'Thornton! He's the chap as wrote off at once for these Irishers;
and led to th' riot that ruined th' strike. Even Hamper wi' all
his bullying, would ha' waited a while--but it's a word and a
blow wi' Thornton. And, now, when th' Union would ha' thanked him
for following up th' chase after Boucher, and them chaps as went
right again our commands, it's Thornton who steps forrard and
coolly says that, as th' strike's at an end, he, as party
injured, doesn't want to press the charge again the rioters. I
thought he'd had more pluck. I thought he'd ha' carried his
point, and had his revenge in an open way; but says he (one in
court telled me his very words) "they are well known; they will
find the natural punishment of their conduct, in the difficulty
they will meet wi' in getting employment. That will be severe
enough." I only wish they'd cotched Boucher, and had him up
before Hamper. I see th' oud tiger setting on him! would he ha'
let him off? Not he!' 'Mr. Thornton was right,' said Margaret. You are angry against
Boucher, Nicholas; or else you would be the first to see, that
where the natural punishment would be severe enough for the
offence, any farther punishment would be something like revenge.
'My daughter is no great friend of Mr. Thornton's,' said Mr.
Hale, smiling at Margaret; while she, as red as any carnation,
began to work with double diligence, 'but I believe what she says
is the truth. I like him for it.' 'Well, sir, this strike has been a weary piece o' business to me;
and yo'll not wonder if I'm a bit put out wi' seeing it fail,
just for a few men who would na suffer in silence, and hou'd out,
brave and firm.' 'You forget!' said Margaret. 'I don't know much of Boucher; but
the only time I saw him it was not his own sufferings he spoke
of, but those of his sick wife--his little children.' 'True! but he were not made of iron himsel'. He'd ha' cried out
for his own sorrows, next. He were not one to bear.' 'How came he into the Union?' asked Margaret innocently. 'You
don't seem to have much respect for him; nor gained much good
from having him in.' Higgins's brow clouded. He was silent for a minute or two. Then he
said, shortly enough: 'It's not for me to speak o' th' Union. What they does, they
does. Them that is of a trade mun hang together; and if they're
not willing to take their chance along wi' th' rest, th' Union
has ways and means.' Mr. Hale saw that Higgins was vexed at the turn the conversation
had taken, and was silent. Not so Margaret, though she saw
Higgins's feeling as clearly as he did. By instinct she felt,
that if he could but be brought to express himself in plain
words, something clear would be gained on which to argue for the
right and the just.