thereis
something
very
odd
too
,
in
such
a
lady
as
you
walking
away
from
the
factory
with
one
of
the
children
.
"
"
Indeed
I
do
not
wonder
at
your
saying
so
.
But
believe
me
,
I
tell
you
nothing
but
the
truth
when
I
assure
you
that
I
have
permission
,
and
have
paid
largely
for
it
,
to
bring
this
child
away
.
Our
unfortunately
attempting
to
walk
was
merely
accident
,
and
occasioned
entirely
by
my
foolish
impatience
to
get
away
from
the
place
before
Mr.
Smith
,
the
miller
,
who
took
me
there
,
thought
his
horse
sufficiently
rested
to
return
.
"
"
Mr.
Smith
,
the
miller
?
Then
for
certain
all
's
right
—
for
they
be
known
for
the
greatest
of
friends
,
Mr.
Woodcomb
and
he
—
and
I
dare
say
my
husband
,
ma'am
,
would
be
proud
to
help
you
when
he
comes
home
.
It
's
coming
dark
fast
,
and
he
wo
n't
be
long
I
dare
say
.
"
"
But
I
must
go
back
to
this
poor
child
;
I
have
left
her
with
an
old
lady
,
who
will
,
I
fear
,
be
greatly
alarmed
at
being
left
so
long
,
"
said
Mary
.
"
Poor
child
!
"
repeated
her
limping
guide
,
who
,
from
the
moment
they
had
entered
,
had
been
reposing
herself
,
by
sitting
on
the
floor
,
and
had
not
spoken
till
now
.
"
Poor
child
!
—
think
of
that
!
—
and
she
comes
from
the
factory
!
Think
of
speaking
in
that
way
of
a
factory
child
!
"
"
Hold
your
tongue
,
Sally
,
or
I
'll
give
you
no
porridge
for
supper
,
"
said
the
woman
,
but
by
no
means
harshly
;
and
as
she
spoke
,
she
dropped
into
the
maniac
's
lap
a
piece
of
bread
that
lay
in
a
plate
upon
the
table
.
"
Had
your
factory
child
got
this
now
,
"
said
poor
Sally
,
nodding
her
head
with
a
sort
of
boastful
exultation
,
"
she
would
not
be
so
terrible
bad
.
But
there
's
nobody
but
me
as
gets
this
.
I
am
the
only
old
woman
in
the
world
;
all
the
rest
die
young
—
and
most
of
'
em
,
"
she
added
,
in
a
whisper
,
"
before
they
get
away
.
"
"
Was
this
poor
creature
at
the
Deep
Valley
factory
when
she
was
young
?
"
demanded
Miss
Brotherton
.
"
She
tells
you
quite
true
,
ma'am
,
"
replied
the
farmer
's
wife
,
resuming
her
cookery
,
which
consisted
in
chopping
up
bacon
,
cabbage
,
and
potatoes
,
for
the
frying-pan
.
"
She
talks
nonsense
about
the
moon
sometimes
,
and
is
very
wild
when
it
comes
to
the
full
,
but
she
never
makes
any
blunder
when
she
tells
of
her
own
troubles
at
the
factory
.
She
never
varies
the
least
bit
in
the
world
when
she
tells
about
her
getting
away
,
and
being
stopped
,
and
taken
back
again
,
poor
cretur
.
'
Tis
only
too
true
,
that
's
the
worst
of
it
—
and
she
has
never
been
in
her
right
mind
since
.
"
"
I
would
hear
her
tell
it
willingly
,
and
should
listen
to
it
with
great
interest
,
"
said
Miss
Brotherton
.
"
But
at
this
moment
I
can
think
of
nothing
but
those
I
have
left
.
"
"
Whereabouts
be
they
,
ma'am
?
"
demanded
the
farmer
's
wife
.
Mary
described
the
spot
very
accurately
.
"
Why
,
dear
me
!
them
surely
must
be
the
trees
right
against
our
gate
,
"
said
the
good
woman
,
with
great
apparent
satisfaction
.
"
And
if
so
be
as
I
'm
right
,
'
tis
hardly
more
than
a
stone
's
throw
from
our
back
gate
.
I
take
it
,
ma'am
,
as
you
walked
by
the
lane
just
round
our
farm
,
and
them
trees
as
you
speak
of
,
bea
n't
not
one
quarter
of
the
distance
as
you
have
come
.
"
"
In
that
case
,
"
replied
Miss
Brotherton
,
greatly
comforted
,
"
I
have
no
doubt
that
we
could
get
the
poor
little
girl
here
,
and
then
if
you
would
give
us
leave
to
remain
till
your
husband
has
contrived
to
procure
some
sort
of
conveyance
for
us
,
all
our
troubles
would
be
over
,
and
most
gratefully
will
I
repay
you
for
your
assistance
.
"
"
I
will
show
you
the
way
this
moment
,
ma'am
,
"
said
the
woman
,
with
great
alacrity
;
and
once
more
suspending
her
labours
for
the
good
man
's
supper
,
she
prepared
to
attend
the
lady
by
taking
off
an
external
apron
,
and
smoothing
that
which
was
below
it
.
Though
not
quite
within
a
stone
's
throw
,
the
spot
to
which
Miss
Brotherton
was
so
anxious
to
return
,
was
reached
by
a
very
short
cut
across
the
piece
of
meadow-ground
on
which
the
back
part
of
the
farm-house
opened
.
The
joy
of
Mrs.
Tremlett
at
seeing
her
was
great
indeed
;
and
poor
Fanny
,
refreshed
by
the
interval
of
rest
,
declared
herself
quite
able
to
walk
"
a
good
piece
more
.
"
"
Poor
little
creature
!
"
exclaimed
good
Mrs.
Roberts
,
the
farmer
's
wife
;
"
she
do
look
bad
,
sure
enough
!
It
is
seldom
or
never
that
we
gets
a
sight
of
the
children
at
the
mill
,
for
they
sends
regular
for
what
they
wants
,
and
bea
n't
over
fond
of
having
any
body
go
near
'
em
;
—
but
she
puts
me
strongly
in
mind
of
old
Sally
's
stories
to
be
sure
!
"
The
little
party
reached
the
farm
without
difficulty
,
and
then
,
indeed
,
as
Mary
had
predicted
,
all
their
present
troubles
seemed
over
,
for
nothing
could
exceed
the
earnest
kindness
with
which
Mrs.
Roberts
administered
to
all
their
wants
.
Mrs.
Tremlett
's
appearance
and
manner
appeared
to
have
entirely
removed
the
sort
of
doubtful
impression
which
poor
Mary
's
hurried
entrée
had
produced
,
and
having
been
told
that
the
little
girl
had
been
reclaimed
by
them
as
a
relation
,
the
whole
adventure
appeared
to
her
as
one
of
the
deepest
interest
,
and
her
sympathy
and
good-will
were
most
fully
excited
.
Old
Sally
was
sitting
upon
the
floor
exactly
where
they
had
left
her
.
"
Poor
thing
!
"
exclaimed
Mary
,
"
she
has
not
moved
an
inch
.
"
"
Not
she
,
poor
soul
,
"
replied
Mrs.
Roberts
,
"
I
told
her
to
bide
still
,
and
when
we
says
that
to
her
,
she
'd
keep
still
,
if
we
was
to
be
away
a
whole
day
,
I
believe
.
Get
up
,
Sally
!
"
she
added
,
good-humouredly
.
"
There
's
brave
woman
!
Look
at
that
little
girl
,
and
tell
the
ladies
what
she
puts
you
in
mind
of
.
"
The
expression
of
the
poor
withered
,
idiot
face
,
that
was
turned
upon
Fanny
Fletcher
when
this
was
uttered
,
was
most
touchingly
sad
and
solemn
.
