Page:Gaskell - North and South, vol. II, 1855.djvu/145

 Folk seldom lives i' Milton just for pleasure, if they can live anywhere else."

"You are quite right. I have some independent property, but my intention in settling in Milton was to become a private tutor."

"To teach folk. Well! I reckon they pay yo' for teaching them, dunnot they?"

"Yes," replied Mr. Hale, smiling. "I teach in order to get paid."

"And them that pays yo', dun they tell yo' whatten to do, or whatten not to do wi' the money they gives you in just payment for your pains—in fair exchange like?"

"No: to be sure not!"

"They dunnot say, 'Yo' may have a brother, or a friend as dear as a brother, who wants this here brass for a purpose both yo' and he think right; but yo' mun promise not give it to him. Yo' may see a good use, as yo' think, to put yo'r money to; but we don't think it good, and so if yo' spend it a-that-ens we'll just leave off dealing with yo'.' They dunnot say that, dun they?"

"No: to be sure not!"

"Would yo' stand it if they did?"

"It would be some very hard pressure that would make me even think of submitting to such dictation."

There's not the pressure on all the broad earth that would make me," said Nicholas Higgins. "Now yo've got it. Yo've hit the bull's eye. Hampers—that's where I worked—makes their men pledge 'emselves they'll not give a penny to help th' Union or keep turn-outs fro' clemming. They may pledge