Love England

Chapter 10

Ten The strike has lasted for nearly three weeks. Milton has never experienced such a long strike. It is hard to adapt to the sudden coldness of the formerly prosperous city.There are fewer workers busy with work on the street, and a few more listless beggars.The factory that Milton was so proud of now lies lifeless like a person who has lost its vitality.Although the chimneys of the factory no longer emitted billowing smoke, it did not at all alleviate the gray that was always shrouded in the sky in Milton, and the whole city fell into an irritable depression.In this strike, both factory owners and workers are struggling to find a way to achieve their goals without compromise and to get out of the predicament they are in.Factory owners in Milton gather almost every two or three days to discuss how to reduce the loss of work stoppage caused by the strike, and the workers are also organized by the union to help those workers who have fallen into extreme poverty because they have no means of living. They can go on living.

For the Hale family who experienced the strike for the first time, it seemed that the strike had nothing to do with this place, but it did have a great impact on their lives.On the second day after the strike started, Mr. Hale received a lot of notices. Mr. Hamper, Mr. Slickson Jr. and the Lester Brothers, who originally wanted to hire Mr. Hale as a tutor, all expressed their opinions because of the strike. The original agreement was temporarily cancelled, and Mr. Thornton's study was changed to once a week.Mr. Bell, worried about his old friend by the strike, sent Mr. Lennox back to London to take care of the rest of his business, while he stayed with the Hales in Milton, fearing that something might happen, until a week later when he saw When the strike was indeed a non-violent action, the Hale family should not be in any danger, so he left here with confidence.As for Mr. Lennox, thanks to Margaret's explanation in that letter, he temporarily dispelled his doubts about me, apologized to me repeatedly, and kindly said that I could call Margaret like him. He Henry, he even said he hoped to see me in London.Margaret's letter had a great influence on me. Mrs. Hale and Mr. Hale treated me more kindly and trusted me more and more. Dixon also treated me like a family member, which made me feel unspeakable. Happily, I even received letters from Edith shortly after Mr. Lennox left.The two of us have also officially become pen pals, and she also invited me to visit the upcoming International Industry Fair in London. I think that to become pen pals with Edith so quickly, there must be Mr. Lennox—no, He should now be affectionately called Henry—to the credit.Apart from these changes, the life of the Hale family has not changed much from before the strike.

After Mr. Bell left Milton, that is, a week after the strike, the famous doctor Mrs. Thornton introduced finally returned to Milton. I immediately sent this doctor to examine Mrs. Hale.Although Mrs. Hale's examination will take two weeks to come back, the doctor does not seem to be satisfied with her condition-of course, this situation is what I had expected, so I got a message from Dixon. I want to come to Frederick's address in Spain. In the name of Margaret, I will write to Mrs. Hale's longing son in advance, telling him to go home quickly, so that at least there will be time for Frederick. Kedo stayed with Mrs. Hale.Regarding Mrs. Hale's illness, in order not to worry Mr. Hale, under the advice of Dixon and Mrs. Hale, I followed the practice in the novel and kept it a secret from him for the time being.

It’s not just Mrs. Hale’s illness. Bessie’s physical condition has been getting worse day by day since the strike. I heard from Mary that her sister sometimes wakes up with a cough in the middle of the night, and once I was chatting with Bessie. I saw her suddenly coughing up blood.Bessie, like Mrs. Hale, would not let me tell her father about the coughing up of blood, because she did not want to add to the annoyance of Nicholas, who was bored and anxious in his own state of strike.Since the strike, coupled with Mrs. Hale's illness, I have visited Bessie less frequently, but every time I go to the Higgins' house, I feel sad at the increasingly dilapidated scene in the working-class living quarters.The striking workers sitting at the door of their homes with nothing to do and moaning, surrounded by their young and emaciated children, crying loudly from time to time, adding countless messes to the atmosphere.

Nicholas Higgins is the epitome of these striking workers. As the organizer of this strike, he bears even greater responsibilities and pressures, not only the pressure of his own life, but also the trust of the workers who support him.It has been nearly three weeks since the strike, and the factory owners have shown no sign of compromise, which is disheartening for a man with many expectations.Originally, the trade union's strike was expected to achieve their desired goal in two weeks, and the factory owners would compromise with them, but now it has been three weeks, and the factory owners are surprisingly quiet, which makes the workers a little impatient up.

"Nicholas, have you thought about the consequences if the factory owners don't agree to your request?" I asked with doubts and worries. At this time, he was flipping through Rousseau's "The Social Contract" "On", looked up at me, did not answer this question, but asked: "Cali, if the factory owners do not agree to our request, what will happen to them in the end?"

