Margaret needed all Dixon's help in action, and silence in words;

for, for some time, the latter thought it her duty to show her

sense of affront by saying as little as possible to her young

lady; so the energy came out in doing rather than in speaking A

fortnight was a very short time to make arrangements for so

serious a removal; as Dixon said, 'Any one but a

gentleman--indeed almost any other gentleman--' but catching a

look at Margaret's straight, stern brow just here, she coughed

the remainder of the sentence away, and meekly took the horehound

drop that Margaret offered her, to stop the 'little tickling at

my chest, miss.' But almost any one but Mr. Hale would have had

practical knowledge enough to see, that in so short a time it

would be difficult to fix on any house in Milton-Northern, or

indeed elsewhere, to which they could remove the furniture that

had of necessity to be taken out of Helstone vicarage. Mrs. Hale,

overpowered by all the troubles and necessities for immediate

household decisions that seemed to come upon her at once, became

really ill, and Margaret almost felt it as a relief when her

mother fairly took to her bed, and left the management of affairs

to her. Dixon, true to her post of body-guard, attended most

faithfully to her mistress, and only emerged from Mrs. Hale's

bed-room to shake her head, and murmur to herself in a manner

which Margaret did not choose to hear. For, the one thing clear

and straight before her, was the necessity for leaving Helstone.

Mr. Hale's successor in the living was appointed; and, at any

rate, after her father's decision; there must be no lingering

now, for his sake, as well as from every other consideration. For

he came home every evening more and more depressed, after the

necessary leave-taking which he had resolved to have with every

individual parishioner. Margaret, inexperienced as she was in all

the necessary matter-of-fact business to be got through, did not

know to whom to apply for advice. The cook and Charlotte worked

away with willing arms and stout hearts at all the moving and

packing; and as far as that went, Margaret's admirable sense

enabled her to see what was best, and to direct how it should be

done. But where were they to go to? In a week they must be gone.

Straight to Milton, or where? So many arrangements depended on

this decision that Margaret resolved to ask her father one

evening, in spite of his evident fatigue and low spirits. He

answered: 'My dear! I have really had too much to think about to settle

this. What does your mother say? What does she wish? Poor Maria!' He met with an echo even louder than his sigh. Dixon had just

come into the room for another cup of tea for Mrs. Hale, and

catching Mr. Hale's last words, and protected by his presence

from Margaret's upbraiding eyes, made bold to say, 'My poor

mistress!' 'You don't think her worse to-day,' said Mr. Hale, turning

hastily.




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