'And so did poor Hale. Not at first, and not till I had put it

into his head.' 'I admired Miss Hale. Every one must do so. She is a beautiful

creature,' said Mr. Thornton, driven to bay by Mr. Bell's

pertinacious questioning.

'Is that all! You can speak of her in that measured way, as

simply a "beautiful creature"--only something to catch the eye. I

did hope you had had nobleness enough in you to make you pay her

the homage of the heart. Though I believe--in fact I know, she

would have rejected you, still to have loved her without return

would have lifted you higher than all those, be they who they

may, that have never known her to love. "Beautiful creature"

indeed! Do you speak of her as you would of a horse or a dog?' Mr. Thornton's eyes glowed like red embers.

'Mr. Bell,' said he, 'before you speak so, you should remember

that all men are not as free to express what they feel as you

are. Let us talk of something else.' For though his heart leaped

up, as at a trumpet-call, to every word that Mr. Bell had said,

and though he knew that what he had said would henceforward bind

the thought of the old Oxford Fellow closely up with the most

precious things of his heart, yet he would not be forced into any

expression of what he felt towards Margaret. He was no

mocking-bird of praise, to try because another extolled what he

reverenced and passionately loved, to outdo him in laudation. So

he turned to some of the dry matters of business that lay between

Mr. Bell and him, as landlord and tenant.

'What is that heap of brick and mortar we came against in the

yard? Any repairs wanted?' 'No, none, thank you.' 'Are you building on your own account? If you are, I'm very much

obliged to you.' 'I'm building a dining-room--for the men I mean--the hands.' 'I thought you were hard to please, if this room wasn't good

enough to satisfy you, a bachelor.' 'I've got acquainted with a strange kind of chap, and I put one

or two children in whom he is interested to school. So, as I

happened to be passing near his house one day, I just went there

about some trifling payment to be made; and I saw such a

miserable black frizzle of a dinner--a greasy cinder of meat, as

first set me a-thinking. But it was not till provisions grew so

high this winter that I bethought me how, by buying things

wholesale, and cooking a good quantity of provisions together,

much money might be saved, and much comfort gained. So I spoke to

my friend--or my enemy--the man I told you of--and he found fault

with every detail of my plan; and in consequence I laid it aside,

both as impracticable, and also because if I forced it into

operation I should be interfering with the independence of my

men; when, suddenly, this Higgins came to me and graciously

signified his approval of a scheme so nearly the same as mine,

that I might fairly have claimed it; and, moreover, the approval

of several of his fellow-workmen, to whom he had spoken. I was a

little "riled," I confess, by his manner, and thought of throwing

the whole thing overboard to sink or swim. But it seemed childish

to relinquish a plan which I had once thought wise and well-laid,

just because I myself did not receive all the honour and

consequence due to the originator. So I coolly took the part

assigned to me, which is something like that of steward to a

club. I buy in the provisions wholesale, and provide a fitting

matron or cook.' 'I hope you give satisfaction in your new capacity. Are you a

good judge of potatoes and onions? But I suppose Mrs. Thornton

assists you in your marketing.' 'Not a bit,' replied Mr. Thornton. 'She disapproves of the whole

plan, and now we never mention it to each other. But I manage

pretty well, getting in great stocks from Liverpool, and being

served in butcher's meat by our own family butcher. I can assure

you, the hot dinners the matron turns out are by no means to be

despised.' 'Do you taste each dish as it goes in, in virtue of your office?

I hope you have a white wand.' 'I was very scrupulous, at first, in confining myself to the mere

purchasing part, and even in that I rather obeyed the men's

orders conveyed through the housekeeper, than went by my own

judgment. At one time, the beef was too large, at another the

mutton was not fat enough. I think they saw how careful I was to

leave them free, and not to intrude my own ideas upon them; so,

one day, two or three of the men--my friend Higgins among

them--asked me if I would not come in and take a snack. It was a

very busy day, but I saw that the men would be hurt if, after

making the advance, I didn't meet them half-way, so I went in,

and I never made a better dinner in my life. I told them (my next

neighbours I mean, for I'm no speech-maker) how much I'd enjoyed

it; and for some time, whenever that especial dinner recurred in

their dietary, I was sure to be met by these men, with a "Master,

there's hot-pot for dinner to-day, win yo' come?" If they had not

asked me, I would no more have intruded on them than I'd have

gone to the mess at the barracks without invitation.' 'I should think you were rather a restraint on your hosts'

conversation. They can't abuse the masters while you're there. I

suspect they take it out on non-hot-pot days.' 'Well! hitherto we've steered clear of all vexed questions. But

if any of the old disputes came up again, I would certainly speak

out my mind next hot-pot day. But you are hardly acquainted with

our Darkshire fellows, for all you're a Darkshire man yourself

They have such a sense of humour, and such a racy mode of

expression! I am getting really to know some of them now, and

they talk pretty freely before me.' 'Nothing like the act of eating for equalising men. Dying is

nothing to it. The philosopher dies sententiously--the pharisee

ostentatiously--the simple-hearted humbly--the poor idiot

blindly, as the sparrow falls to the ground; the philosopher and

idiot, publican and pharisee, all eat after the same

fashion--given an equally good digestion. There's theory for

theory for you!' 'Indeed I have no theory; I hate theories.' 'I beg your pardon. To show my penitence, will you accept a ten

pound note towards your marketing, and give the poor fellows a

feast?' 'Thank you; but I'd rather not. They pay me rent for the oven and

cooking-places at the back of the mill: and will have to pay more

for the new dining-room. I don't want it to fall into a charity.

I don't want donations. Once let in the principle, and I should

have people going, and talking, and spoiling the simplicity of

the whole thing.' 'People will talk about any new plan. You can't help that.' 'My enemies, if I have any, may make a philanthropic fuss about

this dinner-scheme; but you are a friend, and I expect you will

pay my experiment the respect of silence. It is but a new broom

at present, and sweeps clean enough. But by-and-by we shall meet

with plenty of stumbling-blocks, no doubt.'




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