"Maybe they'll hire someone else to replace you, like Irish laborers, or whatever, maybe even prisoners or black slaves..."

When he heard my answer, Mr. was stunned for a moment, then stared at me for a while, then put down his book and said: "If I didn't know you well, I really thought you were sent by those people to disturb my thoughts No—I don't believe the mill owners in Milton would do such a thing, knowing the consequences of employing other men, and that would cause a war that couldn't be remedied."

"I really don't want to see bloodshed. I am against all violence. It is a crime! I really agree with your non-violent resistance, Nicholas, which requires more courage than violent resistance. Although I know workers and factory owners The contradictions of the two are never reconcilable, and eventually lead to terrible conflicts." Bessie looked at me sympathetically, and took my hand.

"I don't want to start a conflict, but your words disturb me, Cali! The workers' demands are only for a better life for themselves, higher wages, recognition of the status of the union, and better working conditions for the workers - these demands a little It's not too much, but the factory owners don't even listen. They look down on us like a barbarian. We can only resist in the form of a strike. Of course, the focus of the strike led by me this time is non-violence. I It is against violence itself, and in this form I want them to know that we are not as ignorant and barbaric as they think."

"I understand your painstaking efforts."

"Thank you! Cali!" Nicholas said sincerely, staring at me.

"If a factory owner came forward to negotiate with you, would you sit down calmly and finally reach a settlement?"

"If there is such a person, I will, but in this situation, none of those extremely arrogant factory owners will do this."

"Maybe there will be?" The shadow of Mr. Thornton flashed in my mind. If Mr. Thornton and Nicholas could have a good talk, Thornton's influence among the factory owners could bring the strike to an end.

It was getting dark, and it was time for me to leave. Nicholas offered to send me for a walk, and Bessie also firmly agreed with his father's approach. I couldn't shirk it, so I accepted their father and daughter's kindness.

"Thank you for visiting us, Cali, Bessie wouldn't be so miserable with you, I could even hear her laugh. You know it's been hard to hear Bessie and Mary laughing in our house since my wife died ’” Mr. Higgins said to me as we walked.

"I like Bessie very much, and Mary is like my sister. I always wanted to have a sister, but I am the only child of my parents." I said with a smile.

Mr. Higgins looked at me again with a very serious expression, paused for a while, and then said: "Cali, you know, it was hard for me to imagine that a lady of status could be with us workers and understand us. the condition of the workers."

"Maybe I'm not what you think, and maybe you think too well of me, Nicholas."

Nicholas stopped in his tracks, as if he had something to say, the red-faced man stood there hesitating to speak, "Ca...Cali...I..."

"Thank you for sending me here, I can go back along New Street! Tell Bessie, I will find time to see her again in a few days, after all, Mrs. Hale's condition is not too bad. Fortunately, Mary will be home tomorrow Go and stay for a few days, it will help you take care of Bessie - she is too weak! Don't worry that the Hale family will deduct Mary's wages, Mr. and Mrs. Hale know Bessie's situation, and they have agreed to release Mary for a few days I'm going to help Dixon with the housework too!"

"Thank you for worrying about our family, Cali! I don't know how to report you!"

"Where did you say that, if it were Margaret, she would do the same. Well, I really should go, goodbye, Nicholas!" I held out my hand to shake Nicholas's hand. He hesitated again, and finally took my hand, then quickly withdrew it, said "goodbye" hastily, and left without looking back.Nicholas's performance made me wonder, maybe the strike thing has been disturbing his relationship.As I walked back, I thought that when Mr. Thornton came to study with Mr. Hale tonight, I would definitely find an opportunity to suggest to him again the matter of negotiating with the workers. The misfortunes caused by workers' riots caused by workers will not happen.When I got back to Hale's, it happened that a boy from Thornton Hall brought Mr. Hale a note from Mr. Thornton.Mr. Hale opened the letter and read softly:

"Dear Mr. Hale, because I have something to do tonight, it is really difficult to get out, and I can't come to the study that was scheduled to be tonight. Please accept my apology! I look forward to accepting your guidance next week as usual.

your student

John Thornton"

Mr. Hale shook his head regretfully after reading the letter, but I had a deep premonition that things were going in the worst direction, and I couldn't sleep or eat all night.When Mary was going home the next morning, I told her to come to Hale's house to inform me as soon as possible no matter what happened after she went back. She nodded and left Hale's house.Less than an hour later, Mary came running back out of breath, flushed in the face, and Dixon couldn't help being surprised by her appearance.Mary said to me anxiously: "Sister Cali, something big is going to happen!"

