‘I should wonder if he were not. But he spoke with his usual coolness to the others, when they suggested different things, just before we came away.’

‘So he did after dinner as well. It would take a good deal to stir him from his cool manner of speaking; but his face strikes me as anxious.’

‘I should be, if I were he. He must know of the growing anger and hardly smothered hatred of his workpeople, who all look upon him as what the Bible calls a “hard man,”— not so much unjust as unfeeling; clear in judgment, standing upon his “rights” as no human being ought to stand, considering what we and all our petty rights are in the sight of the Almighty. I am glad you think he looks anxious. When I remember Boucher’s half mad words and ways, I cannot bear to think how coolly Mr. Thornton spoke.’

‘In the first place, I am not so convinced as you are about that man Boucher’s utter distress; for the moment, he was badly off, I don’t doubt. But there is always a mysterious supply of money from these unions; and, from what you said, it was evident the man was of a passionate, demonstrative nature, and gave strong expression to all he felt.’

‘Well! I only want you to do justice to Mr. Thornton, who is, I suspect, of an exactly opposite nature — a man who is far too proud to show his feelings. Just the character I should have thought beforehand, you would have admired, Margaret.’

‘So I do — so I should; but I don’t feel quite so sure as you do of the existence of those feelings. He is a man of great strength of character — of unusual intellect, considering the few advantages he has had.’

‘Not so few. He has led a practical life from a very early age; has been called upon to exercise judgment and self-control. All that developes one part of the intellect. To be sure, he needs some of the knowledge of the past, which gives the truest basis for conjecture as to the future; but he knows this need — he perceives it, and that is something. You are quite prejudiced against Mr. Thornton, Margaret.’

‘He is the first specimen of a manufacturer — of a person engaged in trade — that I had ever the opportunity of studying, papa. He is my first olive: let me make a face while I swallow it. I know he is good of his kind, and by and by I shall like the kind. I rather think I am already beginning to do so. I was very much interested by what the gentlemen were talking about, although I did not understand half of it. I was quite sorry when Miss Thornton came to take me to the other end of the room, saying she was sure I should be uncomfortable at being the only lady among so many gentlemen. I had never thought about it, I was so busy listening; and the ladies were so dull, papa — oh, so dull! Yet I think it was clever too. It reminded me of our old game of having each so many nouns to introduce into a sentence.’

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