Mr. Bell took his leave the next day, bidding Margaret look to

him as one who had a right to help and protect her in all her

troubles, of whatever nature they might be. To Mr. Hale he

said,-'That Margaret of yours has gone deep into my heart. Take care of

her, for she is a very precious creature,--a great deal too good

for Milton,--only fit for Oxford, in fact. The town, I mean; not

the men. I can't match her yet. When I can, I shall bring my

young man to stand side by side with your young woman, just as

the genie in the Arabian Nights brought Prince Caralmazan to

match with the fairy's Princess Badoura.' 'I beg you'll do no such thing. Remember the misfortunes that

ensued; and besides, I can't spare Margaret.' 'No; on second thoughts, we'll have her to nurse us ten years

hence, when we shall be two cross old invalids. Seriously, Hale!

I wish you'd leave Milton; which is a most unsuitable place for

you, though it was my recommendation in the first instance. If

you would; I'd swallow my shadows of doubts, and take a college

living; and you and Margaret should come and live at the

parsonage--you to be a sort of lay curate, and take the unwashed

off my hands; and she to be our housekeeper--the village Lady

Bountiful--by day; and read us to sleep in the evenings. I could

be very happy in such a life. What do you think of it?' 'Never!' said Mr. Hale, decidedly. 'My one great change has been

made and my price of suffering paid. Here I stay out my life; and

here will I be buried, and lost in the crowd.' 'I don't give up my plan yet. Only I won't bait you with it any

more just now. Where's the Pearl? Come, Margaret, give me a

farewell kiss; and remember, my dear, where you may find a true

friend, as far as his capability goes. You are my child,

Margaret. Remember that, and 'God bless you!' So they fell back into the monotony of the quiet life they would

henceforth lead. There was no invalid to hope and fear about;

even the Higginses--so long a vivid interest--seemed to have

receded from any need of immediate thought. The Boucher children,

left motherless orphans, claimed what of Margaret's care she

could bestow; and she went pretty often to see Mary Higgins, who

had charge of them. The two families were living in one house:

the elder children were at humble schools, the younger ones were

tended, in Mary's absence at her work, by the kind neighbour

whose good sense had struck Margaret at the time of Boucher's

death. Of course she was paid for her trouble; and indeed, in all

his little plans and arrangements for these orphan children,

Nicholas showed a sober judgment, and regulated method of

thinking, which were at variance with his former more eccentric

jerks of action. He was so steady at his work, that Margaret did

not often see him during these winter months; but when she did,

she saw that he winced away from any reference to the father of

those children, whom he had so fully and heartily taken under his

care. He did not speak easily of Mr. Thornton.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024