"Mary, what's the matter, sit down and talk slowly!" I quickly pulled her to sit down, but she refused.

"No, I have to go back, I'm worried about my father, I can't delay!"

"What the hell happened?" Dixon asked.

"Some workers found that Thornton had secretly brought a group of Irish workers to Milton at the train station last night. The news made the workers who are now on strike very angry. They now want to go to Mr. Thornton's factory to confront. When I got home, I saw my father. Efforts are being made to stop these workers from going to Mr Thornton's factory, he doesn't want this strike to turn violent and I don't think he'll be able to stop them in front of those angry workers for long! That's the way it is, I need to go back right away! "

"Thank you for running back to inform us, Mary! But I think you should stay here. If there is a worker riot, it will be too dangerous outside!" I tried my best to persuade Mary to stay, and Dixon also helped me persuade her, but Mary was very determined because she was worried that her father would still insist on going back.

"Okay, Mary! But when you go back, if your father wants to follow the workers to Mr. Thornton's factory, you must stop him. I think there will be police and military police to drive the workers away. I don't want your father to have an accident. You and Bei Xi must stop him, okay!"

"We will!" Mary nodded back, and hurried home.

The riots described in the novel—what should come will still come, what should happen will still happen!Now I have to do something in this situation. I have to inform Margaret to save Mr. Thornton, because this incident of worker violence is the most important event in the emotional journey between Margaret and Mr. Thornton—— Without further ado!Regardless of Dixon's nagging, I hurried to the door of the space-time door in the attic, knocked on the door desperately, and called Margaret's name, asking her to come back here quickly and save Mr. Thornton , asking her to stop the angry workers, but all my efforts were met with silent responses.

"Miss Addams, what's wrong with you?" Dixon was lured to the attic by my noise, and she looked at me like a madman.Oh, God!what do I do?If Mr. Thornton didn't have Margaret's help, maybe he would be beaten to death by the workers, and maybe those policemen with guns would turn Thornton's factory into an execution ground.Margaret!where are you?Did you really abandon Milton, and Mr. Thornton whom you loved dearly?

"Dixon, I'm going out!" I can't sit still now.

"Where are you going? It's a mess outside!"

"Don't worry about me! I'll be back as soon as I go!" I said as I ran downstairs, rushed out of Hale's house desperately, stopped a dilapidated cab on the street, and told the driver to go to Marba as quickly as possible Le Rue - where Mr. Thornton's mansion and factory are located.

I got out of the carriage, the gate of Mr. Thornton's factory was closed, and the surroundings were as silent as death. I rang the doorbell by the door a few times, and Mr. Thornton's assistant opened the door for me after a while.I was surprised that he saw the person knocking on the door.

"Miss Addams? Why are you here?"

"Mr. Assistant, I'm looking for Mrs. Thornton, I have something urgent!"

"Please come in quickly! But I'm sorry I can't go with you!" After speaking, he went to the small office building of the factory. I followed his figure and looked towards the small building. Looking through the glass, they were like frightened little rabbits. Seeing that I found them, they quickly retreated into the house and disappeared from the window—those people must be Irish workers hired by Mr. Thornton, and they must have been temporarily resettled. got there.

When I entered Thornton House, a servant took me into the living room and asked me to wait for the owner of the house to appear. The whole house was in a state of nameless tension, and the servants came and went nervously.After a while Miss Thornton appeared, looking a little nervous at the moment.

"Cali, mom will be here in a while. She asked me to apologize to you. I can't receive you right now. She has been taking care of those Irish workers."

"Is it the ones looking out of the factories?"

"That's them! We just got the news that the workers in Milton knew we had hired Irishmen and they were very angry and seemed to be making trouble. To keep these Irishmen safe, we had to hide them. Mum While arranging the meals for these Irish workers, John is also calming the emotions of these workers—it’s terrible! No one cares about me now, you must know that I am more afraid than those Irish people, Mom and John are so cruel!” Miss Thornton said very said dissatisfied.

"Poor people!" I could not help feeling sympathy for the threatened Irish workers, but Miss Thornton seemed to have misunderstood what I meant.

"Cali, it's so kind of you, you're the only one who cares about me now! Do you know that some of the Irish workers even cried and wanted to go home—ah, mother is here!" Miss Thornton hurriedly stopped talking, She knew her mother hated talking about these things.Mrs. Thornton, as always, appeared at the door of the living room with the majesty of a queen, her expression like a solidified plaster.I walked towards her quickly and said eagerly: "Mrs. Thornton, I'm sorry to bother you at this time. I'm on a very urgent matter..."

