The Mill on the Floss

mily C

er, with a confused impression that it was a great occasion, like a funeral, unbagged the bell-rope tassels, and unpinned the curtains, adjusting them in proper fo

in the world as rapidly as Mr. Tulliver had been going down in it; and in Mrs. Deane's house the Dodson linen and plate were beginning to hold quite a subordinate position, as a mere supplement to the handsomer articles of the same kind, purchased in recent years,–a change which had caused an occasional cool

and it seems superfluous, when we consider the remote geographical position of the Ethiopians, and

little distorted, nearly as it would have been if she had been crying. She was not a woman who could shed abundant tears, except in moments w

is!" she exclaimed as she ent

red speeches on peculiar occasions, repeating them afterward to

for all things, and if trouble's sent, to remember as it isn't sent without a cause. I'm very sorry for you as a sister, and if the doctor order

ster's thin one. "But there's been no talk o' jelly yet." Then after a moment's pause she ad

he sound of wheels diverted her thoughts. Mr. and Mrs. Glegg were

xpressing what were her views of life in general, and what, in brief,

ecent resurrection from rather a creasy form of burial; a costume selected with t

aid her husband, unwilling to take the more

Glegg," returned this superior woman;

g himself good-humoredly, "and

known Tom yet,–looks at the poor lad as if he was a stranger, though he said something once about Tom and the pony. The doctor sa

e ever gets up again; and if he does, he'll most like be childish, as Mr. Carr was, poor man! They fed him with a spoon as if he'd been a babby for thre

e and consult about what's to be done in this disgrace as has fallen upon the family, and not to talk o' peop

tated manner, "if you've got anything disrespectful to say o' Mr. Carr, I do beg of you as you won't say it to me. I

ome away from home to talk about acquaintances, whether they'd short breath or long. If we aren't come together for one to hear what the other 'ull do to sav

f's in the house; and I was here yesterday, and looked at all Bessy's linen and things, and I told her I'd buy in the spotted tablecloths. I couldn't speak fairer; for as for the teap

t castors needn't be put up for sale," said poor Mrs. Tulliver, b

"If one o' the family chooses to buy 'em in, they ca

d independence of idea, "as your own family should pay more for

; and there's never been a bit broke, for I've washed it myself; and there's the tulips on the cups, and the roses, as anybody might go and look at 'em for pleasure. You wouldn't like your chany to go for an old song and be broke to pie

best things," said Mrs. Deane, rather loftil

not be thinking o' silver and chany; but whether you shall get so much as a flock-bed to lie on, and a blanket to cover you, and a stool to sit on. You must remember, if you get 'em, it'll be because your friends have bought 'em for you, for you're dependent upon them for everything; for your husb

with much energy for the good of

ance of sister Jane, who had made her wear the yoke of

children; though there's the linen I spun, and I thought when Tom was born,–I thought one o' the first things when he was lying i' the cradle, as all the things I'd bought wi' my own money, and been so careful of, 'ud go to him. B

rs. G. says, they must be useful, plain things. We mustn't be thinking o' what's unnecessary. A table, and a chair or two, and kitchen things, and a good bed, and such-like. Why, I

never asked us to buy anything for you; let me tell you, you ought to have asked us. Pray, how are you to be purvided for, if your own family don't help you? You must go to the parish, i

ally suggestive where advances of money were concerned. "Haven't they been anear you? They ought to d

ing so. How is it Mr. and Mrs. Moss aren't here to m

d among the lanes at Basset, they niver hear anything only when Mr. Moss comes to market. But I niv

ir aunts and uncles have got to say; and Maggie,–when it's me as have paid for half her schooling, she ought to

new who they've to look to, and it's right as somebody should talk to 'em, and let 'em know their condition i

signedly. She was quite crushed now, and thought of the treas

nd was on her way down again, when the sight of the storeroom door suggested a new

ts or uncles, he felt by no means amicably toward them, and dreaded meeting them all at once as he would have dreaded a large dose of concentrated physic, which was but just endurable in small draughts. As for Maggie, she was peculiarly depressed this morning; she had been called up, after brief rest, at three o'clock, and had that strange dreamy weariness which comes

ld want your pen and ink; you can write rarely

nt to be kind, "we must look to see the good of all this

s gone and m

ng is most

ade my fortin without it. But I began wi' doing with little, you see; I could live on a basin o' porridge and a crust o'

must be humble and grateful to his aunts and uncles for what they're doing for his mother and father, as must be turned out into the streets and go to the workhouse if they didn't help 'em. And his sister, too," continued Mrs. Glegg, looking severely at Maggie, who had sat down on the sofa by her aunt Deane, drawn to her by th

in his face, and he was very far from looking humbled, but he was preparing to say, in a respec

on which she had placed her silver teapot, a speci

eautiful tea, and there's a stand and everything; you might use it for every day, or else lay it by for Lucy when she goes to housekeeping. I should be so loath for 'em to buy it at the Golden Lion," said the poor woman, her

bout everywhere–it niver was so before; you're a very unlucky sister, Bessy. But what's the use o' buying the teapot, when ther

