[Comprehensive Classics] Detective Mary

The progress of the next thing was even smoother than Mary expected.

Workers at Mr Thornton's factory agreed to end the strike and resume work.The condition is that Thornton promises to complete the machine upgrade and fan replacement plan within two years.

In addition, he also publicized the new environmental standards added to the factory: regular watering and moisturizing, so that the factory maintains a certain humidity, thereby preventing dust from floating in the air; providing workers with gloves and Miss Lydia Bennet's improved A mask to prevent cotton residue dust from entering the lungs.

In addition, Margaret also successfully persuaded her father, Mr. Hale, to change the content of her worker class from literature to common sense of hygiene and health, and even some practical life skills-this part is naturally written by John Watson. The doctor provides knowledge, and many life skills are brought back from the battlefield.

No matter how hard the life of the workers is, it will not be more difficult than that of the frontline soldiers in Afghanistan, right?Watson is very optimistic about this, he can even deal with the soldiers, let alone the workers.

There is no harm in these conditions, and the trade union naturally has no reason to refuse.As for the workers, even if some of them did not understand or even agreed with Thornton's "excessive action", they immediately chose to shut up when they saw someone going to work in the factory and getting their due wages.

The sky is big, the food is the biggest, and the Marlborough factory will start working again soon.

As a result, the other factory owners suddenly felt uncomfortable: they can't just watch Thornton make money while they do nothing, can they?

Hamp, who had the best relationship with Thornton, first went to inquire about the news, and Thornton didn't hide anything. He took out the plan that had been revised after he discussed with Higgins, and shared it with Hamp directly.

It is very difficult to extract money from capitalists. Seeing these conditions, Hanpu hesitated.But he made a careful calculation: the cost of making gloves and masks is cheaper than the transportation and accommodation costs of hiring Irish workers elsewhere.And the machines always have to be replaced, it would be too wasteful within two years, right?

With this in mind, other factory owners also chose to make concessions to the trade unions, agreeing to improve the conditions of the factory environment.

And when the whole of Milton regained its former vitality and all the factories were running again, Mary was not idle.

She racked her brains, learned the style and rhythm of several famous European nursery rhyme collections in her memory, and wrote more than a dozen simple nursery rhymes and tongue twisters.

Margaret saw it, and took it to Mr. Thornton's sister, Miss Thornton, to compose an extremely simple tune, which was dubbed into a catchy nursery rhyme.Then several girls will split up and teach new nursery rhymes to children in the street.

This work was actually completed by Margaret and Catherine the fastest—they are kind, have a good temper, and most importantly, they are patient. Children naturally like this kind of gentle big sister.

As for Mary, she didn't know how to get along with children, and her progress fell a little bit, but she was still much better than Liddy, who was impatient and had a gloomy face.

But Mary didn't dislike Lydia any more, because she was a "great hero".

Lydia couldn't do much else, but no one would question her sewing.She succeeded in designing a mask that fits the face and is extremely lightweight at the lowest price.Mary taught Thornton the prototype, and the factory owners were left to worry about the filter layer.

It didn't take Lydia a few days to figure it out. If Mary did it by herself, she might not be able to figure it out in a month.

Even after Mr. Thornton agreed that Lydia's design was very pragmatic, Lydia didn't stop.

Maybe Milton's life is too monotonous, or maybe Lydia simply wants to find something to do to divert her attention from a broken relationship. In her spare time teaching nursery rhymes to children, she began to think about the clothes that workers can wear in the factory. Gloves and hats.

Mary was a little surprised, but she didn't tease Lydia much.

She thought things would go smoothly in Milton, and Lydia finally learned to be low-key and well-behaved, and quietly passed the days of "exile" to the northern town.

Until one day, when Mary came back from a day's work, she found Lydia crying secretly in the room.

Lydia still held the needle, thread and cotton cloth in her hands, and seemed to be planning to continue thinking about the design at hand, but she lowered her head, her shoulders trembled, and she couldn't stop sobbing.

Mary's eyes widened: "Lydia? What's wrong with you?"

