When Margaret, going in to speak to Bessy, found him arguing the point with Boucher, the neighbour of whom she had frequently heard mention, as by turns exciting Higgins's compassion, as an unskilful workman with a large family depending upon him for support, and at other times enraging his more energetic and sanguine neighbour by his want of what the latter called spirit. It was very evident that Higgins was in a passion when Margaret entered. Boucher stood, with both hands on the rather high mantelpiece, swaying himself a little on the support which his arms, thus placed, gave him, and looking wildly into the fire, with a kind of despair that irritated Higgins, even while it went to his heart. Bessy was rocking herself violently backwards and forwards, as was her wont (Margaret knew by this time) when she was agitated. Her sister Mary was tying on her bonnet (in great clumsy bows, as suited her great clumsy fingers), to go to her fustian-cutting, blubbering out loud the while, and evidently longing to be away from a scene that distressed her.
Margaret came in upon this scene. She stood for a moment at the door--then, her finger on her lips, she stole to a seat on the squab near Bessy. Nicholas saw her come in, and greeted her with a gruff, but not unfriendly nod. Mary hurried out of the house, catching gladly at the open door, and crying aloud when she got away from her father's presence. It was only John Boucher that took no notice whatever who came in and who went out.

 when Margaret, going to see Bessy, found him arguing with Boucher, the neighbour whom she had frequently heard him mention as an unskilful workman with a large family.
Higgins was in a passion when Margaret entered. Boucher stood swaying a little and looking wildly into the fire, with a despair that irritated Higgins, even while it went to his heart. Bessy was rocking herself violently backwards and forwards, as was her wont (Margaret knew by this time) when she was agitated. Her sister Mary was clumsily tying on her bonnet to go to her work of fustian-cutting, blubbering out loud, and evidently longing to be away from a scene that distressed her.
Margaret stood for a moment at the door - then she stole to a seat near Bessy. Nicholas saw her, and greeted her with a gruff, but not unfriendly nod. Mary hurried out of the house, crying. John Boucher took no notice of who came in and who went out.
