Mr Thornton Quotes:

She had a bracelet on one taper arm, which would fall down over her round wrist. Mr. Thornton watched the replacing of this troublesome ornament with far more attention than he listened to her father. It seemed as if it fascinated him to see her push it up impatiently, until it tightened her soft flesh; and then to mark the loosening—the fall. He could almost have exclaimed—'There it goes, again!

- Elizabeth Gaskell

source: Elizabeth Gaskell (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (Illustrated)”, p.966, Delphi Classics

topic: Father, Fall, Ornaments, Mr Thornton

Oh, Mr. Thornton, I am not good enough!' 'Not good enough! Don't mock my own deep feeling of unworthiness.

- Elizabeth Gaskell

topic: Not Good Enough, Feelings, Deep Feeling, Mock, Mr Thornton

If Mr. Thornton was a fool in the morning, as he assured himself at least twenty times he was, he did not grow much wiser in that afternoon. All that he gained in return for his sixpenny omnibus ride, was a more vivid conviction that there never was, never could be, any one like Margaret; that she did not love him and never would; but that she — no! nor the whole world — should never hinder him from loving her.

- Elizabeth Gaskell

topic: Morning, Twenties, Afternoon, Mr Thornton, Assured

He shook hands with Margaret. He knew it was the first time their hands had met, though she was perfectly unconscious of the fact.

- Elizabeth Gaskell

source: Elizabeth Gaskell (2010). “The Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (20+ Books)”, p.1487, BookCaps Study Guides

topic: Hands, Firsts, Facts, Mr Thornton

I know you despise me; allow me to say, it is because you don't understand me.

- Elizabeth Gaskell

source: Elizabeth Gaskell (2013). “North and South”, p.211, Courier Corporation

topic: Despise, Understand Me, Knows, Mr Thornton, You Don't Understand Me

Mr. Thornton felt that in this influx no one was speaking to Margaret, and was restless under this apparent neglect. But he never went near her himself; he did not look at her. Only, he knew what she was doing — or not doing — better than anyone else in the room. Margaret was so unconscious of herself, and so much amused by watching other people, that she never thought whether she was left unnoticed or not.

- Elizabeth Gaskell

topic: People, Looks, Rooms, Mr Thornton

Oh yes!' and suddenly the wintry frost-bound look of care had left Mr. Thornton's face, as if some soft summer gale had blown all anxiety away from his mind; and, though his mouth was as much compressed as before, his eyes smiled out benignly on his questioner.

- Elizabeth Gaskell

source: Elizabeth Gaskell (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (Illustrated)”, p.1296, Delphi Classics

topic: Summer, Eye, Anxiety, Mr Thornton

It was her brother,' said Mr. Thornton to himself. 'I am glad.I may never see her again; but it is comfort-a relief-to know that much. I knew she could not be unmaidenly; and yet I yearned for conviction. Now I am glad!' It was a little golden thread running through the dark web of his present fortunes; which were growing ever gloomier and more gloomy.

- Elizabeth Gaskell

source: Elizabeth Gaskell (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (Illustrated)”, p.1297, Delphi Classics

topic: Running, Brother, Dark, Mr Thornton

Mr Thornton would rather have heard that she was suffering the natural sorrow. In the first place, there was selfishness enough in him to have taken pleasure in the idea that his great love might come in to comfort and console her; much the same kind of strange passionate pleasure which comes stinging through a mother's heart, when her drooping infant nestles close to her, and is dependent upon her for everything.

- Elizabeth Gaskell

source: Elizabeth Gaskell (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (Illustrated)”, p.1150, Delphi Classics

topic: Mother, Taken, Heart, Mr Thornton

Neither loss of father, nor loss of mother, dear as she was to Mr Thornton, could have poisoned the remembrance of the weeks, the days, the hours, when a walk of two miles, every step of which was pleasant, as it brought him nearer and nearer to her, took him to her sweet presence - every step of which was rich, as each recurring moment that bore him away from her made him recal some fresh grace in her demeanour, or pleasant pungency in her character.

- Elizabeth Gaskell

source: Elizabeth Gaskell (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (Illustrated)”, p.1236, Delphi Classics

topic: Mother, Sweet, Father, Mr Thornton, Recurring

How was it that he haunted her imagination so persistently? What could it be? Why did she care for what he thought, in spite of all her pride in spite of herself? She believed that she could have borne the sense of Almighty displeasure, because He knew all, and could read her penitence, and hear her cries for help in time to come. But Mr.Thornton-why did she tremble, and hide her face in the pillow? What strong feeling had overtaking her at last?

- Elizabeth Gaskell

source: Elizabeth Gaskell (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Elizabeth Gaskell (Illustrated)”, p.1166, Delphi Classics

topic: Strong, Pride, Imagination, Displeasure, Mr Thornton

"Mr. Thornton," said Margaret, shaking all over with her passion, "go down this instant, if you are not a coward. Go down and face them like a man. Save these poor strangers, whom you have decoyed here. Speak to your workmen as if they were human beings. Speak to them kindly. Don't let the soldiers come in and cut down poor-creatures who are driven mad. I see one there who is. If you have any courage or noble quality in you, go out and speak to them, man to man."

- Elizabeth Gaskell

source: "North and South". Book by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1855.

topic: Passion, Cutting, Men, Mr Thornton