Page:Gaskell - North and South, vol. II, 1855.djvu/167

 may clem for aught I can do, unless, parson, yo'd help me?"

"Help you! How? I would do anything,—but what can I do?"

"Miss there"—for Margaret had re-entered the room, and stood silent, listening—"has often talked grand o' the South, and the ways down there. Now I dunnot know how far off it is, but I've been thinking if I could get 'em down theer, where food is cheap and wages good, and all the folk, rich and poor, master and man, friendly like; yo' could, may be, help me to work. I'm not forty-five, and I've a deal o' strength in me, measter."

"But what kind of work could you do, my man?"

"Well, I reckon I could spade a bit"

"And for that," said Margaret, stepping forwards, "for anything you could do, Higgins, with the best will in the world, you would, may be, get nine shillings a week; may be ten, at the outside. Food is much the same as here, except that you might have a little garden"

"The childer could work at that," said he. "I'm sick o' Milton anyways, and Milton is sick o' me."

"You must not go to the South," said Margaret, "for all that. You could not stand it. You would have to be out all weathers. It would kill you with rheumatism. The mere bodily work at your time of life would break you down. The fare is far different to what you have been accustomed to."

"I'se nought particular about my meat," said he, as if offended.