Hard Times

Her brother also has a talk with her that night. He tells her that there father and Mr. Bounderby are having a talk tonight. In the morning Louisa goes to see her father. He says "Louisa, my dear, you are the subject of a proposal of marriage that has been made to me." He asks her what she thinks but she will not say until she hears who wants to marry her. He tells her "in short, that Mr. Bounderby has informed me that he has long watched your progress with particular interest and pleasure, and has long hoped that the time might arrive when he should offer you his hand in marriage." Louisa asks "do you think I love Mr. Bounderby?" Her father said " I-really-cannot take upon myself to say." Then she asks " do you ask me to love Mr. Bounderby?" He tells her no. After a bit more discussion with her father she tells him " I am satisfied to accept his proposal." She does not love Mr. Bounderby but will marry him because it will make her father and her brother happy.
             When Mr. Bounderby hears that she has accepted his proposal he know that he must tell Mrs. Sparsit, his live-in housekeeper of many years. She does not like the idea of the marriage but tells him she hopes they are happy (although Mrs. Sparsit will never call Louisa Mrs. Bounderby but always Miss. Gradgrind). The wedding happens and Mrs. Sparsit must now move out of the Bounderby house and into an apartment above the bank.
             James Harthouse, a brother of a Member of Parliament, comes to Coketown. He meets Mrs. Sparsit while at the bank looking for Mr. Bounderby, and she tells him where he can find him. He meets up with Mr. Bounderby and then Louisa and then her brother Tom. Tom and Mr. Harthouse soon become friends and Tom tells him that Mr. Bounderby is his brother-in-law but he never liked him and nether does his sister. .
             There is a meeting of the union of Mr. Bounderby" s factory. All of the workers are there and want to join the union except for one, Stephen Blackpool.