The
gentle
,
silly
look
,
which
her
countenance
usually
wore
,
was
exchanged
for
one
full
of
deep
mysterious
meaning
.
She
drew
herself
towards
the
little
girl
with
a
sort
of
stealthy
movement
,
as
if
afraid
of
being
seen
to
approach
her
,
and
when
quite
close
beside
her
,
said
,
"
You
then
have
done
as
I
did
—
you
have
run
away
?
Poor
,
poor
little
thing
!
Ca
n't
you
guess
what
will
come
next
?
Poor
little
thing
!
They
will
catch
you
!
hide
where
you
will
,
they
will
catch
you
.
"
"
I
have
not
run
away
,
"
said
Fanny
,
gently
.
The
maniac
shook
her
head
.
"
Do
n't
you
scream
as
I
did
,
my
poor
lamb
,
for
it
's
no
good
;
they
care
no
more
for
screams
and
groans
than
for
the
whirring
of
the
spindles
.
But
the
screams
went
into
my
own
ears
,
and
I
have
never
got
rid
of
them
since
.
I
still
hear
them
,
all
night
long
,
when
it
is
moon-time
.
Poor
,
poor
little
girl
!
"
"
Come
,
come
Sally
—
let
her
alone
now
,
she
is
going
to
eat
something
.
"
And
Mrs.
Roberts
completed
the
arrangements
upon
which
she
had
been
occupied
since
they
entered
,
by
placing
chairs
at
the
table
on
which
bread
,
butter
,
and
cheese
,
were
placed
.
Not
even
did
the
Deep-Valley
apprentice
feel
more
disposed
to
do
justice
to
these
preparations
than
did
Miss
Brotherton
and
her
old
servant
.
They
had
tasted
nothing
since
breakfast
,
and
when
a
bowl
of
fresh
milk
was
added
to
the
bread-and-butter
,
Mary
gratefully
assured
her
entertainer
that
she
considered
it
as
the
most
delicious
supper
she
had
ever
eaten
.
"
Now
that
's
different
,
"
said
poor
Sally
,
who
had
perched
herself
on
a
low
stool
close
to
Fanny
Fletcher
.
"
I
never
had
any
pretty
creature
like
that
,
all
clothed
in
heavenly
trappings
,
giving
me
milk
;
but
it
will
make
no
difference
in
the
end
—
you
must
be
dragged
back
again
,
poor
little
thing
!
"
"
No
,
no
—
she
wo
n't
be
dragged
back
again
,
"
said
Mrs.
Roberts
;
"
and
there
's
a
cup
of
milk
for
you
—
so
now
let
the
ladies
eat
in
peace
,
Sally
.
You
know
it
's
time
for
you
to
be
crawling
home
—
the
master
will
be
here
in
no
time
,
and
maybe
he
will
be
after
asking
how
many
stones
you
have
picked
up
to-day
,
so
you
had
better
be
off
.
"
The
docile
creature
immediately
shuffled
off
her
stool
,
and
prepared
to
depart
.
"
I
should
like
to
hear
her
describe
her
own
adventures
,
which
you
say
she
does
so
faithfully
,
"
said
Miss
Brotherton
.
"
Do
you
think
you
could
persuade
her
to
repeat
her
story
to
us
?
"
"
Yes
,
yes
,
ma'am
;
she
will
do
that
quick
enough
;
it
is
just
what
she
likes
best
,
"
replied
Mrs.
Roberts
;
"
except
now
and
then
when
she
is
moody
.
Now
,
Sally
,
if
you
will
behave
yourself
like
a
sensible
woman
,
you
may
sit
down
again
,
and
tell
the
ladies
how
you
ran
away
from
the
mill
,
and
was
caught
and
brought
back
again
,
and
all
the
rest
of
it
.
"
The
little
cripple
's
eyes
twinkled
,
and
a
gleam
of
intelligence
flashed
across
her
countenance
with
a
sort
of
Will-o'-the-wisp
brightness
,
as
she
took
the
fragment
of
a
hat
from
her
closely-shorn
gray
head
,
and
reseated
herself
.
"
'
Twas
my
knees
as
was
the
first
of
it
,
"
she
began
;
"
I
could
n't
bear
it
.
The
pain
growed
worse
and
worse
,
and
my
legs
dipped
down
,
and
they
strapped
me
harder
and
harder
,
and
that
was
the
reason
that
I
could
n't
bear
it
.
So
one
day
,
"
she
continued
,
in
a
deep
clear
whisper
,
"
one
day
when
the
'
prentices
,
and
overlookers
,
and
manager
,
and
all
was
off
for
dinner
,
I
stopped
behind
'
em
,
and
nobody
seed
me
—
no
,
not
one
of
'
em
.
And
while
they
were
at
dinner
,
I
slipped
into
the
yard
where
the
pigs
bide
,
and
then
away
again
,
all
upon
the
sly
,
to
the
door
where
they
takes
the
dirt
out
.
I
thought
maybe
,
I
might
have
the
bolts
to
pull
,
but
not
a
bit
of
it
—
there
it
stood
wide
open
,
with
a
barrow
full
of
rubbish
between
the
posts
—
that
was
fun
!
"
And
here
the
poor
creature
laughed
that
dreadful
laugh
which
none
but
maniacs
utter
.
"
But
the
fun
lasted
longer
than
that
,
"
she
went
on
,
"
it
lasted
while
I
creeped
along
for
a
mile
or
more
among
the
bushes
as
grows
so
rank
t'other
side
the
mill
;
and
there
I
laid
down
at
last
in
the
midst
of
'
em
,
'
cause
I
heard
a
noise
,
and
what
d'ye
think
it
was
?
What
d'ye
think
the
poor
cretur
heard
with
her
heart
galloping
just
at
the
bottom
of
her
throat
,
for
all
the
world
like
the
flap
—
flap
—
flap
of
a
fly-wheel
?
"
"
Perhaps
'
twas
a
dog
barking
,
Sally
,
"
said
Mrs.
Roberts
,
humouring
the
maniac
as
she
made
a
pause
.
"
No
!
'
twas
not
a
dog
barking
,
nor
it
was
n't
a
wolf
,
nor
it
was
n't
a
tiger
;
but
it
was
something
ten
million
of
times
worser
than
either
—
It
—
was
—
the
—
'
printice-master
!
"
replied
Sally
,
in
a
slow
deep
whisper
.
"
It
was
the
divilish
'
printice-master
with
his
eyes
of
fire
,
and
his
breath
of
flame
.
Oh-h
!
I
feel
him
at
my
throat
now
!
"
and
she
clasped
her
withered
neck
with
her
pale
thin
hands
,
shuddering
violently
from
head
to
foot
.
"
Speak
soberly
,
Sally
,
and
like
a
sensible
body
,
or
you
must
not
go
on
,
you
know
that
,
"
said
Mrs.
Roberts
,
interposing
in
a
warning
tone
,
which
poor
Sally
seemed
to
understand
,
for
though
her
breast
still
heaved
with
a
panting
movement
,
like
one
who
had
run
a
race
,
and
was
out
of
breath
,
she
assumed
an
affected
air
of
composure
,
putting
her
hands
before
her
primly
,
and
shutting
her
eyes
.
"
Yes
,
mississ
,
I
know
that
,
"
she
replied
,
sedately
,
"
I
know
that
very
well
,
and
we
wo
n't
trouble
Joe
ploughman
to
help
us
home
this
time
;
but
I
may
go
on
,
if
I
speak
sensible
,
and
like
a
wise
woman
,
as
I
am
?
"
The
farmer
's
wife
nodded
assent
,
and
Sally
continued
more
quietly
.
"
It
was
the
'
printice-master
,
and
none
but
he
as
dragged
me
forth
,
head
foremost
,
out
of
the
bushes
—
very
much
like
the
butcher
,
you
know
,
my
dears
,
when
he
takes
the
little
lamb
's
head
between
his
two
hard
hands
—
I
never
sees
that
up
at
Tom
Blake
's
shambles
,
without
thinking
of
it
.
