cloud never comes in that quarter of the horizon

from which we watch for it. There had been slight complaints and

passing regrets on her mother's part, over some trifle connected

with Helstone, and her father's position there, when Margaret had

been spending her holidays at home before; but in the general

happiness of the recollection of those times, she had forgotten

the small details which were not so pleasant. In the latter half

of September, the autumnal rains and storms came on, and Margaret

was obliged to remain more in the house than she had hitherto

done. Helstone was at some distance from any neighbours of their

own standard of cultivation.

'It is undoubtedly one of the most out-of-the-way places in

England,' said Mrs. Hale, in one of her plaintive moods. 'I can't

help regretting constantly that papa has really no one to

associate with here; he is so thrown away; seeing no one but

farmers and labourers from week's end to week's end. If we only

lived at the other side of the parish, it would be something;

there we should be almost within walking distance of the

Stansfields; certainly the Gormans would be within a walk.' 'Gormans,' said Margaret. 'Are those the Gormans who made their

fortunes in trade at Southampton? Oh! I'm glad we don't visit

them. I don't like shoppy people. I think we are far better off,

knowing only cottagers and labourers, and people without

pretence.' 'You must not be so fastidious, Margaret, dear!' said her mother,

secretly thinking of a young and handsome Mr. Gorman whom she had

once met at Mr. Hume's.

'No! I call mine a very comprehensive taste; I like all people

whose occupations have to do with land; I like soldiers and

sailors, and the three learned professions, as they call them.

I'm sure you don't want me to admire butchers and bakers, and

candlestick-makers, do you, mamma?' 'But the Gormans were neither butchers nor bakers, but very

respectable coach-builders.' 'Very well. Coach-building is a trade all the same, and I think a

much more useless one than that of butchers or bakers. Oh! how

tired I used to be of the drives every day in Aunt Shaw's

carriage, and how I longed to walk!' And walk Margaret did, in spite of the weather. She was so happy

out of doors, at her father's side, that she almost danced; and

with the soft violence of the west wind behind her, as she

crossed some heath, she seemed to be borne onwards, as lightly

and easily as the fallen leaf that was wafted along by the

autumnal breeze. But the evenings were rather difficult to fill

up agreeably. Immediately after tea her father withdrew into his

small library, and she and her mother were left alone. Mrs. Hale

had never cared much for books, and had discouraged her husband,

very early in their married life, in his desire of reading aloud

to her, while she worked. At one time they had tried backgammon

as a resource; but as Mr. Hale grew to take an increasing

interest in his school and his parishioners, he found that the

interruptions which arose out of these duties were regarded as

hardships by his wife, not to be accepted as the natural

conditions of his profession, but to be regretted and struggled

against by her as they severally arose. So he withdrew, while the

children were yet young, into his library, to spend his evenings

(if he were at home), in reading the speculative and metaphysical

books which were his delight.




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