"ElizabethGaskell-HalfALifeTimeAgo" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gaskell Elizabeth C)

not friendless."

"His own father leathers him, and why should not I, when he's given
me such a burn on my face?" said Michael, putting up his hand to his
cheek as if in pain.

"His father's his father, and there is nought more to be said. But
if he did burn thee, it was by accident, and not o' purpose; as thou
kicked him, it's a mercy if his ribs are not broken."

"He howls loud enough, I'm sure. I might ha' kicked many a lad twice
as hard, and they'd ne'er ha' said ought but 'damn ye;' but yon lad
must needs cry out like a stuck pig if one touches him;" replied
Michael, sullenly.

Susan went back to the window-seat, and looked absently out of the
window at the drifting clouds for a minute or two, while her eyes
filled with tears. Then she got up and made for the outer door which
led into the back-kitchen. Before she reached it, however, she heard
a low voice, whose music made her thrill, say -

"Susan, Susan!"

Her heart melted within her, but it seemed like treachery to her poor
boy, like faithlessness to her dead mother, to turn to her lover
while the tears which he had caused to flow were yet unwiped on
Will's cheeks. So she seemed to take no heed, but passed into the
darkness, and, guided by the sobs, she found her way to where Willie
sat crouched among the disused tubs and churns.

"Come out wi' me, lad;" and they went out into the orchard, where the
fruit-trees were bare of leaves, but ghastly in their tattered
covering of gray moss: and the soughing November wind came with long
sweeps over the fells till it rattled among the crackling boughs,
underneath which the brother and sister sat in the dark; he in her
lap, and she hushing his head against her shoulder.

"Thou should'st na' play wi' fire. It's a naughty trick. Thoul't
suffer for it in worse ways nor this before thou'st done, I'm
afeared. I should ha' hit thee twice as lungeous kicks as Mike, if
I'd been in his place. He did na' hurt thee, I am sure," she
assumed, half as a question.

"Yes but he did. He turned me quite sick." And he let his head fall
languidly down on his sister's breast.

"Come, lad! come, lad!" said she anxiously. "Be a man. It was not
much that I saw. Why, when first the red cow came she kicked me far
harder for offering to milk her before her legs were tied. See thee!
here's a peppermint-drop, and I'll make thee a pasty to-night; only