\"suppose i try,\" said mr. hale. \"everybody else has had their turn at thisgreat difficulty. now let me try. i may be the cinderella to put on theslipper after all.\"

margaret could hardly smile at this little joke, so oppressed was she byher visit to the higginses.

\"what would you do, papa? how would you set about it?\"

\"why, i would apply to some good house-mother to remend me oneknown to herself or her servants.\"

\"very good. but we must first catch our house-mother.\"

\"you hāve caught her. or rather she is ing into the snare, and youwill catch her to-morrow, if you\"re skilful.\"

\"what do you mean, mr. hale?\" asked his wife, her curiosity aroused.

\"why, my paragon pupil (as margaret calls him), has told me that hismother intends to call on mrs. and miss hale to-morrow.\"

\"mrs. thornton!\" exclaimed mrs. hale.

\"the mother of whom he spoke to us?\" said margaret.

\"mrs. thornton; the only mother he has, i believe,\" said mr. halequietly.

\"i shall like to see her. she must be an unmon person, her motheradded. \"perhaps she may hāve a relation who might suit us, and be gladof our place. she sounded to be such a careful economical person, that ishould like any one out of the same family.\"

\"my dear,\" said mr. hale alarmed. \"pray don\"t go off on that idea. i fancymrs. thornton is as haughty and proud in her way, as our littlemargaret here is in hers, and that she pletely ignores that old timeof trial, and poverty, and economy, of which he speaks so openly. i amsure, at any rate, she would not like strangers to know anything aboutit.\"

\"take notice that is not my kind of haughtiness, papa, if i hāve any atall; which i don\"t agree to, though you\"re always accusing me of it.\"

\"i don\"t know positively that it is hers either; but from little things i hāvegathered from him, i fancy so.\"

they cared too little to ask in what manner her son had spoken abouther. margaret only wanted to know if she must stay in to receive thiscall, as it would prevent her going to see how bessy was, until late inthe day, since the early morning was always occupied in householdaffairs; and then she recollected that her mother must not be left to hāvethe whole weight of entertaining her visitor.

/小说

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