'Mamma is accusing me of having picked up a great deal of

vulgarity since we came to Milton.' The 'vulgarity' Margaret spoke of, referred purely to the use of

local words, and the expression arose out of the conversation

they had just been holding. But Mr. Thornton's brow darkened; and

Margaret suddenly felt how her speech might be misunderstood by

him; so, in the natural sweet desire to avoid giving unnecessary

pain, she forced herself to go forwards with a little greeting,

and continue what she was saying, addressing herself to him

expressly.

'Now, Mr. Thornton, though "knobstick" has not a very pretty

sound, is it not expressive? Could I do without it, in speaking

of the thing it represents? If using local words is vulgar, I was

very vulgar in the Forest,--was I not, mamma?' It was unusual with Margaret to obtrude her own subject of

conversation on others; but, in this case, she was so anxious to

prevent Mr. Thornton from feeling annoyance at the words he had

accidentally overheard, that it was not until she had done

speaking that she coloured all over with consciousness, more

especially as Mr. Thornton seemed hardly to understand the exact

gist or bearing of what she was saying, but passed her by, with a

cold reserve of ceremonious movement, to speak to Mrs. Hale.

The sight of him reminded her of the wish to see his mother, and

commend Margaret to her care. Margaret, sitting in burning

silence, vexed and ashamed of her difficulty in keeping her right

place, and her calm unconsciousness of heart, when Mr. Thornton

was by, heard her mother's slow entreaty that Mrs. Thornton would

come and see her; see her soon; to-morrow, if it were possible.

Mr. Thornton promised that she should--conversed a little, and

then took his leave; and Margaret's movements and voice seemed at

once released from some invisible chains. He never looked at her;

and yet, the careful avoidance of his eyes betokened that in some

way he knew exactly where, if they fell by chance, they would

rest on her. If she spoke, he gave no sign of attention, and yet

his next speech to any one else was modified by what she had

said; sometimes there was an express answer to what she had

remarked, but given to another person as though unsuggested by

her. It was not the bad manners of ignorance it was the wilful

bad manners arising from deep offence. It was wilful at the time,

repented of afterwards. But no deep plan, no careful cunning

could have stood him in such good stead. Margaret thought about

him more than she had ever done before; not with any tinge of

what is called love, but with regret that she had wounded him so

deeply,--and with a gentle, patient striving to return to their

former position of antagonistic friendship; for a friend's

position was what she found that he had held in her regard, as

well as in that of the rest of the family. There was a pretty

humility in her behaviour to him, as if mutely apologising for

the over-strong words which were the reaction from the deeds of

the day of the riot.




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