Hearing Mary's voice, Lydia flinched as if she was greatly frightened.Seeing Mary's figure, she quickly wiped away her tears, and forced herself to speak: "What? I'm doing my sewing well, so don't bother me."

Mary: "..."

If you really pretend to be okay, don't choke up.

Thinking about it carefully, there are so many things going on in the past few days, not only Mary is busy without end, but Catherine and Lydia have also contributed a lot.To say that she was bullied... Mary didn't believe that Lydia would be bullied with her temper.

After thinking about it, she suddenly had an idea in her mind.

"Are you still wronged?"

Mary raised her eyebrows: "It's been so long, you still miss Wickham?"

Lydia: "I don't."

Mary might have believed her denial if she hadn't looked so sad when she mentioned "Wickham."

"I don't understand." Mary really couldn't understand, "Is he a gambler? You might not be able to pay back ten of the money you owe with your dowry. Wouldn't it be better to reject you? It's the first time I saw someone not jumping into it." In the fire pit, you still have to think about the fire pit."

"He is not!!"

Mary's cold and sarcastic remarks completely shocked Lydia.

She threw away the needle and thread in her hand, and before she could refute, she couldn't stop crying.

"Mr. Wickham is, it's not," Lydia said, sobbing, "It's all your fault! Obviously, obviously, you knew that Mr. Wickham didn't like you, deliberately slandered him, and rebelled against me. If you confess, he will reject me!"

Lydia didn't believe it herself.

According to Lydia's temper, if she thought it was Mary's fault and went mad at Mary early in the morning, why would she be sobbing with grievances and become more confident as she spoke?

So Mary doesn't blame her either.

On the night of Jane's wedding, she disappeared and got along with a man late at night. She had already received her own punishment—broken love, and she was forcibly escorted to a completely unfamiliar Milton.

It was enough for Lydia to realize the problem.With this in mind, Mary didn't taunt or reprimand Lydia coldly.

In the final analysis, the little girl just has a hard time.

Mary didn't think she liked Wickham very much, but it's always good to have nothing.In the 21st century, many of Mary’s friends have a similar mentality—for example, they missed out on a famous university with a grade, and if their life is not satisfactory after that, people will always blame all their failures on that. on the grades.

It seems that one loss and miss can really ruin the whole life.

Now that Lydia has been sad for so long, it seems that if she misses Wickham, she misses all the love in this life.

How should I put it, Mary can understand Lydia's mentality to a certain extent.

"Whatever you think," she said calmly, "I'm too busy to talk to you about whose fault it is. Bessie is very ill, and I must take Marguerite's place to deliver something to her." In the old days, if you weren’t doing needlework, you’d get a basket as a handle.”

"I don't know Bessie." Lydia muttered.

"Then you should just stay in the room," Mary said intentionally. "Perhaps Wickham was cornered and came to Milton to look for you."

"you--"

No matter how innocent Lydia is, she has been reversed by Mary several times, and she has a long memory.

"Go and go."

She stood up angrily, and after wiping away her tears, she was no longer sad: "Isn't it just to take things!"

Mary hooked the corner of her mouth.

Margaret was going to send Bessie some old clothes and sheets.It's fall soon and these are really useful.Mary thought about it, and brought some food, milk, and other bits and pieces of necessities.

The two Miss Bennets went out with their heavy baskets each.

Lydia has been in Milton for so long, even if she teaches nursery rhymes to children on weekdays, it is near factories and commercial streets.Mary led her through the church, and this was the first time she had walked through the rich people's district to the working people's district.

Across the small hill where the church is located, the gray northern town is even more dilapidated and monotonous.

Not only was it dusty, it was even dirty.The houses they passed were dilapidated, many without windows.What surprised Lydia even more was that she found that there were more than one family living in a house.

Unlike Mary, Lydia Bennet, the youngest and most beloved of the family, has not seen more than a hundred years of experience. She has never even been to London, and she has seen only the poorest family. It was Little Geoffrey's mother, whose son was sentenced to repair the railroad—and those days were so far away from Lydia, who only wanted beautiful clothes and hats.

