Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
Share image
1
257
Cranford
·
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
201
“My
dear,
I
never
feel
as
if
my
mind
was
what
people
call
very
strong;
and
it’s
often
hard
enough
work
for
me
to
settle
what
I
ought
to
do
with
the
case
right
before
me.
I
was
very
thankful
to—
I
was
very
thankful,
that
I
saw
my
duty
this
morning,
with
the
poor
man
standing
by
me;
but
it’s
rather
a
strain
upon
me
to
keep
thinking
and
thinking
what
I
should
do
if
such
and
such
a
thing
happened;
and,
I
believe,
I
had
rather
wait
and
see
what
really
does
come;
and
I
don’t
doubt
I
shall
be
helped
then
if
I
don’t
fidget
myself,
and
get
too
anxious
beforehand.
You
know,
love,
I’m
not
like
Deborah.
If
Deborah
had
lived,
I’ve
no
doubt
she
would
have
seen
after
them,
before
they
had
got
themselves
into
this
state.”
We
had
neither
of
us
much
appetite
for
dinner,
though
we
tried
to
talk
cheerfully
about
indifferent
things.
When
we
returned
into
the
drawing-room,
Miss
Matty
unlocked
her
desk
and
began
to
look
over
her
account-books.
I
was
so
penitent
for
what
I
had
said
in
the
morning,
that
I
did
not
choose
to
take
upon
myself
the
presumption
to
suppose
that
I
could
assist
her;
I
rather
left
her
alone,
as,
with
puzzled
brow,
her
eye
followed
her
pen
up
and
down
the
ruled
page.
By-and-by
she
shut
the
book,
locked
the
desk,
and
came
and
drew
a
chair
to
mine,
where
I
sat
in
moody
sorrow
over
the
fire.
I
stole
my
hand
into
hers;
she
clasped
it,
but
did
not
speak
a
word.
At
last
she
said,
with
forced
composure
in
her
voice,
“If
that
bank
goes
wrong,
I
shall
lose
one
hundred
and
forty-nine
pounds
thirteen
shillings
and
fourpence
a
year;
I
shall
only
have
thirteen
pounds
a
year
left.”
I
squeezed
her
hand
hard
and
tight.
I
did
not
know
what
to
say.
Presently
(it
was
too
dark
to
see
her
face)
I
felt
her
fingers
work
convulsively
in
my
grasp;
and
I
knew
she
was
going
to
speak
again.
I
heard
the
sobs
in
her
voice
as
she
said,
“I
hope
it’s
not
wrong—
not
wicked—
but,
oh!
I
am
so
glad
poor
Deborah
is
spared
this.
She
could
not
have
borne
to
come
down
in
the
world—
she
had
such
a
noble,
lofty
spirit.”
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