So
he
dragged
me
back
again
—
and
then
you
may
guess
how
the
strap
went
!
But
think
of
me
!
think
what
a
spirit
I
must
have
had
in
those
days
,
my
dears
—
will
you
believe
that
I
made
up
my
mind
to
start
again
,
though
I
had
n't
a
bit
of
unbruised
skin
upon
my
body
?
—
I
did
though
.
Oh
,
dear
!
oh
,
dear
!
how
I
used
to
hear
the
birds
singing
in
my
ears
o'nights
,
when
I
laid
down
,
and
made
believe
to
sleep
!
But
I
do
n't
fancy
it
was
sleep
,
not
right
wholesome
sleep
ever
,
as
I
got
then
;
for
I
can
mind
now
,
yes
I
can
,
with
all
my
moonshine
,
I
can
mind
now
,
how
I
used
to
smell
the
grass
,
and
see
the
dew
shining
,
and
hear
the
pretty
sweet
cows
a
mooing
,
and
I
all
the
while
shut
up
in
a
stone
prison-house
—
that
was
the
divil
tempting
me
,
was
n't
it
?
But
I
did
n't
start
again
for
two
whole
years
though
,
—
'
cause
why
,
I
never
found
no
chance
for
it
;
and
by
that
time
my
legs
was
shocking
bad
,
and
if
it
was
the
divil
as
made
me
run
,
he
ought
to
have
sent
me
a
stick
to
help
me
—
for
,
oh
,
dear
!
I
crawled
dreadful
slow
—
and
then
—
"
"
Come
,
come
,
Sally
,
"
interrupted
Mrs.
Roberts
,
"
I
wo
n't
have
all
that
at
full
length
,
or
else
we
shall
have
you
off
again
;
make
an
end
,
there
's
a
fine
woman
.
Tell
the
ladies
about
the
shutting
up
,
and
then
go
home
and
to
bed
,
for
'
tis
time
.
"
Miss
Brotherton
ceased
to
wonder
,
as
she
had
first
done
,
at
the
chartered
licence
which
the
crazy
cripple
seemed
to
enjoy
,
when
she
observed
the
perfect
docility
with
which
she
obeyed
every
word
and
look
of
the
farmer
's
wife
.
She
now
resumed
her
story
,
exactly
at
the
word
commanded
.
"
Yes
I
was
shut
up
,
my
dears
—
I
shall
have
soon
done
now
,
for
I
am
coming
to
the
black
gap
,
as
I
call
it
,
and
I
always
stops
there
—
but
where
do
you
think
they
shut
me
up
?
In
this
room
,
or
that
room
,
or
t'other
room
,
perhaps
?
Not
a
bit
of
it
.
They
shut
me
up
in
a
little
narrow
place
,
not
much
bigger
than
a
grave
,
and
it
was
dark
—
dark
—
dark
,
all
but
one
little
narrow
slip
,
and
there
was
no
light
comed
through
that
at
first
;
but
by
and
by
,
after
I
had
been
days
and
days
locked
in
,
I
heard
a
horrid
,
horrid
lumbering
noise
,
and
then
I
saw
a
flash
of
light
through
the
narrow
slip
,
for
all
the
world
like
the
light
of
a
candle
—
and
the
light
of
a
candle
it
was
too
,
and
what
do
you
think
it
showed
me
?
Crippled
as
I
was
,
I
managed
to
scramble
high
enough
to
peep
—
there
was
beams
,
on
bricks
or
something
,
and
what
do
you
think
I
saw
?
"
The
poor
creature
began
shaking
again
,
but
on
Mrs.
Roberts
holding
up
her
finger
,
she
seemed
to
make
a
strong
effort
to
control
herself
,
and
once
more
slipping
off
her
stool
she
drew
close
to
Miss
Brotherton
,
and
in
a
low
rapid
voice
,
hurried
through
the
remainder
of
her
narrative
.
"
I
saw
,
"
said
she
,
"
the
master
's
wife
laid
stone
dead
upon
a
truckle-bed
,
amost
as
close
to
me
as
I
to
you
—
think
of
that
!
Stone
dead
!
Stiffened
,
stark
,
and
ghastly
,
and
blue
!
There
was
a
candle
that
flaed
full
upon
her
dead
face
;
but
they
as
brought
her
was
run
away
—
they
could
n't
bear
it
,
I
'm
sure
they
could
n't
bear
it
,
and
I
was
left
alone
to
look
upon
it
,
and
I
could
n't
run
away
;
but
I
could
not
bear
it
either
!
and
then
it
was
that
I
screamed
—
hush
!
I
must
not
scream
now
,
you
know
!
"
Here
she
stopped
,
putting
her
hands
before
her
eyes
,
and
remaining
perfectly
still
for
a
minute
,
and
then
added
with
more
composure
,
"
After
that
came
the
black
gap
,
and
I
do
n't
know
any
thing
more
about
it
;
only
that
I
watch
the
sun
go
to
bed
every
night
,
and
I
have
been
going
on
praying
for
years
and
years
,
all
the
time
I
have
been
growing
into
an
old
woman
,
that
he
would
please
not
to
wake
me
in
the
morning
.
"
"
Here
's
the
master
,
Sally
!
"
said
Mrs.
Roberts
;
"
so
take
yourself
off
,
there
's
a
good
woman
.
Here
's
your
mug
of
porridge
;
put
on
your
hat
steady
,
and
wish
the
ladies
a
good
night
.
"
Again
she
was
most
docilely
obeyed
,
and
in
another
moment
poor
Sally
was
gone
,
and
the
hardworking
master
of
the
premises
occupied
her
place
.
The
situation
and
wants
of
his
unexpected
guests
were
speedily
explained
to
him
,
and
his
best
assistance
as
speedly
promised
.
While
he
devoured
a
hasty
supper
,
one
of
his
farm-horses
was
put
into
the
shafts
of
a
jockey-cart
,
and
in
less
than
an
hour
after
his
return
,
the
comforted
party
set
out
by
the
light
of
a
friendly
moon
,
and
were
safely
jolted
to
the
King
's
Head
,
without
having
been
overtaken
by
the
treacherous
miller
,
who
probably
preferred
sharing
the
jovial
supper
,
in
which
his
good
friend
Woodcomb
indulged
on
this
memorable
evening
,
to
forsaking
it
for
the
purpose
of
overtaking
the
ladies
,
from
whom
it
was
derived
—
as
there
seemed
but
little
chance
of
drawing
any
thing
more
from
the
same
source
.
Great
was
the
joy
of
Mrs.
Prescot
at
seeing
her
guests
return
;
for
their
long
absence
,
together
with
the
nature
of
the
business
on
which
they
were
engaged
had
caused
the
good
woman
to
torment
herself
with
many
dark
forebodings
.
Nevertheless
,
she
was
well
prepared
to
receive
them
,
and
nothing
was
wanting
that
she
could
furnish
towards
refreshing
the
adventurers
after
their
fatigue
.
But
,
alas
!
it
was
only
then
;
it
was
only
after
the
anxiety
,
and
the
agitation
of
the
enterprise
were
over
,
that
poor
Mary
fully
remembered
how
abortive
that
enterprise
had
been
;
and
then
she
wept
,
wept
bitterly
,
as
she
thought
of
the
load
of
anguish
she
had
to
carry
home
to
Michael
's
mother
and
brother
.
