North and South
Page 226She looked round for Nicholas Higgins. He was not there. So she
spoke to the woman who had taken the lead in placing Mrs. Boucher
on the floor.
'Can you give all these people a hint that they had better leave
in quietness? So that when she comes round, she should only find
one or two that she knows about her. Papa, will you speak to the
men, and get them to go away? She cannot breathe, poor thing,
with this crowd about her.' Margaret was kneeling down by Mrs. Boucher and bathing he face
with vinegar; but in a few minutes she was surprised at the gush
father and the woman.
'What is it?' asked she.
'Only our good friend here,' replied her father, 'hit on a
capital expedient for clearing the place.' 'I bid 'em begone, and each take a child with 'em, and to mind
that they were orphans, and their mother a widow. It was who
could do most, and the childer are sure of a bellyful to-day, and
of kindness too. Does hoo know how he died?' 'No,' said Margaret; 'I could not tell her all at once.' 'Hoo mun be told because of th' Inquest. See! Hoo's coming round;
shall you or I do it? or mappen your father would be best?' 'No; you, you,' said Margaret.
woman sat down on the floor, and took Mrs. Boucher's head and
shoulders on her lap.
'Neighbour,' said she, 'your man is dead. Guess yo' how he died?' 'He were drowned,' said Mrs. Boucher, feebly, beginning to cry
for the first time, at this rough probing of her sorrows.
'He were found drowned. He were coming home very hopeless o'
aught on earth. He thought God could na be harder than men;
mappen not so hard; mappen as tender as a mother; mappen
tenderer. I'm not saying he did right, and I'm not saying he did
heart, or we may do like things.' 'He has left me alone wi' a' these children!' moaned the widow,
less distressed at the manner of the death than Margaret
expected; but it was of a piece with her helpless character to
feel his loss as principally affecting herself and her children.
'Not alone,' said Mr. Hale, solemnly. 'Who is with you? Who will
take up your cause?' The widow opened her eyes wide, and looked
at the new speaker, of whose presence she had not been aware till
then.