Anna of the Five Towns

nsidered his attitude towards the women of his household as an unusual phenomenon which needed justification, or as being in t

days: to be knocked down by a single blow was one of the punishments of his own generation. He could recall the fearful timidity of his mother's eyes without a trace of compassion. His treatment of his daughters was no part of a system, nor obedient to any defined principles, nor the expression of a brutal disposition, nor the result of gradually-acquired habit. It came to him like eating, and like parsimony. He belonged to the great and powerful class of house-tyrants, the backbone of the British nation, whose views on income-tax cause ministries to tremble. If you had talked to him of the domestic graces of life, your words would have conveyed to him no meaning. If you had indicted him for simple unprovoked rudeness, he would have grinned, well knowing that, as the King

the garden, and Agnes at school. Willie's craven and fawning humility was inexpressibly touching and shameful to Anna. She longed to say to him, as he stood hesitant and confused in the parlour: 'Go in

e of forced and propitiatory cheerfulness, as though he feared to bring down a stor

know, Mr. William,'

hat. I admit that. I-did you happen to see

swered, with

d displayed it to her. At the foot of the page she read, in

He said he'd never received such a letter before in

en determination to get to the worst without more

r of business. We owe a debt and we must pay it. All we want is time.' He smiled p

ans what he says.' She looked up at him again, trying to sof

,' Willie agreed; 'and

truckling lie wa

uld see him,'

cerely. 'Father, you're wanted,' s

inued, while they awaited the presence of the mi

tered. Willie Price, the simpleton, was deceived by it, and, taking courage, adopted

that my father said he had never received such a letter in the whol

aid with cold emphasis, 'or my name's not Tellwright. Dunna

treat. He smiled painfully. 'Come, Mr. Tellwrig

e you time us give you money. 'Stead o' that, it

wenty-five pounds. I've got in my pocket a bill of exchange drawn by us on Mr. Sutton and endorsed by him, for thir

ealings with ye, eh?

dly. 'He buys off us regularly.

at three months, eh

es,' sai

it,' said

-the

A

ety on the youth's face. He flushed and his hand trembled. She dared not speak, but she wished to tell him to be at ease. She knew from infall

ular bill should not leave our hands-unless it was absolutely necessary. So father would like you not to discount it,

elly[1] three months?' the old man said, w

lie made no answer, but put th

lwright, 'though it is but a

the acceptance by Tellwright of that bill. Had he refused it, Prices, she thought, might have come to sudden disaster. She felt glad and disburdened for t

accompanied by a lady. Anna, who was setting the tea-table, saw a double shadow pass the window, and

her heartily. 'But Agnes said that she always came in by the back way, so I came that

goodwill, even in the most ordinary

lour,' she said, 'and let

begged, fanning herself with her han

ted, laughing, 'how can you? I

f them that go till they drop. It's very silly.' She

nd saucer and plate.' Agnes threw down her hat

rm,' Anna remarked, as

kitchen like a new pin, Anna, if you'll excuse me saying so. Henry wa

rs?' Anna redde

's a very particular

at that moment, and Anna went

n,' she said at length. 'I'm

Mrs. Sutton. 'It's

d they went into the parlour, Anna carrying the tea-pot and the hot-water j

you, and to beg a cup of tea. I overtook Agnes coming home from school

and charming girl, a vision that had stirred poetic ideas in hundreds of prosaic breasts, Tellwright's included. There was scarcely a middle-age

on?' he asked, when they had begun tea, and Mrs. Su

inside repairs to the superintendent's house. Be t

the repairs of the minister's

acting, though I must say she's willing enough to spend her own money too. She wants a new boiler in the scullery now, and I'm sure her boiler is a great deal better than ours. But we must try to

Agnes, much perturbed by the augus

dear?' said Mr. Banks. 'Yo

,' said Tellwright, who had

' said Mrs. Sutton

this afternoon. Don't let me disturb you, I beg-I cannot stay. My time is very limited. I wish I could call oftener, brother Tellwright; but really the new r

fternoon,' said Tellwright qu

lwright, to clear off the debt on the new school-buildings. I referred to it from the p

rs. Sutton, 'for it's on that very errand I've called to s

r brother to your su

on, 'you're between two fires, and you

le discomfiture, and sough

thers givin

ounds, and you could buy him

t at this sum. He had underrated t

have but fifty pounds in the world,

said Tellwright with quick brus

l provide,' s

t. It's as well you've got

idly what would occur next. Mrs. Sutton interposed. 'Come now, Mr

er and let you he

am not going away without a definite promise. As an old and good We

dge circuit-was it not so?' said Mr. B

t was because I cleared 'em of debt in ten years. But

ot meet[2] with us,' the min

N

aturdays,' said the minister.

