Read Online My Lady Ludlow by Elizabeth Gaskell - Free Book Online Page B

his eyes off her face. If he had not kept his look fixed,
he would have burst out crying.
    "That was very careless," said my lady gently. "But I am sure you are
very sorry for it. You had better try and find it; it may have been of
consequence.
    "Please, mum—please your ladyship—I can say it off by heart."
    "You! What do you mean?" I was really afraid now. My lady's blue eyes
absolutely gave out light, she was so much displeased, and, moreover,
perplexed. The more reason he had for affright, the more his courage
rose. He must have seen,—so sharp a lad must have perceived her
displeasure; but he went on quickly and steadily.
    "Mr. Horner, my lady, has taught me to read, write, and cast accounts, my
lady. And he was in a hurry, and he folded his paper up, but he did not
seal it; and I read it, my lady; and now, my lady, it seems like as if I
had got it off by heart;" and he went on with a high pitched voice,
saying out very loud what, I have no doubt, were the identical words of
the letter, date, signature and all: it was merely something about a
deed, which required my lady's signature.
    When he had done, he stood almost as if he expected commendation for his
accurate memory.
    My lady's eyes contracted till the pupils were as needle-points; it was a
way she had when much disturbed. She looked at me and said—
    "Margaret Dawson, what will this world come to?" And then she was
silent.
    The lad, beginning to perceive he had given deep offence, stood stock
still—as if his brave will had brought him into this presence, and
impelled him to confession, and the best amends he could make, but had
now deserted him, or was extinct, and left his body motionless, until
some one else with word or deed made him quit the room. My lady looked
again at him, and saw the frowning, dumb-foundering terror at his
misdeed, and the manner in which his confession had been received.
    "My poor lad!" said she, the angry look leaving her face, "into whose
hands have you fallen?"
    The boy's lips began to quiver.
    "Don't you know what tree we read of in Genesis?—No! I hope you have
not got to read so easily as that." A pause. "Who has taught you to
read and write?"
    "Please, my lady, I meant no harm, my lady." He was fairly blubbering,
overcome by her evident feeling of dismay and regret, the soft repression
of which was more frightening to him than any strong or violent words
would have been.
    "Who taught you, I ask?"
    "It were Mr. Horner's clerk who learned me, my lady."
    "And did Mr. Horner know of it?"
    "Yes, my lady. And I am sure I thought for to please him."
    "Well! perhaps you were not to blame for that. But I wonder at Mr.
Horner. However, my boy, as you have got possession of edge-tools, you
must have some rules how to use them. Did you never hear that you were
not to open letters?"
    "Please, my lady, it were open. Mr. Horner forgot for to seal it, in his
hurry to be off."
    "But you must not read letters that are not intended for you. You must
never try to read any letters that are not directed to you, even if they
be open before you."
    "Please, may lady, I thought it were good for practice, all as one as a
book."
    My lady looked bewildered as to what way she could farther explain to him
the laws of honour as regarded letters.
    "You would not listen, I am sure," said she, "to anything you were not
intended to hear?"
    He hesitated for a moment, partly because he did not fully comprehend the
question. My lady repeated it. The light of intelligence came into his
eager eyes, and I could see that he was not certain if he could tell the
truth.
    "Please, my lady, I always hearken when I hear folk talking secrets; but
I mean no harm."
    My poor lady sighed: she was not prepared to begin a long way off in
morals. Honour was, to her, second nature, and she had never tried to
find out on what principle its laws were based. So, telling the lad that
she wished to see Mr. Horner when he returned from Warwick, she dismissed
him with a despondent look;