Cousin Phillis

COUSIN PHILLIS

‘I cannot answer – I will not answer’.’ exclaimed the minister. ‘My sins I confess to God. But if they were scarlet (and they are so in His sight),’ he added, humbly, ‘I hold with Christ that afflictions are not sent by God in wrath as penalties for sin.’

‘Is that orthodox, Brother Robinson?’ asked the third minister, in a deferential tone of inquiry.

Despite the minister’s injunction not to leave him, I thought matters were getting so serious that a little homely interruption would be more to the purpose than my continued presence, and I went round to the kitchen to ask for Betty’s help.

‘’Od rot ‘em!’ said she; ‘they’re always a-coming at ill-conve- nient times; and they have such hearty appetites, they’ll make nothing of what would have served master and you since our poor lass has been ill. I’ve but a bit of cold beef in th’ house; but I’ll do some ham and eggs, and that ‘ll rout ‘em from worrying the minister. They’re a deal quieter after they’ve had their victual. Last time as old Robinson came, he was very reprehensible upon master’s learning, which he couldn’t compass to save his life, so he needn’t have been afeard of that temptation, and used words long enough to have knocked a body down; but after me and missus had given him his fill of victual, and he’d had some good ale and a pipe, he spoke just like any other man, and could crack a joke with me.’

Their visit was the only break in the long weary days and nights. I do not mean that no other inquiries were made. I believe that all the neighbours hung about the place daily till they could learn from some out-comer how Phillis Holman was. But they knew better than to come up to the house, for the August weather was so hot that every door and window

131

ELIZABETH Cleghorn GASKELL

was kept constantly open, and the least sound outside penetrated all through. I am sure the cocks and hens had a sad time of it; for Betty drove them all into an empty barn, and kept them fastened up in the dark for several days, with very little effect as regarded their crowing and clacking. At length came a sleep which was the crisis, and from which she wakened up with a new faint life. Her slumber had lasted many, many hours. We scarcely dared to breathe or move during the time; we had striven to hope so long, that we were sick at heart, and durst not trust in the favourable signs: the even breathing, the moistened skin, the slight return of delicate colour into the pale, wan lips. I recollect stealing out that evening in the dusk, and wandering down the grassy lane, under the shadow of the over-arching elms to the little bridge at the foot of the hill, where the lane to the Hope Farm joined another road to Hornby. On the low parapet of that bridge I found Timothy Cooper, the stupid, half-witted labourer, sitting, idly throwing bits of mortar into the brook below. He just looked up at me as I came near, but gave me no greeting either by word or gesture. He had generally made some sign’ of recognition to me, but this time I thought he was sullen at being dismissed. Nevertheless I felt as if it would be a relief to talk a little to some one, and I sate down by him. While I was thinking how to begin, he yawned weariedly.

‘You are tired, Tim?’ said I.

‘Ay,’ said he. ‘But I reckon I may go home now.’ ‘Have you been sitting here long?’

‘Welly all day long. Leastways sin’ seven i’ th’ morning.’ ‘Why, what in the world have you been doing?’ ‘Nought.’

132

COUSIN PHILLIS

‘Why have you been sitting here, then?’

‘T’ keep carts off.’ He was up now, stretching himself, and shaking his lubberly limbs.

‘Carts! what carts?’

‘Carts as might ha’ wakened yon wench! It’s Hornby market day. I reckon yo’re no better nor a half-wit yoursel’.’ He cocked his eye at me as if he were gauging my intellect.

‘And have you been sitting here all day to keep the lane quiet?’

‘Ay. I’ve nought else to do. Th’ minister has turned me adrift. Have yo’ heard how th’ lass is faring to-night?’

‘They hope she’ll waken better for this long sleep. Good night to you, and God bless you, Timothy,’ said I.

He scarcely took any notice of my words, as he lumbered across a Stile that led to his cottage. Presently I went home to the farm. Phillis had Stirred, had Spoken two or three faint words. Her mother was with her, dropping nourishment into her scarce conscious mouth. The rest of the household were summoned to evening prayer for the first time for many days. It was a return to the daily habits of happiness and health. But in these Silent days our very lives had been an unspoken prayer. Now we met In the house-place, and looked at each other with strange recognition of the thankfulness on all Our faces. We knelt down; we waited for the minister’s voice. He did not begin as usual. He could not; he was choking. Presently we heard the strong man’s sob. Then old John turned round on his knees, and said, –

‘Minister, I reckon we have blessed the Lord wi’ all our souls, though we’ve ne’er talked about it; and maybe He’ll not

133

ELIZABETH Cleghorn GASKELL

need spoken words this night. God bless us all, and keep our Phillis safe from harm! Amen.’ Old John’s impromptu prayer was all we had that night.

‘Our Phillis,’ as he called her, grew better day by day from that time. Not quickly; I sometimes grew desponding, and feared that she would never be what she had been before; no more she has, in some ways.

I seized an early opportunity to tell the minister about Timothy Cooper’s unsolicited watch on the bridge during the long Summer’s day.

‘God forgive me!’ said the minister. ‘I have been too proud in my own conceit. The first steps I take out of this house shall be to Cooper’s cottage.’

I need hardly say Timothy was reinstated in his place on the farm; and I have often since admired the patience with which his master tried to teach him how to do the easy work which was henceforward carefully adjusted to his capacity. Phillis was carried down-stairs, and lay for hour after hour quite silent on the great sofa, drawn up under the windows of the house-place. She seemed always the same, gentle, quiet, and sad. Her energy did not return with her bodily strength. It was sometimes pitiful to see her parents’ vain endeavours to rouse her to interest. One day the minister brought her a set of blue ribbons, reminding her with a tender smile of a former conversation in which she had owned to a love of such feminine vanities. She spoke gratefully to him, but when he was gone she laid them on one side, and languidly shut her eyes. Another time I saw her mother bring her the Latin and Italian books that she had been so fond of before her illness –

134