'A letter from Henry Lennox. It makes Margaret very hopeful.' Mr. Bell nodded. Margaret was red as a rose when Mr. Thornton
looked at her. He had the greatest mind in the world to get up
and go out of the room that very instant, and never set foot in
the house again.
'We were thinking,' said Mr. Hale, 'that you and Mr. Thornton had
taken Margaret's advice, and were each trying to convert the
other, you were so long in the study.' 'And you thought there would be nothing left of us but an
opinion, like the Kilkenny cat's tail. Pray whose opinion did you
think would have the most obstinate vitality?' Mr. Thornton had not a notion what they were talking about, and
disdained to inquire. Mr. Hale politely enlightened him.
'Mr. Thornton, we were accusing Mr. Bell this morning of a kind
of Oxonian mediaeval bigotry against his native town; and
we--Margaret, I believe--suggested that it would do him good to
associate a little with Milton manufacturers.' 'I beg your pardon. Margaret thought it would do the Milton
manufacturers good to associate a little more with Oxford men.
Now wasn't it so, Margaret?' 'I believe I thought it would do both good to see a little more
of the other,--I did not know it was my idea any more than
papa's.' 'And so you see, Mr. Thornton, we ought to have been improving
each other down-stairs, instead of talking over vanished families
of Smiths and Harrisons. However, I am willing to do my part now.
I wonder when you Milton men intend to live. All your lives seem
to be spent in gathering together the materials for life.' 'By living, I suppose you mean enjoyment.' 'Yes, enjoyment,--I don't specify of what, because I trust we
should both consider mere pleasure as very poor enjoyment.' 'I would rather have the nature of the enjoyment defined.' 'Well! enjoyment of leisure--enjoyment of the power and influence
which money gives. You are all striving for money. What do you
want it for?' Mr. Thornton was silent. Then he said, 'I really don't know. But
money is not what I strive for.' 'What then?' 'It is a home question. I shall have to lay myself open to such a
catechist, and I am not sure that I am prepared to do it.' 'No!' said Mr. Hale; 'don't let us be personal in our catechism.
You are neither of you representative men; you are each of you
too individual for that.' 'I am not sure whether to consider that as a compliment or not. I
should like to be the representative of Oxford, with its beauty
and its learning, and its proud old history. What do you say,
Margaret; ought I to be flattered?' 'I don't know Oxford. But there is a difference between being the
representative of a city and the representative man of its
inhabitants.' 'Very true, Miss Margaret. Now I remember, you were against me
this morning, and were quite Miltonian and manufacturing in your
preferences.' Margaret saw the quick glance of surprise that Mr.
Thornton gave her, and she was annoyed at the construction which
he might put on this speech of Mr. Bell's. Mr. Bell went on-'Ah! I wish I could show you our High Street--our Radcliffe
Square. I am leaving out our colleges, just as I give Mr.
Thornton leave to omit his factories in speaking of the charms of
Milton. I have a right to abuse my birth-place. Remember I am a
Milton man.