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257
Cranford
·
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
215
“Ay!
if
Miss
Matty
would
lodge
with
us—
otherwise
I’ve
no
mind
to
be
cumbered
with
strange
folk
in
the
house,”
said
Jem,
with
a
want
of
tact
which
I
could
see
enraged
Martha,
who
was
trying
to
represent
a
lodger
as
the
great
object
they
wished
to
obtain,
and
that,
in
fact,
Miss
Matty
would
be
smoothing
their
path
and
conferring
a
favour,
if
she
would
only
come
and
live
with
them.
Miss
Matty
herself
was
bewildered
by
the
pair;
their,
or
rather
Martha’s
sudden
resolution
in
favour
of
matrimony
staggered
her,
and
stood
between
her
and
the
contemplation
of
the
plan
which
Martha
had
at
heart.
Miss
Matty
began—
“Marriage
is
a
very
solemn
thing,
Martha.”
“It
is
indeed,
ma’am,”
quoth
Jem.
“Not
that
I’ve
no
objections
to
Martha.”
“You’ve
never
let
me
a-be
for
asking
me
for
to
fix
when
I
would
be
married,”
said
Martha—
her
face
all
a-fire,
and
ready
to
cry
with
vexation—
“and
now
you’re
shaming
me
before
my
missus
and
all.”
“Nay,
now!
Martha
don’t
ee!
don’t
ee!
only
a
man
likes
to
have
breathing-time,”
said
Jem,
trying
to
possess
himself
of
her
hand,
but
in
vain.
Then
seeing
that
she
was
more
seriously
hurt
than
he
had
imagined,
he
seemed
to
try
to
rally
his
scattered
faculties,
and
with
more
straightforward
dignity
than,
ten
minutes
before,
I
should
have
thought
it
possible
for
him
to
assume,
he
turned
to
Miss
Matty,
and
said,
“I
hope,
ma’am,
you
know
that
I
am
bound
to
respect
every
one
who
has
been
kind
to
Martha.
I
always
looked
on
her
as
to
be
my
wife—
some
time;
and
she
has
often
and
often
spoken
of
you
as
the
kindest
lady
that
ever
was;
and
though
the
plain
truth
is,
I
would
not
like
to
be
troubled
with
lodgers
of
the
common
run,
yet
if,
ma’am,
you’d
honour
us
by
living
with
us,
I’m
sure
Martha
would
do
her
best
to
make
you
comfortable;
and
I’d
keep
out
of
your
way
as
much
as
I
could,
which
I
reckon
would
be
the
best
kindness
such
an
awkward
chap
as
me
could
do.”
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