But now, Lydia stood on a street that was, by her standards, no cleaner than a rat's nest.

Margaret's friend actually lives here?

No, no... What shocked Lydia even more was that there were so many, so many people living here?

Mary naturally saw Lydia's reaction in her eyes. She didn't say much, but strode forward with one hand holding the hem of the skirt, and brought Lydia to the door of the Higgins family.

When the strike ended, Nicholas Higgins and his young daughter went to work in the factory, leaving Bessie at home alone.

Mary knocked on the door, but heard Bessie's cough before hearing footsteps.She immediately pushed the door open and walked in bluntly, so that Bessie would not have to struggle to get up and open the door.

However, after resting for so long, Bessie looked much better than when Watson came to the free clinic.

She still wanted to greet Mary with a smile on her face, but this appearance made Mary feel very distressed.She put the basket aside: "Don't get up, my sister and I are just here to deliver something and watch you eat something."

"Still, let's get up." Lydia whispered.

"what?"

"Didn't you bring a clean quilt?" She looked at Bessie's worn-out quilt with an unbelievable expression, "just enough to change it out."

This is true.

Today's weather is also good, you can also dry the sheets.

Thinking of this, Mary readily accepted Lydia's proposal.

She helped Bessie off the bed, ordered Lydia to change the sheet, and then lifted the sheet out for some air.On the other hand, he went to the kitchen, simply warmed up the hot milk, and cut a small piece of jerky.

At this time, Bessie sitting at the table was curiously flipping through the things Mary had brought.

"You bring so many things," she joked, "I can't use it by myself. Keep the food and take the clothes away."

"You can wear it for your sister." Mary refused.

"That's fine," Bessie thought for a while, then gave in, "but this kind of—"

She took out the brand-new kerosene lamp and beautiful dress, and pushed them in front of Mary: "Take this brand-new thing away, I don't want it."

Lydia: "Why?"

Hearing Bessie's words, Lydia seemed a little anxious: "Aren't brand new things good, why not?"

Bessie gave Lydia a surprised look.

She blinked and looked at Mary again: "Is this your own sister?"

Mary smiled wryly.

Bessie's subtext couldn't be more obvious: Is such an innocent little girl really your sister?

"It's my own sister," said Mary, "and don't laugh at her."

"Ok."

Bessie shrugged her shoulders, but still had a smile on her face: "Brand new things are good, but they are too good to have. If you are used to good and new things and not used to bad and old things, I will How should I live?"

Lydia:?

Seeing Lydia's bewildered expression, it was clear that she did not understand Bessie's words.

Mary didn't go out to explain either.Bessie needed to rest, so after watching her eat something, make the bed, and straighten the quilts that were out to dry, she helped Bessie back to the bed again, and took Lydia away.

During this period, Lydia remained silent.

Lydia, who has always been superficial and frivolous, rarely showed a state of contemplation.Mary could clearly feel that she was a little uncomfortable—of course she was uncomfortable. Milton's wealthy area was re-industrialized and gray, but it was cleaned clean after all.

Even Mary, who was well versed in the conditions of the poor in the Victorian era, was taken aback when she first went to the slums in London, let alone Lydia, whose mind was full of romantic ideas.

However, although Mary disliked Lydia's lack of brains, shallowness and restlessness, she also knew that her sister was not bad by nature, she was just spoiled.

When Lydia saw the living conditions of the poor and Bessie's appearance when she was ill, she didn't feel disgusted or disgusted.

Mary led her back to the wealthy area, and when she passed the church, standing on a high hillside, Lydia glanced back at the workers' gathering area.

The hillside between the two areas is like a watershed, separating the two distinct areas, like two completely different worlds.

"Why?" Lydia asked suddenly.

"What?" Mary asked.

"Why doesn't Bessie want brand new things?" Lydia finally asked the confusion in her heart, "isn't a brand new kerosene lamp bad?"

"..."

Mary was waiting for her problem.

Mary has been waiting for more than ten days since they walked out of Milton's station.When Lydia snatched the job of designing the masks in a huff, she knew her sister would ask.

