North and South cover

North and South

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (1810-1865)

Original en 180830 words First published 1855 United Kingdom

When the parson's daughter Margaret Hale moves from the Hampshire village of Helstone to the smoky manufacturing town of Milton-Northern, she meets a world of cotton, strikes and class war, and the mill-owner John Thornton, who quotes physics while she quotes poetry and each disdains what the other stands for. Gaskell, herself the wife of a Manchester minister, wrote industrial conflict from the inside: the strike chapters give the workers' case real force, and the slow thaw between pride and prejudice on both sides gives the romance its heat. Mrs. Gaskell's migration novel of the North.

Text sourced from Project Gutenberg (public domain in the United States); the Project Gutenberg trademark and license text have been removed on import. Public-domain status determined by the author's death year + 50 years rule.

Table of Contents

  1. 001 NORTH AND SOUTH. [Illustration: “SHE LAY CURLED UPON THE SOFA IN THE… 2506 words
  2. 002 “This is your last dinner-party, is it not? 2686 words
  3. 003 It was the latter part of July when Margaret returned home. 2528 words
  4. 004 “Oh! thank you,” exclaimed Margaret; and then, half wishing to read… 2545 words
  5. 005 “I was startled. I did not know that you cared for me in that way. I… 2692 words
  6. 006 As he read this, and glanced at much more which he did not read, he… 2517 words
  7. 007 “No—no, mamma, it is not that: it is delicious air. 2541 words
  8. 008 “Oh, Dixon! I did not hear you come into the room!” said Margaret… 2535 words
  9. 009 Margaret went along the walk under the pear-tree wall. 2631 words
  10. 010 “New Street,” said Mr. Hale. “This, I believe, is the principal… 2503 words
  11. 011 “But then you knew that London itself, and friends lay behind it. 2700 words
  12. 012 For instance, one day, after she had passed a number of men, several… 2542 words
  13. 013 CHAPTER X. WROUGHT IRON AND GOLD. “We are the trees whom shaking… 2575 words
  14. 014 “You consider all who are unsuccessful in raising themselves in the… 2539 words
  15. 015 “Don’t fear, Bessy.” But Nicholas was not at home when they entered. 2545 words
  16. 016 She made all these reflections as she was talking in her stately way to Mrs. 2516 words
  17. 017 “Did not your father know about it?” asked Margaret. 2746 words
  18. 018 “I think, Margaret,” she continued, after a pause, in a weak… 2520 words
  19. 019 “Mr. Bell! What can he know of John? He, living a lazy life in a… 2628 words
  20. 020 “Very lately,” said Margaret, “I heard a story of what happened in… 2690 words
  21. 021 Meanwhile, Margaret had returned into her father’s study for a… 2516 words
  22. 022 “It’s sometimes in heavy rain, and sometimes in bitter cold. 2500 words
  23. 023 Margaret hesitated. Her father’s looks became more grave and anxious… 2502 words
  24. 024 He kept on with his restless walk—not speaking any more, but drawing… 2577 words
  25. 025 “Good-bye!” said Margaret, hastily. 2530 words
  26. 026 “No, mamma! I don’t believe they are very poor,—at least, they don’t… 2606 words
  27. 027 It was rather dull for Margaret after dinner. 2902 words
  28. 028 Mrs. Hale herself was not aware when she awoke, how ill she had been… 2508 words
  29. 029 “Mr. Thornton,” said Margaret, shaking all over with her passion, “go… 2543 words
  30. 030 Jane paused in her bathing, to reply to Miss Thornton’s question. 2584 words
  31. 031 * * * * * Margaret entered the room (where her father and mother… 2532 words
  32. 032 “You may speak on, Miss Hale. 2519 words
  33. 033 Margaret read in her soft low voice. 2686 words
  34. 034 If Mr. Thornton was a fool in the morning, as he assured himself at… 2516 words
  35. 035 He was thinking, “I will not be daunted from doing as I choose by the thought of her. 2506 words
  36. 036 She and he stood by the corpse. 2657 words
  37. 037 “But the masters have nothing to do with your religion. 2501 words
  38. 038 He looked up at her, as if on the point of dogged resistance to her wish for information. 2574 words
  39. 039 The sight of him reminded her of the wish to see his mother, and… 2529 words
  40. 040 “Papa,” said she, throwing her arms fondly round his neck; pulling… 2581 words
  41. 041 Margaret sate with her father in the room of the dead. 2545 words
  42. 042 “Very likely,” said Margaret indifferently. 2531 words
  43. 043 “We shall write often to one another, and I will promise—for I see it… 2584 words
  44. 044 Dixon sobbed aloud; she covered her face with her handkerchief, and… 2565 words
  45. 045 Then she went into the study, paused—tottered forward—paused… 2500 words
  46. 046 She stood by her father, holding on to the back of his chair. 2534 words
  47. 047 At last she smiled; a poor, weak little smile; but it gave him the truest pleasure. 2501 words
  48. 048 “I like her,” said Higgins, suddenly. 2523 words
  49. 049 “There!” said the woman, “now you go. 2524 words
  50. 050 Mr. Hale got hold of Higgins’s hand and shook it heartily, without… 2509 words
  51. 051 “Leonards.” “The night on which Leonards was last seen at the… 2561 words
  52. 052 “What must you think of me, madam?” asked Margaret, throwing her head… 2511 words
  53. 053 She went out, going rapidly towards the country, and trying to drown… 2874 words
  54. 054 CHAPTER XL. OUT OF TUNE. “I have no wrong, where I can claim no… 2807 words
  55. 055 When he had somewhat abruptly left the room, Margaret rose from her… 2667 words
  56. 056 She was not in spirits to raise her father’s tone of mind. 2525 words
  57. 057 “I’m afraid we’ve done too much,” said Mr. 2614 words
  58. 058 “Don’t forget, mamma; Margaret must come and live with us. 2502 words
  59. 059 “Mr. Bell,” said he, “before you speak so, you should remember that… 2523 words
  60. 060 At breakfast time the next day, she expressed her wish to go and bid… 2818 words
  61. 061 “Poor child!” said Edith. 2517 words
  62. 062 Edith did not know whether to frown or to smile, but it did not suit Mr. 2588 words
  63. 063 Mr. Bell knew something of what would be passing through her mind… 2523 words
  64. 064 Margaret explained that it was not her father, and stammered out the… 2504 words
  65. 065 “Did you have any explanation with him? 2648 words
  66. 066 In consequence of this note, Margaret made no more enquiries about his health. 2584 words
  67. 067 Margaret received this letter at breakfast-time, and turned very pale… 2648 words
  68. 068 “Only don’t be strong-minded,” pleaded Edith. 2550 words
  69. 069 Night after night he took books and papers into his own private room… 2678 words
  70. 070 “You think Miss Hale looking well,” said Mr. 2505 words
  71. 071 “Oh, Mr. Thornton, I am not good enough!” “Not good enough! Don’t… 313 words