The disgrace is, for one o' the family to ha' married a man as has brought her to beggary

," he said authoritatively, pushing her aside. It was a remarkable manifestation of self-command and practical judgment in a lad of fifteen, that when his aunt Gl

better to prevent it altogether? And if you and aunt Pullet," he continued, looking at the latter, "think of leaving any money to me and Magg

including Maggie, was astonished at Tom's sudden m

the interest, you must remember; your aunts get five per cent on their mon

aid Tom, promptly. "I'd do anything to sa

out, rather than reflecting on the practicability of his proposal

st every year, and it's to go and be sunk in other folks' furniture, and encourage 'em in luxury and extravagance as they've no means of supporting; and I'm to alter my will, or have a codicil made, and leave two or three hundred less behind me when I die,–me as have allays done right and been care

e cupped. I'm sorry for Bessy and her children,–I'm sure I think of 'em o' nights dreadful, for I sleep very

'ud take every shilling, and more than could be made out o' land and stock, for I've made that out from Lawyer Gore. We'd need save our money to keep th

d his wife, with slow, loud emphasis, be

trary, after her momentary delight in Tom's speech, had relapsed into her state of trembling indignation. Her mother had been standing close by Tom's side, and ha

he's in trouble, and won't part with anything, though you would never miss it, to save her from pain? Keep away from us then, and don't come to find fault with my father,–he was better than any of y

n this way, stood still, with her large dark eyes glarin

ld go on after it. Tom was vexed; it was no use to talk so. The aunts were silent with surprise for some moment

ullet; "she's beyond everything for boldness and unthankfulness. It's dreadfu

over again,–years ago I've said,–'Mark my words; that child 'ull come to no good; there isn't a bit of our family in her.' And

te no more time in talking,–let's go to

g, a tall dark figure was s

bad news must ha' reached her, then"; and she went

to the list o' things to be bought in. It's but righ

moment of arrival. The tall, worn, dark-haired woman was a strong contrast to the Dodson sisters as she entered in her shabby dress, with her shawl and bonnet looking as if they had been hastily huddled on, and with

think well o' me; I'm a poor aunt to you, for I'm one o'

t better," said Maggie. "Sit

. "We've three hundred pounds o' my brother's money, and now he wants it, and you all want it, poor things!–and yet we must be sold up to pay it, and there

was interrupted

that her husband had done "unknown" things for his sister, had not had any particu

a family! He'd no right to lend his money i' that way; an

ested Mrs. Moss's attentio

t sort o' people, neither of us, as 'ud rob my brother's children; and

little fortin, like, for these folks, if we can do without Tulliver's being made a bankrupt. Your husband's got

' stock; and we've sold all the wheat, and we're behind with our rent,–not but what we'd like to do what's right, and I

t," whispered Maggie, who had

said Mrs. Tulliver, still lost in the conception of t

"The last was after my bad illness four years ago, as everything went wrong, and there was a

decision, "yours is a very unlucky fam

thinking all about ourselves, and nothing about my brother, only the money was so on my mind, I couldn't help speaking about it. And my husband and me desire to do the right thing, sir," she added, looking at Mr. Glegg

you,–if Tulliver's made a bankrupt, and he's got a note-of-hand of your husband's for t

self listened in trembling submission, while Maggie looked with bewildered distress at Tom to see if he showed any signs of

what he may be partly helpless, if he ever gets up again. I'm very sorry if it goes hard with you, Mrs. Moss, but my opinion is, looking at it one way,

blecloth, "I don't think it would be right for my aunt Moss to pay the mo

, perhaps not, Tom; but then he'd ha' destroyed the note, you know. We

remember quite well, before I went to school to Mr. Stelling, my father said to me on

a little, an

e lent Moss money; but I shall never think of distressing him to pay it; I'd rather lose it. My children must not mind being the poorer f

abhorrence of such recklessness as destroying securities, or alienating anything important enough to make an appreciable difference in a man's p

re saying. You're putting yourself very forrard in other fol

been making haste with his lozenge in order to express his amazement,–"making

pay it away, and save my things from going away? We've no call to meddle with your

ion of exchange, and was straining her

hings," said uncle Glegg. "There's no way o' making i

uld be very unhappy to think anything had been done against his will that I could hinder. And I'm sure

s father had been a Dodson, there would never have been this wicked alienation of money. Maggie would hardly have restrained herself from lea

for your father, Moss and me 'ull pay it, the same as if there was ever such security. We'll do as

o' cheating. If he meant to give your aunt the money before ever he got into this sad work o' lawing, it's the same as if he'd made away with the note himself; for he'd made up his mind to be that much poorer. But there's a deal o'

e no right to give it to another. But if my father had made up his mind

ncle Glegg, with much candor. "But perhaps your father did make aw

m. Let us go too, aunt G