Mrs. Thornton didn't seem to be listening to me. She seemed to be listening to another voice. This voice gradually became louder and louder like a pot of water about to boil. Also heard the voices she perceived coming from outside the window.It seems that there is no need for me to say any more. I quickly turned around and came to the window. I saw a force outside the closed gate of the Thornton factory trying to rush in. Countless workers' hands and heads emerged from the cracks in the gate, and they beat desperately. Screaming and shouting, like a beast trapped in a cage trying to break free.

"They're coming! They're coming! They're going to kill us all!" Miss Thornton yelled hysterically and ran out of the living room. Mrs. Thornton followed suit, and I was alone in the living room again. .I looked out of the window and saw Mr. Thornton locking the factory door, and running into the house again.The noise outside was getting louder, and the gate of the Thornton factory was getting more and more shaken by the workers. It was only a matter of time before the workers broke through the gate.

"Miss Addams, why are you here? I'm sorry to let you see such a scene!" Mr. Thornton's voice came from behind me. Unable to hide his exhaustion, he was surprised to see me here.

Bang——There was a loud noise outside, which made me and Mr. Thornton's eyes go out of the window again—the gate was broken, and the workers rushed into the factory yard screaming like a huge wave, roaring and flocking to Thornton. They yelled Thornton's name and cursed the Irish for stealing their jobs.

"My God! They're heading for the factory!" Mr. Thornton growled, and it was the first time I saw him bewildered and angry.

"Get the Irish out! Get the Irish out!" In the factory yard, the roars of the workers became clearer and louder. They wanted to smash down all the doors that separated them like the factory gates.

"Oh no!" I sighed, heartbroken that Nicholas hadn't stopped the workers.

"Let them shout, don't be afraid! It will be fine for a few more minutes, Miss Addams! The soldiers will reason with them!" Mr. Thornton obviously lacked confidence when he said this, and it felt more like a disapproval to me. Responsible self-hypnosis.

"I'm not afraid! But can't you calm them down? If the soldiers come here, it's going to be bloody! Mr. Thornton, get down there and face them like a man, and talk to them calmly. The workers are all Living hard by the strike, their kids are starving, they don't know what they're doing, they just know they're going to live, and they're all focused on the Irish you hired because they think the Irish robbed Their work robs them of their livelihood—go and save those innocent Irishmen, and only you can do it!" I stared at Mr. Thornton, hoping my words would cheer him up.I saw that Mr. Thornton's eyes were full of hesitation, and for a moment his frowning brows relaxed, and his firm expression spread across his whole face. He nodded slightly, and I knew he was persuaded, and he no longer hid behind the window Be a coward.

"Mr. Thornton, please be careful!" I ordered, and then I looked out the window. More workers rushed to the door of the Thornton mansion, shouting "Torton come out", and suddenly Mr. Thornton opened the lock Walking out the door, the eyes of the workers fell on the factory owner. They were surprised to see the factory owner appearing in front of them alone, and even forgot what they had just cursed.Mr. Thornton stood alone with his usual stern and haughty air, facing the irrational workmen without a word.

Maybe I shouldn't have encouraged Mr. Thornton to negotiate with the workers in this situation, as the plot of the novel is written, and besides, without Margaret here, things would have been different. "His rebellious appearance will make the workers even more angry. He may be beaten to death by the workers! God! What have I done!" When I thought of him "dead", I was completely desperate He rushed out of the door of the mansion, faced the workers who were dazzled by anger, and said loudly: "Everyone, think about what you are doing? He is facing so many of you alone! Calm down, everyone, and come back quickly." Go home! The police and gendarmes are already on their way here, leave here quietly! Your demands will be answered as they should be, and don’t let anger and violence confuse your reason!"

"Will the Irish who stole our jobs go back?" a worker's voice growled fiercely.

"Absolutely not!" Mr. Thornton walked up to me and refused loudly without hesitation.

This refusal sounded like a wire of fire, detonating the explosives that had already cooled down.Seeing this situation, Mr. Thornton said to me in a deep voice: "Come in, this is not the place for you!"

"They're not going to hurt a woman!" I objected "I can't leave, it shouldn't be like this!".

"Come in! Or I'll drag you in!" He wanted to drag me in, and I couldn't leave Mr. Thornton here alone, because I found someone in the crowd picking up something, Throw it at Mr Thornton.

"No!" In desperation, I spread my arms to cover him, making my body a shield to protect him from the attacks of these vicious and angry workers.Suddenly, I felt a sharp stone pass over my forehead accompanied by a scorching pain, and I felt darkness in front of my eyes...