'Mother,' said he, stopping, and bravely speaking out the truth,
'I wish you would like Miss Hale.' 'Why?' asked she, startled by his earnest, yet tender manner.
'You're never thinking of marrying her?--a girl without a penny.' 'She would never have me,' said he, with a short laugh.
'No, I don't think she would,' answered his mother. 'She laughed
in my face, when I praised her for speaking out something Mr.
Bell had said in your favour. I liked the girl for doing it so
frankly, for it made me sure she had no thought of you; and the
next minute she vexed me so by seeming to think----Well, never
mind! Only you're right in saying she's too good an opinion of
herself to think of you. The saucy jade! I should like to know
where she'd find a better!' If these words hurt her son, the
dusky light prevented him from betraying any emotion. In a minute
he came up quite cheerfully to his mother, and putting one hand
lightly on her shoulder, said: 'Well, as I'm just as much convinced of the truth of what you
have been saying as you can be; and as I have no thought or
expectation of ever asking her to be my wife, you'll believe me
for the future that I'm quite disinterested in speaking about
her. I foresee trouble for that girl--perhaps want of motherly
care--and I only wish you to be ready to be a friend to her, in
case she needs one. Now, Fanny,' said he, 'I trust you have
delicacy enough to understand, that it is as great an injury to
Miss Hale as to me--in fact, she would think it a greater--to
suppose that I have any reason, more than I now give, for begging
you and my mother to show her every kindly attention.' 'I cannot forgive her her pride,' said his mother; 'I will
befriend her, if there is need, for your asking, John. I would
befriend Jezebel herself if you asked me. But this girl, who
turns up her nose at us all--who turns up her nose at you----' 'Nay, mother; I have never yet put myself, and I mean never to
put myself, within reach of her contempt.' 'Contempt, indeed!'--(One of Mrs. Thornton's expressive
snorts.)--'Don't go on speaking of Miss Hale, John, if I've to be
kind to her. When I'm with her, I don't know if I like or dislike
her most; but when I think of her, and hear you talk of her, I
hate her. I can see she's given herself airs to you as well as if
you'd told me out.' 'And if she has,' said he--and then he paused for a moment--then
went on: 'I'm not a lad, to be cowed by a proud look from a
woman, or to care for her misunderstanding me and my position. I
can laugh at it!' 'To be sure! and at her too, with her fine notions and haughty
tosses!' 'I only wonder why you talk so much about her, then,' said Fanny.
'I'm sure, I'm tired enough of the subject.' 'Well!' said her brother, with a shade of bitterness. 'Suppose we
find some more agreeable subject. What do you say to a strike, by
way of something pleasant to talk about?' 'Have the hands actually turned out?' asked Mrs. Thornton, with
vivid interest.