bursts of loving admiration, “you enjoy other people’s happiness so much, I believe you would do without any of your own. I wish I were like you.”
“I’ve never been tried in that way,” said Lucy. “I’ve always been so happy. I don’t know whether I could bear much trouble; I never had any [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] but poor mamma’s death. You have been tried, [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] Maggie; and I’m sure you feel for other people quite as much as I do.”
“No, [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] Lucy,” said Maggie, shaking her head slowly, “I don’t enjoy their happiness as you do, else I should be more contented. I do feel for them when they are in trouble; I don’t think I could ever bear to make any one un_happy; and yet I often hate myself, because I get angry sometimes at the sight of happy people. I think I get worse as I get older, more selfish. That seems very dreadful.”
“Now, Maggie!” said Lucy, in a tone of remonstrance, “I don’t believe a word of that. It is all a gloomy fancy, just because you are depressed by a [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] dull, wearisome life.”
“Well, perhaps it is,” said Maggie, resolutely clearing away the clouds from her face with a bright smile, and throwing herself backward in her chair. “Perhaps it comes from the school diet — watery rice-pudding spiced with [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] Pinnock. Let us hope it will give way before my mother’s custards and this charming Geoffrey Crayon.”
Maggie took up the “Sketch Book,” which lay by her on the table.
“Do I look fit to be seen with this little brooch?” said Lucy, going to survey the effect in the chimney-glass.
“Oh no, Mr. Guest will be obliged to go out of the room again if he sees you in it. Pray make haste and put another on.”
Lucy hurried out of the room, but Maggie did not take the opportunity of opening her book; she let it fall on her knees, while her eyes wandered to the window, where she could see the sunshine falling [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] on the rich clumps of spring flowers and on the long hedge of laurels, and beyond, the silvery breadth of the dear old Floss, that at this distance seemed to be sleeping in a morning holiday. The sweet fresh garden-scent came through the open window, and the birds were busy flitting and alighting, gurgling and [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] singing. Yet Maggie’s eyes began to fill with tears. The sight of the old scenes had made the rush of memories so painful that even yesterday she had only been able to rejoice in her mother’s restored comfort and Tom’s brotherly friendliness as we rejoice in good news of friends at a distance, rather than in the presence of a happiness which we share. Memory and imagination urged upon her a sense of privation too keen to let her taste what was offered in the transient present. Her future, she thought, was likely to be worse than her past, for after her years of contented renunciation, she had slipped back into desire and longing; she found joyless days of distasteful occupation harder and harder; she found the image of the intense and varied life she yearned for, and despaired of, becoming more and more importunate. The sound of the opening door roused h
girls should read and write, wear clean clothes, have decent beds, [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] and eat hot meat every day. But that is now impossible. Gradually, with [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] very up-hill work, but still I trust with sure work, much will be done to improve their position and render their life respectable; but in England we can have no Lowells. In our thickly populated island any commercial Utopia is out of the question. Nor can, as I think, Lowell be taken as a [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] type of the future manufacturing towns of New England. When New England employs millions in her factories instead of thousands — the hands employed at Lowell, when the mills are at full work, are about 11,000 — she must cease to provide for [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] them their beds and meals, their church-going proprieties and orderly modes [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] of life. In such an attempt she has all the experience of the world [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] against her. But nevertheless I think she will have done much good. The tone which she will have given will not altogether lose its influence. Employment in a factory is now considered reputable by a farmer and his children, and this idea will remain. Factory work is regarded as more respectable than domestic service, and this prestige will not wear itself altogether out. Those now employed have a strong conception of the dignity of their own social position, and their successors will inherit much of this, even though they may find themselves excluded from the advantages of the present Utopia. The thing has begun well, but it can only be regarded as a beginning. Steam, it may be presumed, will become the motive power of cotton mills in New England as it is with us; and when it is so, the amount of work to be done at any one place will not be checked by any such limit as that which now prevails at Lowell. Water-power [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] is very cheap, but it cannot be extended; and it would seem that no place can become large as a manufacturing town which has to depend chiefly upon water. It is not improbable that steam may be brought into general use at Lowell, and that Lowell may spread itself. If it should spread itself widely
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