'How tainted?' asked her father.

'Oh, papa, by that testing everything by the standard of wealth.

When he spoke of the mechanical powers, he evidently looked upon

them only as new ways of extending trade and making money. And

the poor men around him--they were poor because they were

vicious--out of the pale of his sympathies because they had not

his iron nature, and the capabilities that it gives him for being

rich.' 'Not vicious; he never said that. Improvident and self-indulgent

were his words.' Margaret was collecting her mother's working materials, and

preparing to go to bed. Just as she was leaving the room, she

hesitated--she was inclined to make an acknowledgment which she

thought would please her father, but which to be full and true

must include a little annoyance. However, out it came.

'Papa, I do think Mr. Thornton a very remarkable man; but

personally I don't like him at all.' 'And I do!' said her father laughing. 'Personally, as you call

it, and all. I don't set him up for a hero, or anything of that

kind. But good night, child. Your mother looks sadly tired

to-night, Margaret.' Margaret had noticed her mother's jaded appearance with anxiety

for some time past, and this remark of her father's sent her up

to bed with a dim fear lying like a weight on her heart. The life

in Milton was so different from what Mrs. Hale had been

accustomed to live in Helstone, in and out perpetually into the

fresh and open air; the air itself was so different, deprived of

all revivifying principle as it seemed to be here; the domestic

worries pressed so very closely, and in so new and sordid a form,

upon all the women in the family, that there was good reason to

fear that her mother's health might be becoming seriously

affected. There were several other signs of something wrong about

Mrs. Hale. She and Dixon held mysterious consultations in her

bedroom, from which Dixon would come out crying and cross, as was

her custom when any distress of her mistress called upon her

sympathy. Once Margaret had gone into the chamber soon after

Dixon left it, and found her mother on her knees, and as Margaret

stole out she caught a few words, which were evidently a prayer

for strength and patience to endure severe bodily suffering.

Margaret yearned to re-unite the bond of intimate confidence

which had been broken by her long residence at her aunt Shaw's,

and strove by gentle caresses and softened words to creep into

the warmest place in her mother's heart. But though she received

caresses and fond words back again, in such profusion as would

have gladdened her formerly, yet she felt that there was a secret

withheld from her, and she believed it bore serious reference to

her mother's health. She lay awake very long this night, planning

how to lessen the evil influence of their Milton life on her

mother. A servant to give Dixon permanent assistance should be

got, if she gave up her whole time to the search; and then, at

any rate, her mother might have all the personal attention she

required, and had been accustomed to her whole life. Visiting

register offices, seeing all manner of unlikely people, and very

few in the least likely, absorbed Margaret's time and thoughts

for several days. One afternoon she met Bessy Higgins in the

street, and stopped to speak to her.




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