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the people, and as it was supposed there were no public
release time：2023-12-02 13:23:47 source：Put into Hongqiao.com author：{typename type="name"/}
‘Let us talk about it sometimes, if you think it true. But not now. Tell me, has your father turned out?’
‘Ay!’ said Bessy, heavily — in a manner very different from that she had spoken in but a minute or two before. ‘He and many another — all Hamper’s men — and many a one besides. Th’ women are as bad as th’ men, in their savageness, this time. Food is high — and they mun have food for their childer, I reckon. Suppose Thorntons sent ’em their dinner out — th’ same money, spent on potatoes and meal, would keep many a crying babby quiet, and hush up its mother’s heart for a bit!’
‘Don’t speak so!’ said Margaret. ‘You’ll make me feel wicked and guilty in going to this dinner.’
‘No!’ said Bessy. ‘Some’s preelected to sumptuous feasts, and purple and fine linen — may be yo’re one on ’em. Others toil and moil all their lives long — and the very dogs are not pitiful in our days, as they were in the days of Lazarus. But if yo’ ask me to cool yo’r tongue wi’ th’ tip of my finger, I’ll come across the great gulf to yo’ just for th’ thought o’ what yo’ve been to me here.’
‘Bessy! you’re very feverish! I can tell it in the touch of your hand, as well as in what you’re saying. It won’t be division enough, in that awful day, that some of us have been beggars here, and some of us have been rich — we shall not be judged by that poor accident, but by our faithful following of Christ.’ Margaret got up, and found some water and soaking her pocket-handkerchief in it, she laid the cool wetness on Bessy’s forehead, and began to chafe the stone-cold feet. Bessy shut her eyes, and allowed herself to be soothed. At last she said,
‘Yo’d ha’ been deaved out o’ yo’r five wits, as well as me, if yo’d had one body after another coming in to ask for father, and staying to tell me each one their tale. Some spoke o’ deadly hatred, and made my blood run cold wi’ the terrible things they said o’ th’ masters — but more, being women, kept plaining, plaining (wi’ the tears running down their cheeks, and never wiped away, nor heeded), of the price o’ meat, and how their childer could na sleep at nights for th’ hunger.’
‘And do they think the strike will mend this?’ asked Margaret.
‘They say so,’ replied Bessy. ‘They do say trade has been good for long, and the masters has made no end o’ money; how much father doesn’t know, but, in course, th’ union does; and, as is natural, they wanten their share o’ th’ profits, now that food is getting dear; and th’ union says they’ll not be doing their duty if they don’t make the masters give ’em their share. But masters has getten th’ upper hand somehow; and I’m feared they’ll keep it now and evermore. It’s like th’ great battle o’ Armageddon, the way they keep on, grinning and fighting at each other, till even while they fight, they are picked off into the pit.’ Just then, Nicholas Higgins came in. He caught his daughter’s last words.
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