Margaret the Superhuman

     He tottered towards her, murmuring, "Pray for me, Margaret. I have no strength left in me. I cannot pray. I give her up because I must. I try to bear it: indeed I do. I know it is God's will. But I cannot see why she died. Pray for me, Margaret, that I may have faith to pray. It is a great strait, my child."
     Margaret sat by him in the coach, almost supporting him in her arms; and repeating all the noble verses of holy comfort, or texts expressive of faithful resignation, that she could remember. Her voice never faltered.

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 Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South, Volume 2 ch. 33 (pg) 263

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      Is Margaret superhuman? She who was an innocent, naive country girl must have had a god helping her stay strong after having everything ripped away from her. She who was broken-hearted by moving now has to comfort the one who made her move? It is her mother who died. It is her father who killed her mother. It is she who has to keep everyone's dark secrets.
     Her father is the one who was strong in his faith. It was because of that faith that he moved to the north. Why then is he the weak one? Did he care more for his wife than Margaret did her mother? Did he care enough about his wife to ask her opinion of the move? Did he care about his wife to comfort her and tell her he loved her? He did not even know his wife was sick! Did either mother of father build Margaret up to be a strong, confident woman? No. How did she get so strong? It certainly was not a bred trait. Her parents who spoke very little to her expected her to manage everything difficult. Was she ever trained in how to do such things? What is her secret?