lizzie leigh-第6章

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gone；　she　may　turn　right　at　last。　　Mary　Magdalen　did；　you　know。〃



〃Eh！　but　I　were　nearer　right　about　thee　than　Will。　　He　thought　you

would　never　look　on　him　again　if　you　knew　about　Lizzie。　　But　thou'rt

not　a　Pharisee。〃



〃I'm　sorry　he　thought　I　could　be　so　hard；〃　said　Susan　in　a　low　voice；

and　colouring　up。　　Then　Mrs。　Leigh　was　alarmed；　and；　in　her　motherly

anxiety；　she　began　to　fear　lest　she　had　injured　Will　in　Susan's

estimation。



〃You　see　Will　thinks　so　much　of　yougold　would　not　be　good　enough

for　you　to　walk　on；　in　his　eye。　　He　said　you'd　never　look　at　him　as

he　was；　let　alone　his　being　brother　to　my　poor　wench。　　He　loves　you

so；　it　makes　him　think　meanly　on　everything　belonging　to　himself；　as

not　fit　to　come　near　ye；　but　he's　a　good　lad；　and　a　good　son。

Thou'lt　be　a　happy　woman　if　thou'lt　have　him；　so　don't　let　my　words

go　against　himdon't！〃



But　Susan　hung　her　head；　and　made　no　answer。　　She　had　not　known　until

now　that　Will　thought　so　earnestly　and　seriously　about　her；　and　even

now　she　felt　afraid　that　Mrs。　Leigh's　words　promised　her　too　much

happiness；　and　that　they　could　not　be　true。　　At　any　rate；　the

instinct　of　modesty　made　her　shrink　from　saying　anything　which　might

seem　like　a　confession　of　her　own　feelings　to　a　third　person。

Accordingly　she　turned　the　conversation　on　the　child。



〃I　am　sure　he　could　not　help　loving　Nanny；〃　said　she。　　〃There　never

was　such　a　good　little　darling；　don't　you　think　she'd　win　his　heart

if　he　knew　she　was　his　niece；　and　perhaps　bring　him　to　think　kindly

on　his　sister？〃



〃I　dunnot　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh；　shaking　her　head。　　〃He　has　a　turn

