( atticus casts a rueful look towards miss bennet. reason, although inured, provides little defence once paranoia's vines take hold. the revolution that once illuminated the hearts and flames of the lesser and downtrodden is over; napoleon has been defeated, the monarchy restored, and palladia instituted in order to prevent another from occurring. yet the flame of rebellion and reformation still blazes, although now, the objective has become revolution. whispers reaches atticus's ears, but fragmented, during his visits to london of uprisings and affairs that probably don't reach miss bennet's ears or eyes faraway at longbourn. for, although rife with haughtiness and folly, meryton has been relatively fair to its lesser class and so they have little reason to protest against their treatment here.
however, on closer inspection, the current incident's antecedent is not paranoia of insurrection nor is it disrespect towards farmwork. tis envy of profit won at the cockfight by the men. a brief leap of logic is taken to assume the harvesters had won money and the soldiers believed unfairly so. greed and hatred, so very often the incitements to savagery and evilness.
well-acquainted with violence but the sickening churn in atticus's stomach still emerges as he steps forth from the small crowd to put himself between the harvesters and the soldiers. the vagary of a mob spurs exigency. in order to spare miss bennet the spectacle, before he commits to injecting himself, he turns to her and gives calm but pressing direction. ) Fetch the colonel. Or the constable. Or — ( he hesitates. ) Your father.
( he hopes that she finds the colonel of the militia or the constable first for he knows very little what mr. bennet could do in the face of madness like that of a maenad. but mr. bennet possesses authority that atticus cartwright lacks and perhaps that will be enough to pacify the militia soldiers. at the very least until their commanding officer can be brought. ) Make haste.
( with a last look at miss bennet, atticus moves forward and places a hand on a soldier's shoulder. although atticus is at least a head taller and perhaps half a stone of muscle on the man, escalation to violence is last on his list. )
no subject
however, on closer inspection, the current incident's antecedent is not paranoia of insurrection nor is it disrespect towards farmwork. tis envy of profit won at the cockfight by the men. a brief leap of logic is taken to assume the harvesters had won money and the soldiers believed unfairly so. greed and hatred, so very often the incitements to savagery and evilness.
well-acquainted with violence but the sickening churn in atticus's stomach still emerges as he steps forth from the small crowd to put himself between the harvesters and the soldiers. the vagary of a mob spurs exigency. in order to spare miss bennet the spectacle, before he commits to injecting himself, he turns to her and gives calm but pressing direction. ) Fetch the colonel. Or the constable. Or — ( he hesitates. ) Your father.
( he hopes that she finds the colonel of the militia or the constable first for he knows very little what mr. bennet could do in the face of madness like that of a maenad. but mr. bennet possesses authority that atticus cartwright lacks and perhaps that will be enough to pacify the militia soldiers. at the very least until their commanding officer can be brought. ) Make haste.
( with a last look at miss bennet, atticus moves forward and places a hand on a soldier's shoulder. although atticus is at least a head taller and perhaps half a stone of muscle on the man, escalation to violence is last on his list. )