Yet
as
she
listened
to
little
Fanny
's
tearful
narration
of
all
that
had
passed
between
them
,
during
the
weeks
the
had
worked
together
,
she
felt
that
when
the
first
dreadful
pang
should
be
over
,
there
would
be
something
like
consolation
for
them
in
listening
to
it
also
;
and
as
she
studied
the
delicate
and
expressive
features
of
the
pretty
creature
she
had
rescued
,
and
watched
the
sort
of
timid
,
doubting
hope
,
that
by
degrees
took
place
of
the
nervous
,
heart-struck
look
,
that
had
been
so
painfully
legible
in
her
sweet
face
when
first
she
saw
her
,
it
was
impossible
not
to
feel
that
while
deploring
the
loss
of
one
object
of
benevolence
,
she
had
to
rejoice
for
having
found
another
.
Luckily
for
the
respectability
of
their
appearance
,
in
setting
forth
on
their
homeward
travels
the
following
morning
,
the
active
Mrs.
prescot
was
enabled
,
by
the
aid
of
the
heiress
's
magic
pocket-book
,
to
procure
from
a
neighbour
a
suit
of
decent
apparel
for
the
little
orphan
.
The
same
freely-flowing
source
supplied
wherewithal
to
reward
all
the
friendly
offices
performed
by
the
host
and
hostess
of
the
Kings
's
Head
,
and
in
addition
,
they
were
left
in
possession
of
a
romance
which
was
likely
enough
,
from
the
frequency
with
which
it
was
repeated
,
to
furnish
a
legend
to
the
little
village
to
the
end
of
time
.
One
single
adventure
occurred
to
Miss
Brotherton
on
her
way
home
,
which
though
forming
a
very
isolated
episode
in
the
history
of
her
journey
,
shall
be
recounted
,
because
the
fact
which
it
brought
to
her
knowledge
is
one
that
well
deserves
publicity
.
The
heiress
varied
her
road
homewards
,
by
driving
through
a
village
which
,
were
it
not
infested
by
the
plague-spot
of
a
factory
,
might
be
considered
as
one
of
the
most
attractive
in
Derbyshire
.
At
one
point
the
road
passes
through
a
rocky
defile
of
such
wild
beauty
,
that
Mary
,
who
was
equally
unacquainted
with
fine
scenery
,
and
capable
of
enjoying
it
,
called
to
the
postboy
to
stop
,
that
she
might
get
out
and
walk
up
the
long
ascent
,
in
order
the
more
thoroughly
to
enjoy
the
widely-spreading
landscape
it
commanded
.
Neither
of
her
companions
accompanied
her
.
Mrs.
Tremlett
consenting
,
nothing
loth
,
to
to
remain
in
the
post-chaise
,
upon
the
steepness
of
the
road
being
pointed
to
her
,
while
little
Fanny
,
though
in
her
heart
longing
to
spring
after
her
benefactress
,
replied
to
the
observation
,
that
she
was
not
yet
strong
enough
to
climb
,
by
a
look
that
spoke
more
of
gratitude
,
than
regret
.
It
was
alone
,
therefore
,
that
Mary
Brotherton
started
forward
,
her
active
steps
soon
leaving
the
carriage
behind
;
when
cutting
short
the
spiral
ascent
by
making
her
way
through
the
underwood
which
clothed
the
bank
,
she
soon
found
herself
high
above
the
road
,
and
on
spot
of
great
beauty
.
After
lingering
here
for
a
few
minutes
she
proceeded
.
when
hearing
the
ever
attractive
sound
of
rushing
waters
,
she
again
stopped
,
and
then
,
guided
by
her
ear
,
followed
where
it
led
,
till
she
reached
an
opening
,
not
far
from
the
high-road
,
but
apart
from
it
,
where
,
instead
of
the
mountain
cascade
she
had
expected
,
a
spectacle
greeted
her
that
for
an
instant
seemed
to
petrify
every
nerve
,
and
the
bounding
elastic
movement
which
had
brought
her
within
sight
of
it
,
was
changed
to
the
rigid
stillness
of
Marble
.
A
man
,
almost
ferocious
in
his
aspect
,
from
the
squalid
,
unshorn
,
brutal
negligence
of
decency
which
it
betrayed
,
was
supporting
in
his
arms
,
and
on
his
of
of
ten
or
eleven
years
old
,
whose
ghastly
countenance
showed
plainly
that
death
was
busy
at
his
heart
.
Before
the
rock
from
whence
flowed
the
gushing
stream
,
whose
sound
had
brought
Miss
Brotherton
to
the
spot
,
stood
what
looked
like
the
fragment
of
a
rude
pillar
,
and
on
this
stone
the
father
had
rested
the
wasted
from
of
his
dying
child
.
Before
him
stood
a
little
girl
gazing
on
the
boy
with
a
mixture
of
infant
fear
a
sisterly
love
,
as
she
tended
a
bowl
,
filled
from
the
spring
,
to
his
lips
.
"
He
is
very
ill
!
"
said
Mary
,
addressing
the
father
,
"
can
I
go
any
where
to
get
help
for
you
?
"
The
man
,
who
had
the
fragment
of
a
pipe
in
his
mouth
,
and
who
looked
rather
bewildered
,
and
fiercely
angry
,
than
oppressed
by
sorrow
,
stared
at
her
,
but
answered
not
a
word
.
"
What
is
the
matter
with
him
?
"
said
Miss
Brotherton
,
addressing
the
little
girl
.
"
He
be
worked
down
,
"
replied
the
child
,
sobbing
.
"
We
have
been
at
long
hours
for
four
weeks
,
and
Dick
could
n't
stand
it
—
father
have
carried
him
to
and
from
mill
for
a
week
—
but
he
could
n't
stand
it
.
Mother
said
,
when
we
started
,
that
he
looked
as
if
he
'd
never
come
back
alive
;
but
he
'd
have
had
to
pay
double
fine
if
so
be
as
father
had
left
him
to
bide
at
home
,
so
he
carried
him
to
mill
;
but
though
they
strapped
him
,
and
strapped
him
,
he
could
n't
stand
to
his
work
.
and
he
have
been
lying
in
the
mill-yard
till
father
comed
to
take
him
.
"
This
horrible
statement
was
uttered
amidst
tears
and
sobs
,
but
poor
Mary
lost
not
a
word
of
it
;
and
as
her
very
soul
sickened
at
the
tale
,
she
felt
tempted
to
believe
that
she
was
doomed
to
witness
every
circumstance
that
could
most
painfully
recall
the
source
whence
all
her
greatness
flowed
.
With
clasped
hands
,
and
streaming
eyes
,
she
stood
silently
watching
the
gasping
breath
of
this
young
victim
of
unnatural
labour
.
The
boy
's
eyes
fixed
themselves
on
the
face
of
his
little
sister
.
He
might
be
listening
to
her
history
of
his
early
fate
—
or
he
might
be
consciously
taking
a
last
look
at
what
he
loved
.
In
either
case
the
effort
demanded
more
strength
than
was
left
him
—
his
eyes
closed
,
a
shivering
movement
passed
through
all
his
frame
,
and
then
he
became
still
.
The
quick
,
short
,
unequal
heaving
of
the
breast
was
seen
no
more
,
and
Mary
hid
her
eyes
as
the
mysterious
change
,
which
no
human
being
can
gaze
upon
unmoved
,
come
upon
the
stiffening
features
.
It
was
rather
instinct
than
feeling
,
which
prompted
her
even
at
that
awful
moment
to
proffer
what
she
had
learned
to
know
would
be
felt
as
consolation
,
did
one
starving
member
of
a
family
alone
survive
amidst
the
dying
and
the
dead
of
a
whole
race
.
Without
venturing
again
to
look
at
the
father
and
his
son
she
dropped
into
the
bowl
,
which
the
little
girl
still
held
,
what
she
hated
to
think
would
soon
turn
natural
sorrow
into
unnatural
forgetfulness
of
it
:
but
she
had
no
power
to
serve
them
more
effectually
,
and
hastily
turning
into
the
road
,
she
awaited
the
slow
arrival
of
the
post-chaise
in
a
state
of
mind
which
left
no
faculty
at
leisure
to
enjoy
and
longer
the
hills
and
valleys
for
whose
sake
she
had
left
it
.