in　his　eye　like　his　father；　that　makes　me　He's　right　down　good

though。　　But　you　see；　I've　never　been　a　good　one　at　managing　folk；

one　severe　look　turns　me　sick；　and　then　I　say　just　the　wrong　thing；

I'm　so　fluttered。　　Now　I　should　like　nothing　better　than　to　take

Nancy　home　with　me；　but　Tom　knows　nothing　but　that　his　sister　is

dead；　and　I've　not　the　knack　of　speaking　rightly　to　Will。　　I　dare　not

do　it；　and　that's　the　truth。　　But　you　mun　not　think　badly　of　Will。

He's　so　good　hissel；　that　he　can't　understand　how　any　one　can　do

wrong；　and；　above　all；　I'm　sure　he　loves　you　dearly。〃



〃I　don't　think　I　could　part　with　Nancy；〃　said　Susan；　anxious　to　stop

this　revelation　of　Will's　attachment　to　herself。　　〃He'll　come　round

to　her　soon；　he　can't　fail；　and　I'll　keep　a　sharp　look…out　after　the

poor　mother；　and　try　and　catch　her　the　next　time　she　comes　with　her

little　parcels　of　money。〃



〃Ay；　lass；　we　mun　get　hold　of　her；　my　Lizzie。　　I　love　thee　dearly　for

thy　kindness　to　her　child：　　but；　if　thou　canst　catch　her　for　me；　I'll

pray　for　thee　when　I'm　too　near　my　death　to　speak　words；　and；　while　I

live；　I'll　serve　thee　next　to　hershe　mun　come　first；　thou　know'st。

God　bless　thee；　lass。　　My　heart　is　lighter　by　a　deal　than　it　was　when

I　comed　in。　　Them　lads　will　be　looking　for　me　home；　and　I　mun　go；　and

leave　this　little　sweet　one〃　（kissing　it）。　　〃If　I　can　take　courage；

I'll　tell　Will　all　that　has　come　and　gone　between　us　two。　　He　may

come　and　see　thee；　mayn't　he？〃



〃Father　will　be　very　glad　to　see　him；　I'm　sure；〃　replied　Susan。　　The

way　in　which　this　was　spoken　satisfied　Mrs。　Leigh's　anxious　heart

that　she　had　done　Will　no　harm　by　what　she　had　said；　and；　with　many　a

kiss　to　the　little　one；　and　one　more　fervent　tearful　blessing　on

Susan；　she　went　homewards。







CHAPTER　III。







That　night　Mrs。　Leigh　stopped　at　homethat　only　night　for　many

months。　　Even　Tom；　the　scholar；　looked　up　from　his　books　in

amazement；　but　then　he　remembered　that　Will　had　not　been　well；　and

that　his　mother's　attention　having　been　called　to　the　circumstance；

it　was　only　natural　she　should　stay　to　watch　him。　　And　no　watching

could　be　more　tender；　or　more　complete。　　Her　loving　eyes　seemed　never

averted　from　his　facehis　grave；　sad；　careworn　face。　　When　Tom　went

to　bed　the　mother　left　her　seat；　and　going　up　to　Will；　where　he　sat

looking　at　the　fire；　but　not　seeing　it；　she　kissed　his　forehead；　and

said〃Will！　lad；　I've　been　to　see　Susan　Palmer！〃



She　felt　the　start　under　her　hand　which　was　placed　on　his　shoulder；

but　he　was　silent　for　a　minute　or　two。　　Then　he　said；　…



〃What　took　you　there；　mother？〃



〃Why；　my　lad；　it　was　likely　I　should　wish　to　see　one　you　cared　for；　I

did　not　put　myself　forward。　　I　put　on　my　Sunday　clothes；　and　tried　to

behave　as　yo'd　ha'　liked　me。　　At　least；　I　remember　trying　at　first；

but　after；　I　forgot　all。〃



She　rather　wished　that　he　would　question　her　as　to　what　made　her

forget　all。　　But　he　only　said　…



〃How　was　she　looking；　mother？〃



〃Well；　thou　seest　I　never　set　eyes　on　her　before；　but　she's　a　good；

gentle…looking　creature；　and　I　love　her　dearly；　as　I've　reason　to。〃



Will　looked　up　with　momentary　surprise；　for　his　mother　was　too　shy　to

be　usually　taken　with　strangers。　　But；　after　all；　it　was　naturally　in

this　case；　for　who　could　look　at　Susan　without　loving　her？　　So　still

he　did　not　ask　any　questions；　and　his　poor　mother　had　to　take

courage；　and　try　again　to　introduce　the　subject　near　to　her　heart。

But　how？



〃Will！〃　said　she　（jerking　it　out　in　sudden　despair　of　her　own　powers

to　lead　to　what　she　wanted　to　say）；　〃I　telled　her　all。〃



〃Mother！　you've　ruined　me；〃　said　he；　standing　up；　and　standing

opposite　to　her　with　a　stern　white　look　of　affright　on　his　face。



〃No！　my　own　dear　lad；　dunnot　look　so　scared；　I　have　not　ruined　you！〃

she　exclaimed；　placing　her　two　hands　on　his　shoulders；　and　looking

fondly　into　his　face。　　〃She's　not　one　to　harden　her　heart　against　a

mother's　sorrow。　　My　own　lad；　she's　too　good　for　that。　　She's　not　one

to　judge　and　scorn　the　sinner。　　She's　too　deep　read　in　her　New

Testament　for　that。　　Take　courage；　Will；　and　thou　mayst；　for　I

watched　her　well；　though　it　is　not　for　one　woman　to　let　out　another's

secret。　　Sit　thee　down；　lad；　for　thou　look'st　very　white。〃



He　sat　down。　　His　mother　drew　a　stool　towards　him；　and　sat　at　his

feet。



〃Did　you　tell　her　about　Lizzie；　then？〃　asked　he；　hoarse　and　low。



〃I　did；　I　telled　her　all！　and　she　fell　a…crying　over　my　deep　sorrow；

and　the　poor　wench's　sin。　　And　then　a　light　comed　into　her　face；

trembling　and　quivering　with　some　new　glad　thought；　and　what　dost

thou　think　it　was；　Will；　lad？　　Nay；　I'll　not　misdoubt　but　that　thy

heart　will　give　thanks　as　mine　did；　afore　God　and　His　angels；　for　her

great　goodness。　　That　little　Nanny　is　not　her　niece；　she's　our

Lizzie's　own　child；　my　little　grandchild。〃　　She　could　no　longer

restrain　her　tears；　and　they　fell　hot　and　fast；　but　still　she　looked

into　his　face。



〃Did　she　know　it　was　Lizzie's　child？　　I　do　not　comprehend；〃　said　he；

flushing　red。



〃She　knows　now：　　she　did　not　at　first；　but　took　the　little　helpless

creature　in；　out　of　her　own　pitiful；　loving　heart；　guessing　only　that

it　was　the　child　of　shame；　and　she's　worked　for　it；　and　kept　it；　and

tended　it　ever　sin'　it　were　a　mere　baby；　and　loves　it　fondly。　　Will！

won't　you　love　it？〃　asked　she；　beseechingly。



He　was　silent　for　an　instant；　then　he　said；　〃Mother；　I'll　try。　　Give

me　time；　for　all　these　things　startle　me。　　To　think　of　Susan　having

to　do　with　such　a　child！〃



〃Ay；　Will！　and　to　think；　as　may　be；　yet　of　Susan　having　to　do　with

the　child's　mother！　　For　she　is　tender　and　pitiful；　and　speaks

hopefully　of　my　lost　one；　and　will　try　and　find　her　for　me；　when　she

comes；　as　she　does　sometimes；　to　thrust　money　under　the　door；　for　her

baby。　　Think　of　that；　Will。　　Here's　Susan；　good　and　pure　as　the

angels　in　heaven；　yet；　like　them；　full　of　hope　and　mercy；　and　one

who；　like　them；　will　rejoice　over　her　as　repents。　　Will；　my　lad；　I'm

not　afeard　of　you　now；　and　I　must　speak；　and　you　must　listen。　　I　am

your　mother；　and　I　dare　to　command　you；　because　I　know　I　am　in　the

right；　and　that　God　is　on　my　side。　　If　He　should　lead　the　poor

wandering　lassie　to　Susan's　door；　and　she　comes　back；　crying