So Mary wasn't surprised, she just lifted the basket in her arm.

"Do you know how much a worker's wage is for a week, Lydia?" Mary asked without answering.

Lydia blinked blankly: "I don't know, is there five pounds?"

Mary laughed out loud: "You don't know the life of the workers, don't you know the life of the tenant farmers? Is it possible that the annual income of the farmers in Longbourne is higher than the annual living expenses of the workers?"

Lydia suddenly said "Ah...", but didn't continue.

"They only have fifteen shillings a week," answered Mary.

"what?!"

Lydia covered her mouth in surprise.

When she saw the living conditions of the workers, she already had the idea that the workers were poor, but she didn't expect that they went on strike desperately for the mere fifteen shillings wages?

"And how much you spend a year, I don't need to say."

Mary said calmly: "As for your dowry, it is only a thousand pounds, and the annual interest is only more than fifty pounds. If you are married, it will be based on your usual expenses, plus the cost of the husband and wife after moving out of Longbourn. The daily expenses of the two are between fifty and one hundred pounds, how many years do you think you can live with just your dowry?"

Lydia: "I..."

Mary: "And Wickham has gambling debts."

Lydia: "..."

Going around, Lydia finally understood why Mary took herself to see Bessie Higgins.

"I can also make money by myself," Lydia murmured in a low voice, "Don't you make money by writing serials yourself? I am good at embroidery, and I can do it."

"Do you know how much an embroidery job costs?" Mary laughed out loud.

Mary was relieved that Lydia had the idea.But she said this just to be angry with herself.How naive it is to make money with embroidery.

It's as if the embroiderer's salary is much higher than that of the workers.

"You also know why little Geoffrey's mother is always sick in bed," Mary said flatly, "she embroidered better than you when she was young, Lydia, but she embroidered her eyes early. Now Jr. Jeffrey is being punished for theft, and his mother has to do needlework to survive even if she can."

Mary looked at Lydia quietly and her face changed.

"It's fine that you want to make money for yourself and be financially independent," Mary said, "but I don't think you are capable of it now. Pretty embroidery is not enough, you have to make your work different from other people's. But ..."

She changed the topic, and put on her trademark smirk again: "If you want to be a embroiderer to support Wickham, I have no objection, anyway, I'm not the one to suffer."

Lydia: "You!! Mary you are too much!!"

That's what it sounds like.

Seeing Lydia showing clenched fists and stomping her feet again, the smile on Mary's face became more real.

Ever since she came to Milton, she had become listless, even if she was depressed, she even secretly hid in the room and cried.Mary would rather she startled and quarrel with herself. Lydia is only 15 years old, so it's better to be lively.

"That's all I have to say."

So Mary smiled and said coldly: "If you still miss Wickham, you can do the math yourself and see how much money you need to support yourself and a gambler--of course, if you have a lot of money, it's okay to have a little boy." nothing."

Lydia: "..."

After Mary finished speaking, she stopped talking, just turned around again with the basket in her hand, and walked towards the city.

Mary held back these words for a long time, but she knew that the previous Lydia would definitely not listen to her reasoning.Now that she said it, while she was relieved, she also deeply understood that her little sister might not be able to figure out the truth immediately.

But she neither refuted nor lost her temper, which proved that she had listened more or less.

That's a great place to start.

It's really not easy, Mary sighed again and again, at least it's developing in a good way.

And when Mary returned to the Hale couple's mansion, she found that Lydia was definitely not the only one who had developed in a good way.

As soon as she entered, she saw Margaret hurried out of the kitchen.

"Mary, you are finally back," she said with great surprise, "We have been waiting for you for a long time!"

"You?" Mary grasped the words sharply.

Margaret didn't say much, and directly pulled Mary to the kitchen.

It turned out to be Mr. Thornton and Butcher.

Butcher's eyes lit up when he saw Mary, and he immediately stood up in embarrassment, and said eagerly to Mary: "Miss, I, I seem to have found something wrong with Hamp!"