From
this
time
the
journey
homeward
proceeded
without
accident
or
adventure
of
any
kind
,
and
Mary
would
probably
have
shared
the
pleasure
so
energetically
expressed
by
Mr.
Tremlett
at
being
restored
to
the
luxurious
tranquillity
of
Milford
Park
,
had
not
the
heavy
news
she
carried
to
the
poor
Armstrongs
made
her
dread
the
day
that
would
follow
her
reaching
it
.
But
how
she
got
through
that
painful
day
,
and
all
that
resulted
from
it
—
how
little
Fanny
Fletcher
fared
in
her
new
and
most
strange
home
,
and
whether
her
patroness
had
most
reason
to
bless
or
deplore
the
sudden
movement
which
had
caused
her
to
hazard
the
blending
thus
the
destiny
of
one
so
utterly
unknown
,
with
her
own
must
all
be
reserved
for
future
narration
,
as
the
adventures
of
Michael
Armstrong
,
of
necessity
,
draw
the
pen
of
his
historian
elsewhere
.
CHAPTER
XXV
.
THE
NARRATIVE
RETURNS
TO
ITS
HERO
—
AND
RELATES
WHY
AND
WHEREFORE
HE
WAS
KEPT
ALIVE
—
THE
BOY
GROWS
TALL
,
AND
TAKES
TO
THINKING
.
The
answer
which
Fanny
Fletcher
had
received
to
her
inquiries
concerning
Michael
was
as
false
as
it
was
heedless
.
The
little
fellow
who
gave
it
had
no
intention
of
uttering
what
was
untrue
:
he
believed
that
the
boy
she
inquired
for
was
dead
—
so
many
had
died
and
been
borne
from
the
wretched
garret
where
he
had
himself
lain
,
battling
with
the
fever
,
sometimes
delirious
,
and
sometimes
asleep
,
that
it
was
no
great
wonder
he
should
blunder
.
But
Michael
Armstrong
was
not
dead
,
though
the
state
in
which
the
malady
left
him
was
such
,
that
for
weeks
the
surly
old
woman
,
hired
to
supply
the
place
of
Mrs
Poulet
,
muttered
curses
on
him
for
not
being
in
a
state
to
be
quietly
buried
out
of
the
way
,
like
the
rest
.
It
was
just
five
days
after
Fanny
Fletcher
left
the
Deep
Valley
Mills
in
company
with
Miss
Brotherton
,
that
Michael
waked
from
that
first
sound
healing
sleep
,
which
often
announces
the
conquest
of
life
over
death
,
after
a
hard-fought
struggle
between
them
.
The
little
fellow
raised
himself
upright
on
his
straw
pallet
,
and
for
a
minute
or
two
looked
about
him
to
make
himself
quite
sure
where
he
was
;
for
so
heavy
had
been
his
sleep
that
it
was
not
immediately
his
senses
could
recover
their
usual
powers
of
perception
.
But
only
too
soon
,
alas
!
he
made
it
all
out
.
He
was
still
in
that
foul
den
of
misery
and
filth
;
and
the
first
impulse
of
his
fully-recovered
intellect
was
to
utter
a
bitter
expression
of
regret
that
his
life
had
been
spared
for
further
suffering
,
while
so
many
had
been
mercifully
permitted
to
sink
into
their
peaceful
graves
.
But
even
as
he
breathed
the
words
,
he
repented
of
them
.
The
image
of
his
mother
seemed
to
rise
before
him
—
he
remembered
that
she
had
bade
him
ever
to
trust
in
God
,
and
let
no
cause
tempt
him
to
take
his
name
in
vain
.
The
quiet
eye
of
his
much-enduring
brother
rose
to
his
memory
,
as
he
had
seen
it
a
thousand
times
fixed
upon
him
,
while
he
enjoined
patience
and
submission
for
their
dear
mother
's
sake
;
and
the
more
recently
heard
precepts
of
little
Fanny
,
all
preaching
the
same
righteous
,
but
hard
lesson
,
came
in
their
soft
pleading
,
innocent
tone
to
give
him
strength
to
bear
.
Michael
crossed
his
emaciated
hands
upon
his
breast
,
and
murmured
"
God
forgive
me
!
"
—
then
dropping
again
into
a
gentle
sleep
,
awoke
not
,
till
the
old
woman
shook
him
rudely
,
rather
for
the
gratification
of
her
curiosity
,
than
in
performance
of
her
duty
,
in
order
to
see
whether
the
"
wiry
,
hard-skinned
little
varment
was
n't
dead
at
last
.
"
She
started
with
a
feeling
very
like
terror
,
when
the
boy
opening
his
large
eyes
upon
her
,
asked
her
to
please
to
be
so
kind
as
to
give
him
a
drink
of
water
.
"
What
,
then
!
—
you
do
n't
mean
to
die
after
all
?
If
you
bea
n't
born
to
be
hanged
,
it
's
a
mystery
.
Water
?
—
if
you
have
n't
got
summut
in
it
after
lying
this
fashion
,
the
Lord
knows
how
long
,
you
'll
balk
the
hangman
at
last
!
"
And
with
these
words
the
crabbed
crone
retreated
,
hastening
,
with
the
consciousness
of
having
something
wonderful
to
tell
,
into
the
presence
of
Mr.
Woodcomb
.
"
There
's
a
boy
,
sir
,
as
have
been
lying
a
dying
amost
ever
since
I
comed
,
as
is
actually
coming
to
,
now
;
not
but
what
he
must
still
be
within
an
inch
of
the
grave
,
seeing
what
he
has
gone
through
—
and
he
looks
for
all
the
world
as
if
he
had
been
buried
and
dug
up
again
.
Howsomever
I
do
n't
think
but
what
he
might
come
through
,
if
so
be
as
I
you
thought
it
worth
while
to
give
him
food
.
That
sort
of
sleep
as
I
waked
him
out
of
,
shows
plain
enough
as
the
fever
is
gone
,
and
then
you
know
,
sir
,
as
kitchen
physic
is
all
the
cretur
's
wants
,
perhaps
,
for
the
sake
of
preventing
the
burying
beginning
again
,
your
honour
might
think
it
was
as
well
to
give
him
a
little
broth
,
and
meat
,
too
,
after
a
bit
,
for
he
wo
n't
do
without
it
,
that
's
certain
.
"
"
I
had
clean
forgot
that
there
was
one
left
up
there
,
Molly
,
"
replied
the
superintendent
.
"
But
in
Heaven
's
name
,
let
him
be
fed
,
woman
—
I
would
n't
have
to
bury
any
more
of
'
em
just
now
,
for
ever
so
—
he
'll
come
round
again
,
I
suppose
before
its
very
long
?
We
are
still
very
short
of
piecers
,
and
it
's
as
well
to
keep
him
alive
,
you
know
,
as
to
go
after
another
.
"
"
As
for
that
,
sir
,
"
replied
the
old
woman
,
"
it
wo
n't
be
to-morrow
,
nor
next
day
,
either
,
as
he
'll
pay
for
his
salt
;
I
'll
tell
you
that
beforehand
.
So
you
had
best
please
to
make
up
your
mind
at
once
about
the
keeping
him
alive
.
There
's
nothing
will
do
it
but
giving
him
amost
a
bellyful
every
day
,
and
maybe
a
little
fresh
air
into
the
bargain
,
I
'm
thinking
,
seeing
the
time
he
's
laid
stewing
up
there
,
with
such
lots
dying
all
round
him
.
"
"
If
it
was
n't
for
the
having
to
open
ground
for
him
again
,
I
'd
be
hanged
,
drawn
and
quartered
,
before
I
'd
trouble
myself
about
what
sort
of
air
a
'
prentice
had
to
breath
.