'Titus Price is a big man at th' Sunday-school. I'll give

rice is giving?' Mrs. S

terday. He is giving

said Mrs. Sutton, who had suc

would be a small one. This ostentatious munificence on the part of the beggared Titus

ription,' said the minister, taking out a pocket-book. Per

paid?' the mise

t y

he has.' Ephraim perce

Sutton seemed in no hurry to depar

to the room, 'that Mr. Sutton and myself and Beatrice are going to the Isle of

or her. This, then, doubtless, was the main object of Mrs. Sutton's visit

' asked M

-the

tle housekeeping your father would want

ess. 'I never had one. And what's more, I wouldn't thank ye for one. I'll pig on at Bursle

went on. 'Beatrice is very anxious about it

it,' said Tellwright. 'H

,' Mrs. Sut

eave Anna out this year,'

n she perceived that the visitor was signalling to her to leave the room. Ann

rned to the parlour. 'Your father has consented to your going

speechless. She could

as the latter was leaving the house. 'I'm ever so grateful-you

up to sa

sed at the prospect of housekeeping as if she too had been going to the Isle of Man. 'You'll both be at the school-

Anna replied.

father for the money for the tickets, sh

most likely come with us to the Isle

reaction the next morning, but Ephraim, strange to say, remained innocuous. She ventured to ask him for the money for the treat tickets, two

swered; 'of course A

perilous for the rest of the day, but the flo

Titus Price, the Senior Superintendent, but this dignitary had failed to arrive on Duck Bank, and Mynors had taken his place. In the train Anna heard that some one had seen Mr. Price, wearing a large grey wideawake, leap into the guard's van at the very instant of departure. He had not been at school on the previous Sunday, and Anna was somewhat perturbed at the prospect of meeting the man who had defined her letter to him as unique in the whole of his business career. She caught a glimpse of the grey wideawake on the platform at Sneyd, and steered her own scholars so as to avoid its vicinity. But on the march to the field Titus reviewed the procession, and she was obliged to meet his eyes and return his salutation. The look of the man was a shock to her. He seemed thinner, nervous, restless, preoccupied, and terribly careworn; except the new brilliant hat, all his summer clothes were soiled and shabby. It was as though he had forced himself, out of regard for appearances, to attend the fête, but had left his thoughts in Ed

d the enthroned maid who nodded and smiled to them with such charming condescension. It was a social triumph for Beatrice. She disappeared ahead like a goddess in a cloud, and scarcely a woman who saw her from the humble level of the roadway but would have married a satyr to be able to do as Beatrice did. Later, when the field was reached, and the children bursting through the gate had spread like a flood o

e the practice. Another diversion which he always took care to organise was the three-legged race for boys. Also, he usually joined in the tut-ball, a quaint game which owes its surprising longevity to the fact that it is equally proper for both sexes. Within half an hour the treat was in full career; football, cricket, rounders, tick, leap-frog, prison-bars, and round-games, transformed the field into a vast arena of complicated struggles and emulations. All were occupied, except a few of the women and older girls, who strolled languidly about in the r?le of spectators. The sun shone generously on scores of vivid and frail toilette

had evidently walked across to her from the refreshment tent, which was at the opposite extremity of the field. In her eyes he was once more the exemplar of

al thing, and, although it wants two hours to

something to do

, and then shook hands. They traversed the field together, w

ht in a waggon. Some teachers were already beginning to put the paper bags into the baskets; each bag contained bread-and-butter, curra

them. I do hope the good people will enjoy them.' And then, turning to Mynors, 'Hello! Are y

s. 'But, unfortunately

never knew him miss a

t both be away from the works j

have been more use th

ors murmured with

er 'downright' moods, as

siderable amount of back bending and manual labour. But, though they were enlivened by frequent intervals of gossip

ed to the scene of an athletic meeting, at which Titus Price, in shirt-sleeves, was distributing prizes of sixpences and penn

tendent had put on quite a merry appearance-flushed, excited, and jocular in his elephantine way-it seemed as i

William in the fringe of the crowd. The lanky fellow s

eatrice. 'I wonder

discern the swift change in the man's demeanour. In a second he had reverted to the deplorable Titus of three hours ago. He elbowed his way roughly to William, getting into his coat as he went. The pair talked, William glanced at his watch, and in an

had to fetch his papa.' This was the conclusion of all the gossips. Beatric

sor of the poor!' She was fairly sure, however, that her father was not responsible for this particular incident. There

ning to the tent for their own tea, said to one another that the shower could only be a brief one. The wish was father to the thought, for they were a little ashamed to be under cover while their charges precariously sheltered beneath dripping trees-yet there was nothing else to be done; the men took turns in the rain to keep the children in their places. The sky was completely overcast. 'It's set in for a wet evening, and so we may as well make the best of it,' Beatrice said grimly, and she sent the landau home empty. She was right. A forlorn

lly: n

hering for the exchange of re