They had resented
the fact of a woman being set among the ranks of great English squires;
but having been put there, they expected from her virtues of far more
illustrious character than they would have demanded from a man. "For
whativer can a woman need wi' so much brass?" asked Squire Horton,
indignantly. "She doesn't hunt, and she can't run for t' county, and
what better could she hev done than clear an old Yorkshire name o'
its dirty trade stain. I'll lay a five-pound note as Squire Henry left
her all for t' varry purpose. He nivver thought much o' his son
Antony's fine schemes."
"There's them as thinks he left her Hallam to prevent Antony wearing
it on his creditors."
"There's them thet thinks evil o' God Almighty himsen, Thomas Baxter.
Henry Hallam was a gentleman to t' bone. He'd hev paid ivery shilling
afore this if he'd been alive. Yorkshire squires like their own, but
they don't want what belongs to other folk; not they. Squire Hallam
was one o' t' best of us. He was that."
And though Elizabeth had expected nothing better from her neighbors,
their continued coldness hurt her. Who of us is there that has not
experienced that painful surprise that the repulsion of others awakens
in our hearts? We feel kindly to them, but they draw back their hand
from us; an antipathy estranges them, they pass us by.
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