Howsomever
,
I
have
got
my
own
reasons
for
not
choosing
to
trouble
the
parson
again
,
nor
yet
for
doing
the
job
without
him
.
So
cram
the
brat
as
much
a
you
like
—
I
suppose
my
leavings
is
good
enough
for
him
?
"
"
Please
master
not
to
talk
for
my
liking
to
cram
'
prentice
brats
,
"
retorted
Molly
.
"
Often
and
often
,
as
I
've
been
back
and
forward
here
,
for
one
job
or
another
,
nobody
ever
saw
me
trying
to
pilfer
any
thing
for
their
starving
stomachs
,
the
low
creturs
!
I
dispises
'
em
too
much
.
But
I
knows
what
will
save
life
,
and
what
will
lose
it
,
better
,
maybe
,
than
most
folks
,
and
so
now
you
may
do
just
as
you
please
,
without
putting
it
upon
my
likes
or
dislikes
.
"
"
Do
n't
be
so
frumpish
,
Molly
Bing
,
"
replied
Mr.
Woodcomb
,
laughing
,
"
there
's
nobody
going
to
charge
you
with
being
such
a
fool
as
to
make
a
pet
of
a
factory
'
prentice
while
there
's
a
puppy-dog
to
be
had
for
love
or
money
.
Do
n't
you
be
scared
at
any
such
notion
as
that
,
for
I
knows
ye
a
deal
better
,
old
woman
,
than
to
put
any
such
affront
upon
ye
.
You
just
stop
the
creature
from
dying
,
if
you
can
for
that
will
suit
me
a
deal
best
just
now
.
"
The
will
of
Mr.
Woodcomb
,
thus
clearly
expressed
,
was
acted
upon
with
very
implicit
obedience
;
the
consequence
of
which
was
,
that
Michael
Armstrong
was
not
only
saved
from
death
,
put
his
constitution
greatly
benefited
.
Molly
Bing
had
pledged
her
judgment
upon
the
result
of
his
case
,
and
in
order
to
prove
it
correct
,
she
contrived
that
he
should
swallow
about
ten
times
as
much
nourishment
as
fell
to
the
share
of
any
other
child
in
the
mill
.
He
had
grown
surprisingly
during
the
period
of
his
confinement
,
and
this
gave
so
lengthy
a
look
to
his
thin
person
,
that
Molly
more
than
once
fancied
the
audacious
little
villain
would
give
her
the
lie
at
last
;
so
she
not
only
fed
him
,
but
got
leave
for
him
to
clean
out
the
pig-sties
,
scrape
up
the
filth
from
the
yard
,
and
sundry
other
jobs
of
the
same
description
all
which
,
however
unsavoury
in
their
nature
,
bore
,
as
the
sharp-witted
old
woman
well
knew
,
the
balm
of
health
in
every
movement
they
enforced
,
compared
to
the
monotonous
and
grinding
slavery
of
the
mill
.
But
in
the
course
of
a
month
or
two
,
another
glorious
proof
of
England
's
prosperity
reached
the
Deep
Valley
,
in
the
shape
of
a
large
order
,
and
Mr.
Elgood
Sharpton
in
communicating
the
cheering
intelligence
to
his
manager
,
enforced
the
necessity
of
strenuous
exertion
in
the
execution
of
it
,
by
telling
him
that
,
sick
or
well
,
the
children
must
work
long
hours
,
and
that
it
was
far
better
that
they
should
a
little
overwork
the
hands
,
than
run
any
risk
of
disappointing
so
valuable
a
customer
.
In
consequence
of
these
instructions
,
Michael
was
withdrawn
from
his
out-door
labours
,
and
once
more
made
to
follow
the
mules
.
It
was
then
,
and
then
only
that
he
discovered
the
heavy
loss
he
had
sustained
by
the
departure
of
Fanny
.
While
employed
upon
the
outof-door
tasks
assigned
to
him
by
the
commands
of
Molly
Bings
,
he
had
been
strictly
enjoined
never
to
speak
to
any
of
the
apprentices
who
might
chance
to
pass
while
he
was
at
work
.
His
meals
were
eaten
in
Mr.
Woodcomb
's
kitchen
,
and
the
place
assigned
for
his
lodging
by
night
,
was
a
sort
of
closet
that
opened
from
it
.
No
day
,
no
hour
had
passed
,
unless
in
sleep
,
since
he
recovered
his
senses
,
without
his
thinking
of
her
.
At
the
risk
,
or
rather
with
the
certainty
of
cuffs
and
hards
words
,
no
foot-fall
had
ever
passed
within
his
hearing
without
causing
him
to
turn
his
head
to
reconnoitre
,
and
much
as
he
preferred
the
labour
on
which
he
was
now
employed
to
that
of
the
mill
,
he
would
willingly
,
nay
joyfully
,
have
exchanged
it
in
the
hope
of
again
seeing
his
little
friend
.
It
was
therefore
with
a
feeling
of
gladness
,
instead
of
regret
,
that
he
received
orders
to
turn
into
the
factory
.
"
That
is
queer
!
"
thought
the
little
fellow
,
as
he
bounded
to
obey
the
command
,
with
the
double
energy
of
recovered
health
,
and
awakened
hope
,
"
it
is
queer
for
me
to
feel
glad
that
I
am
going
back
to
the
factory
!
"
As
it
happened
,
he
was
marshalled
into
the
same
room
in
which
he
had
worked
before
his
illness
—
but
alas
!
when
he
turned
his
eyes
to
the
spot
which
Fanny
had
formerly
occupied
near
him
,
a
singularly
ill-favoured
boy
met
his
gaze
,
instead
of
the
pretty
creature
he
sought
for
.
This
was
a
death-blow
to
the
joy
which
a
few
minutes
before
had
given
him
a
gait
and
an
expression
of
countenance
so
unwonted
in
a
factory-boy
returning
to
his
well-known
sufferings
.
Nevertheless
,
though
a
tear
blinded
the
eyes
which
at
length
settled
reluctantly
on
the
broken
threads
which
awaited
his
fingers
,
he
remembered
that
the
factory
had
seven
floors
,
and
cruel
as
it
was
to
lose
the
pleasure
of
giving
his
little
friend
a
look
or
a
word
as
they
each
paced
their
weary
walk
,
he
still
thought
he
might
get
a
sight
of
her
at
their
dismal
meals
,
and
fancied
that
he
should
not
greatly
regret
exchanging
scraps
of
wholesome
meat
,
for
musty
oatmeal
,
provided
Fanny
Fletcher
was
by
to
tell
him
not
to
mind
it
.
But
the
musty
oatmeal
came
all
too
soon
,
for
no
word
or
look
of
Fanny
's
came
with
it
;
nor
did
any
uncertainty
long
remain
,
on
which
to
hang
a
lingering
hope
that
some
unfinished
task
detained
her
in
the
mill
,
and
that
he
should
see
her
soon
.
His
first
question
,
whispered
to
the
girl
who
sat
beside
him
,
brought
forth
the
history
of
Fanny
's
wonderful
departure
,
at
as
full
length
as
the
time
and
place
would
permit
.
At
first
he
listened
to
it
with
incredulity
.
It
seemed
,
he
thought
,
like
a
story
made
up
to
deceive
him
for
fun
;
and
little
as
the
blighted
young
spirits
of
that
sad
fraternity
were
given
to
jesting
,
Michael
clung
to
the
belief
that
such
was
the
case
,
as
long
as
the
meal
lasted
.
But
,
as
usual
,
a
few
minutes
followed
,
during
which
they
were
left
alone
—
an
indulgence
which
necessarily
arose
from
the
fact
,
that
even
the
niggardly
allowance
of
time
awarded
by
the
regulations
of
Mr.
Elgood
Sharpton
for
their
meals
,
was
more
than
the
famished
children
required
for
devouring
the
the
scanty
portion
set
before
them
.
