Elizabeth Gaskell

Name: Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds
Author: Elizabeth Gaskell

Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

Summary

“Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds”, published in 1865, is a work by Elizabeth Gaskell. It explores elements such as Cynthia, Molly and Gibson.

Quotes from Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (Elizabeth Gaskell)

Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

“ Gibson had coolly persevered in anything to which she had objected; whenever the cook had made a mistake about the dinner, or the housemaid broken any little frangible article; whenever Molly's hair was not done to her liking, or her dress did not become her, or the smell of dinner pervaded the house, or the wrong callers came, or the right callers did not come—in fact, whenever anything went wrong, poor Mr. Kirkpatrick was regretted and mourned over, nay, almost blamed, as if, had he only given himself the trouble of living, he could have helped it. ”

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Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

“ Why, within eight miles of Hollingford; it might have been Molly there or me; it's all a chance; and then they go and talk about the pleasures of intellectual society in London, and the distinguished people up there that it is such an advantage to know, and all the time I know it's only shops and the play that's the real attraction. But that's neither here nor there. We all put our best foot foremost, and if we have a reason to give that looks sensible we speak it out like men, and never say anything about the silliness we are hugging to our hearts. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

“ To be sure—youth, love,—what did we care for poverty! I remember dear Mr. Kirkpatrick walking five miles into Stratford to buy me a muffin because I had such a fancy for one after Cynthia was born. I don't mean to complain of dear papa—but I don't think—but, perhaps I ought not to say it to you. If Mr Kirkpatrick had but taken care of that cough of his; but he was so obstinate! Men always are, I think. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

“ I've no patience with London: Cynthia is much better out of it; and I'm not sure, if I were you, Mrs. Gibson, if I would not stop up those London letters: they'll only be unsettling her.'
'But perhaps she may live in London some of these days, Miss Browning,' simpered Mrs. Gibson.
'Time enough then to be thinking of London. I wish her an honest country husband with enough to live upon, and a little to lay by, and a good character to boot. Mind that, Molly,' said she, firing round upon the startled Molly, 'I wish Cynthia a husband with a good character; but she's got a mother to look after her ”

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Source: Wikisource

Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

“ Roger only said he had had another touch of fever, but was better when he wrote. He says every European has to be acclimatized by fever in that part of Abyssinia where he is.'
'And did she go?' asked Molly.
'Yes, to be sure. It is not an engagement; and if it were, it is not acknowledged. Fancy her going and saying, "A young man that I know has been ill for a few days in Africa, two months ago, therefore I don't want to go to the ball to-night." It would have seemed like affectation of sentiment; and if there's one thing I hate it is that.'
'She would hardly enjoy herself,' said Molly. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

“ it's worse than ever. Can't you drench it in water to take those untidy twists and twirls out of it?'
'It only makes it curl more and more when it gets dry,' said Molly, sudden tears coming into her eyes as a recollection came before her like a picture seen long ago and forgotten for years—a young mother washing and dressing her little girl; placing the half-naked darling on her knee, and twining the wet rings of dark hair fondly round her fingers, and then, in an ecstasy of fondness, kissing the little curly head. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

“ It made her very uneasy, I think; she said she did not feel inclined to go to Mr. Rawson's ball, which was on that night, and for which Mrs. Kirkpatrick had given her the ball-dress. But there really was nothing for her to fidget herself about. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

“ For she had got many of her notions of the metropolis from the British Essayists, where town is so often represented as the centre of dissipation, corrupting country wives and squires' daughters, and unfitting them for all their duties by the constant whirl of its not always innocent pleasures. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (1865)

“ There was constant mention made of many new names, which conveyed no idea to Molly, though Mrs. Gibson would try and enlighten her by running commentaries like the following,—
'Mrs. Green! ah, that's Mr. Jones's pretty cousin, who lives in Russell Square with the fat husband. They keep their carriage; but I'm not sure if it is not Mr. Green who is Mrs. Jones's cousin. We can ask Cynthia when she comes home. Mr. Henderson! to be sure—a young man with black whiskers, a pupil of Mr. Kirkpatrick's formerly,—or was he a pupil of Mr. ”

Elizabeth Gaskell

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Quotes from Wives and Daughters — Chapter XLI: Gathering Clouds (Elizabeth Gaskell)

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