No
sooner
had
Mr.
Poulet
withdrawn
himself
,
after
witnessing
the
orderly
consumption
by
each
,
of
the
allotted
morsel
,
than
such
of
the
miserable
crew
as
had
survived
the
pestilence
,
and
remembered
the
close
alliance
between
Michael
and
the
heroine
of
the
marvellous
tale
which
was
still
in
every
mouth
,
all
rushed
together
towards
him
for
the
purpose
of
recounting
it
.
Notwithstanding
the
confusion
of
tongues
,
their
noisy
testimony
was
too
consistent
to
admit
of
doubt
,
and
Michael
remained
with
the
astounding
belief
that
his
little
friend
was
taken
away
to
be
made
a
great
lady
of
.
The
heart
of
Michael
Armstrong
proved
itself
to
be
a
very
generous
one
on
this
occasion
.
"
Some
natural
tears
he
shed
,
but
wiped
them
soon
.
"
as
he
remembered
that
the
more
miserable
the
situation
in
which
he
was
left
,
the
more
he
ought
to
rejoice
that
Fanny
had
been
taken
from
it
.
And
he
did
rejoice
;
truly
,
sincerely
,
and
at
the
very
bottom
of
his
heart
did
he
rejoice
.
As
day
after
day
the
hateful
routine
of
unvarying
suffering
again
laid
its
grasp
upon
his
existence
,
with
a
power
as
irresistible
as
that
of
the
vast
engine
which
within
those
prison-walls
seemed
"
lord
of
all
,
"
the
generous
heart
of
Michael
felt
thankful
that
Fanny
Fletcher
shared
in
it
no
longer
.
It
had
been
quite
in
vain
that
he
had
laboured
to
persuade
himself
,
while
listening
to
the
reasonings
of
his
little
friend
,
that
they
ought
mutually
to
rejoice
in
the
probability
of
each
other
's
death
.
Though
he
had
allowed
that
as
far
as
he
was
himself
concerned
he
might
easily
be
brought
to
think
that
it
would
be
a
comfort
to
die
,
he
could
never
reach
the
pitch
of
sublimity
necessary
to
form
the
wish
that
Fanny
might
die
before
him
.
But
now
it
was
evident
that
this
weakness
,
which
had
more
than
once
caused
his
little
monitress
to
shake
her
head
and
say
that
he
did
not
love
her
as
well
as
she
loved
him
,
it
was
now
quite
evident
that
it
was
no
selfish
motive
which
had
caused
it
.
By
degrees
this
truly
noble
feeling
,
this
generous
power
of
living
,
as
it
were
,
in
the
prosperity
of
another
,
so
strengthened
the
character
of
the
boy
,
as
perfectly
to
save
him
from
that
worst
result
of
youthful
suffering
,
a
reckless
,
desperate
despair
,
which
by
destroying
hope
,
that
beautiful
mainspring
of
all
our
best
actions
,
leaves
the
poor
spiritless
machine
alive
only
to
wretched
consciousness
of
its
capacity
for
pain
.
It
is
,
beyond
all
question
,
this
bitter
hopelessness
which
deteriorates
in
so
remarkable
a
manner
the
moral
character
of
operatives
under
the
present
factory
system
.
In
no
other
situation
,
excepting
only
that
of
slaves
purchased
and
paid
for
like
an
ox
,
or
an
ass
,
is
the
destiny
of
a
human
being
placed
so
wholly
and
completely
beyond
the
reach
of
his
own
control
.
He
is
,
as
Wordsworth
truly
says
,
"
A
slave
to
whom
release
comes
not
,
And
cannot
come
.
"
In
no
other
situation
do
labouring
men
,
women
,
and
children
feel
and
know
that
unless
they
submit
in
all
things
to
the
behests
of
their
employer
,
they
must
die
—
and
that
too
by
a
process
ten
thousand
times
worse
then
either
the
hangman
's
cord
,
or
the
headsman
's
axe
—
they
must
die
the
death
of
famine
.
If
their
lingering
hours
of
labour
be
prolonged
beyond
the
stipulated
time
for
which
they
are
paid
,
they
cannot
turn
and
say
,
"
I
will
not
,
for
it
is
not
in
the
bond
"
for
the
ready
answer
is
,
"
Go
.
We
employ
none
who
make
conditions
with
us
.
"
And
where
are
they
to
go
?
To
the
parish
officers
?
As
ready
an
answer
meets
them
there
:
"
Go
.
We
relieve
none
who
can
get
work
,
and
refuse
it
.
"
If
they
are
fined
,
however
unjustly
,
however
arbitrarily
,
if
the
iniquitous
truck
system
be
resorted
to
for
payment
of
of
wages
,
instead
of
money
,
if
their
women
be
insulted
,
or
their
children
crippled
,
and
remonstrance
follow
,
the
same
death-dooming
reply
awaits
them
:
"
Go
.
We
employ
no
grumblers
here
.
"
Then
to
what
quarter
can
they
look
with
hope
?
Where
are
they
to
find
that
only
elixir
by
which
human
strength
is
mercifully
made
for
ever
equal
to
sustain
human
suffering
?
The
sparkling
draught
is
not
for
them
!
The
factory
operative
alone
of
all
to
whom
God
has
given
the
power
of
thought
,
is
denied
the
delicious
privilege
of
hope
.
It
is
this
which
degrades
their
nature
;
it
is
this
which
from
youth
to
age
renders
one
ruinous
hour
of
brutal
debauchery
more
precious
,
than
all
that
steadfast
sober
industry
can
promise
or
bestow
.
It
was
long
,
very
long
,
ere
this
intellectual
blight
,
this
smothering
mildew
of
the
soul
fell
upon
Michael
,
for
he
seemed
to
possess
a
sort
of
twofold
existance
,
"
the
worser
half
of
it
,
"
being
his
poor
self
,
while
the
better
was
found
in
the
happy
destiny
of
Fanny
.
Countless
were
the
miles
that
he
walked
backwards
and
forwards
hefore
the
mules
,
during
which
he
cheered
his
fancy
by
painting
her
in
the
midst
of
liberty
and
green
fields
.
Sometimes
he
thought
that
if
she
were
rich
,
she
would
remember
all
he
had
told
her
about
his
mother
and
Edward
—
that
she
would
find
them
out
—
would
take
compassion
on
their
poverty
—
would
talk
of
him
—
would
sooth
and
comfort
them
.
All
this
may
seem
,
to
happier
beings
,
but
a
frail
support
,
under
incessant
labour
,
accompanied
by
every
species
of
privation
,
yet
it
did
Michael
service
—
it
kept
his
faculties
alive
;
for
it
gave
a
theme
,
and
a
pleasant
one
,
on
which
to
fix
his
thoughts
,
and
half
the
the
tedium
of
his
own
sad
life
was
forgotten
,
as
he
meditated
on
the
probable
happiness
of
hers
.
Sometimes
,
it
must
be
owned
,
—
though
he
always
told
himself
that
such
thoughts
were
nonsense
,
—
ideas
would
suggest
themselves
less
abstractedly
disinterested
;
for
it
would
now
and
then
come
into
his
head
,
that
Fanny
Fletcher
knew
where
Sir
Matthew
had
sent
him
,
if
nobody
else
did
;
and
that
,
perhaps
,
if
she
grew
to
be
a
great
girl
,
with
power
to
do
what
she
liked
,
she
might
think
of
him
,
and
try
to
do
something
to
rescue
him
.
Vague
as
was
this
notion
,
vague
as
he
himself
felt
it
to
be
,
it
was
a
blessing
to
him
.
When
such
thoughts
arose
,
his
bodily
strength
seemed
to
revive
,
his
aching
knees
no
longer
bent
under
him
,
his
gait
was
no
longer
that
of
an
ordinary
factory-child
,
the
energy
of
his
mind
lent
itself
to
his
limbs
,
and
wearily
as
he
stretched
himself
upon
his
bed
of
straw
,
and
long
and
lanky
as
his
half-starved
person
grew
,
Michael
Armstrong
did
not
become
a
cripple
.
But
years
wore
away
,
and
the
stout-hearted
young
prisoner
of
the
Deep
Valley
began
again
to
think
that
he
had
better
have
died
of
the
fever
,
than
have
lived
so
long
,
hoping
for
some
happy
chance
to
set
him
free
,
and
hoping
for
ever
and
for
ever
in
vain
.
"
I
am
a
fool
,
"
argued
Michael
at
fourteen
,
—
"
I
am
a
fool
for
thinking
so
very
much
of
one
who
it
is
quite
plain
has
never
thought
of
me
—
nor
of
mother
—
nor
of
my
poor
Edward
either
;
she
never
gave
a
thought
to
either
of
us
!
I
was
a
fool
to
dream
it
!
The
fine
folks
that
carried
her
away
,
took
her
far
enough
from
sight
and
sound
of
factory-people
.
And
who
can
blame
her
if
she
never
turned
her
head
back
again
to
inquire
about
any
of
them
?
Poor
little
Fanny
!
She
was
very
kind
to
me
once
—
and
she
was
the
very
prettiest
little
girl
that
ever
I
happened
to
see
.
But
other
people
may
have
found
that
out
by
this
time
,
as
well
as
I
.
Fanny
Fletcher
is
a
whole
year
older
than
me
!
I
will
try
with
all
my
might
and
main
never
to
think
of
her
any
more
!
"
This
resolution
was
not
very
steadily
adhered
to
;
but
the
struggle
to
do
it
,
which
was
perfectly
sincere
,
made
the
poor
boy
moody
,
and
more
miserable
than
ever
.
His
dreams
perpetually
represented
to
him
his
mother
and
helpless
brother
,
suffering
from
some
unkindness
from
Fanny
,
whom
he
saw
superlatively
beautiful
,
and
superlatively
rich
,
but
more
superlatively
hard-hearted
still
.
These
nervous
and
irritating
visitations
brought
his
mother
and
brother
so
vividly
before
him
,
that
for
weeks
he
could
never
,
whether
waking
or
sleeping
,
get
them
out
of
his
head
.
He
fancied
himself
again
running
at
full
speed
from
Dowling
Lodge
,
with
Martha
's
basket
on
his
arm
;
his
mother
's
little
room
,
decent
and
orderly
in
spite
of
poverty
,
came
back
upon
his
mind
as
if
he
had
left
it
but
yesterday
.
He
saw
the
soft
expression
of
her
faded
countenance
,
and
felt
the
welcome
of
her
fond
embrace
.
"
Oh
,
fool
!
oh
,
proud
and
wicked
fool
!
"
he
murmured
to
his
tear-stained
pillow
,
as
these
,
and
a
thousand
other
tender
recollections
pressed
upon
him
.
"
Why
could
I
not
endure
the
tyrant
's
cruelty
?
I
might
have
kissed
her
now
!
I
might
have
comforted
poor
Teddy
!
"
The
sound
of
his
own
voice
as
he
pronounced
this
dear
familiar
name
,
though
in
a
whisper
too
low
to
awaken
the
weary
sleepers
round
him
,
wrung
his
very
heart
by
the
vivid
recollections
which
it
brought
,
and
though
he
was
now
beyond
fourteen
years
old
,
he
cried
himself
to
sleep
.
Fitful
and
feverish
were
the
transitions
of
his
mind
at
this
period
.
Sometimes
he
persuaded
himself
that
his
mother
was
no
more
,
that
the
loss
of
him
had
broken
her
heart
,
and
that
she
had
died
,
believing
him
to
have
gone
before
her
.
At
other
times
it
was
Edward
whom
he
wept
as
dead
.
His
shattered
health
,
his
feeble
limbs
were
,
as
he
thought
,
sure
evidence
that
nature
meant
him
not
to
struggle
long
against
the
misery
of
his
lot
,
and
there
were
moments
in
which
this
persuasion
even
soothed
him
.
"
Sweet
fellow
!
"
thought
he
.
"
How
calm
and
beautiful
he
must
have
looked
in
death
!
Even
in
suffering
,
even
in
agony
,
his
countenance
was
lovely
—
so
patient
,
and
so
heavenly
mild
!
Better
,
far
better
he
should
die
,
than
live
a
factory-boy
like
me
!
"
And
then
again
his
mood
would
change
,
and
he
had
for
ever
before
him
images
of
the
most
fearful
destitution
—
his
mother
starving
,
and
Edward
slowly
perishing
beside
her
,
because
he
had
been
too
proud
and
too
impatient
to
endure
sundry
buffetings
and
other
indignities
,
which
,
when
put
in
competition
with
the
thought
of
having
injured
them
,
dwindled
into
petty
injuries
,
which
he
deserved
eternal
shame
for
shrinking
from
.
Dreadful
were
the
hours
he
thus
spent
!
and
,
fearful
to
think
of
,
was
the
hopeless
,
helpless
,
joyless
,
comfortless
existence
by
which
he
held
to
earth
!
His
very
soul
sickened
as
he
looked
around
him
,
and
read
in
every
withered
melancholy
face
the
history
of
blasted
youth
,
and
the
prophecy
of
premature
death
.
But
there
are
spirits
which
sorrow
and
suffering
cannot
quench
,
and
Michael
Armstrong
's
was
one
of
them
.
Nature
and
accident
together
had
been
stronger
than
the
tendency
of
his
employment
to
cripple
his
limbs
,
and
he
was
neither
deformed
nor
stunted
.
This
happy
exemption
from
the
common
lot
,
was
doubtless
greatly
owing
to
the
pertinacity
of
Molly
Bing
,
in
proving
to
Messrs.
Woodcomb
and
Poulet
that
she
was
no
fool
,
and
knew
well
enough
what
she
was
about
.
This
steadfastness
on
her
part
,
acting
in
unison
with
the
superintendent
's
judicious
objections
to
Michael
's
being
buried
at
that
particular
time
,
had
certainly
given
a
very
critical
and
efficient
impulse
to
the
vigour
of
a
frame
of
great
natural
strength
and
comeliness
.
The
energetic
self-sustaining
soul
within
it
,
had
also
much
to
do
in
defying
the
paralyzing
influence
of
his
miserable
situation
.
It
was
rarely
that
Michael
could
be
seen
to
drag
his
limbs
along
,
even
in
the
last
hours
of
long-protracted
labour
,
with
the
same
crippled
,
dipping
gait
as
his
companions
.
A
broken-spirited
child
,
when
his
knees
are
aching
,
permits
them
to
bend
under
him
;
and
not
one
in
fifty
,
perhaps
,
of
the
half-starved
,
over-worked
apprentices
of
the
Deep
Valley
,
reached
the
term
of
their
captivity
,
without
carrying
away
with
them
some
species
of
bodily
weakness
or
deformity
.
But
let
the
reason
be
what
it
might
,
Michael
was
saved
from
this
,
and
though
exhibiting
a
fabric
,
composed
of
little
besides
skin
,
bone
,
and
sinew
,
he
was
,
at
the
age
of
fourteen
years
and
six
months
,
both
tall
and
straight
.
But
it
seemed
as
if
the
inward
strength
of
mental
suffering
kept
pace
with
this
vigour
of
frame
;
for
day
by
day
the
bitter
consciousness
of
his
own
wretched
and
degraded
state
increased
upon
him
—
and
day
by
day
his
swelling
heart
grew
more
indignant
as
he
looked
around
him
,
and
watched
the
exercise
of
lawless
power
and
coward
tyranny
upon
his
miserable
companions
.
It
was
