youth!
Assuredly
there
is
no
exaggeration
in
this
;
for
except
only
in
their
diminutive
size
,
these
suffering
infants
have
no
trace
of
it
.
Lean
and
distorted
limbs
—
sallow
and
sunken
cheeks
—
dim
hollow
eyes
,
that
speak
unrest
and
most
unnatural
carefulness
,
give
to
each
tiny
,
trembling
,
unelastic
form
,
a
look
of
hideous
premature
old
age
.
But
in
the
room
they
entered
,
the
dirty
,
ragged
,
miserable
crew
,
were
all
in
active
performance
of
their
various
tasks
;
the
overlookers
,
strap
in
hand
,
on
the
alert
;
the
whirling
spindles
urging
the
little
slaves
who
waited
on
them
,
to
movements
as
unceasing
as
their
own
;
and
the
whole
monstrous
chamber
,
redolent
of
all
the
various
impurities
that
"
by
the
perfection
of
our
manufacturing
system
,
"
are
converted
into
"
gales
of
Araby
"
for
the
rich
,
after
passing
in
the
shape
of
certain
poison
,
through
the
lungs
of
the
poor
.
So
Sir
Matthew
proudly
looked
about
him
,
and
approved
;
and
though
it
was
athwart
that
species
of
haughty
frown
,
in
which
such
dignity
as
his
is
apt
to
clothe
itself
,
Dr.
Crockley
failed
not
to
perceive
,
that
his
friend
and
patron
was
in
good
humour
,
and
likely
to
be
pleased
by
any
light
and
lively
jestings
in
which
he
might
indulge
.
Perceiving
,
therefore
,
that
little
Michael
passed
on
with
downcast
eyes
,
unrecognised
by
any
,
he
wrote
upon
a
slip
of
paper
,
for
he
knew
his
voice
could
not
be
heard
"
Make
the
boy
take
that
bare-legged
scavenger
wench
round
the
neck
,
and
give
her
a
kiss
while
she
is
next
lying
down
,
and
let
us
see
them
sprawling
together
.
"
Sir
Matthew
read
the
scroll
,
and
grinned
applause
.
The
miserable
creature
to
whom
the
facetious
doctor
pointed
,
was
a
little
girl
about
seven
years
old
,
whose
office
as
"
scavenger
,
"
was
to
collect
incessantly
from
the
machinery
and
from
the
floor
,
the
flying
fragments
of
cotton
that
might
impede
the
work
.
In
the
performance
of
this
duty
,
the
child
was
obliged
,
from
time
to
time
,
to
stretch
itself
with
sudden
quickness
on
the
ground
,
while
the
hissing
machinery
passed
over
her
;
and
when
this
is
skilfully
done
,
and
the
head
,
body
,
and
outstretched
limbs
carefully
glued
to
the
floor
,
the
steady-moving
,
but
threatening
mass
,
may
pass
and
repass
over
the
dizzy
head
and
trembling
body
without
touching
it
.
But
accidents
frequently
occur
;
and
many
are
the
flaxen
locks
,
rudely
torn
from
infant
heads
,
in
the
process
.
It
was
a
sort
of
vague
hope
that
something
comical
of
this
kind
might
occur
,
which
induced
Dr.
Crockley
to
propose
this
frolic
to
his
friend
,
and
probably
the
same
idea
suggested
itself
to
Sir
Matthew
likewise
.
"
I
say
,
Master
Michael
!
"
vociferated
the
knight
in
a
scream
,
which
successfully
struggled
with
the
din
,
"
show
your
old
acquaintance
that
pride
has
not
got
the
upper
hand
of
you
in
your
fine
clothes
.
Take
scavenger
,
No.
3
,
there
,
round
the
neck
;
now
—
now
—
now
,
as
she
lies
sprawling
,
and
let
us
see
you
give
her
a
hearty
kiss
.
"
The
stern
and
steady
machinery
moved
onward
,
passing
over
the
body
of
the
little
girl
,
who
owed
her
safety
to
the
miserable
leanness
of
her
shrunken
frame
;
but
Michael
moved
not
.
"
Are
you
deaf
,
you
little
vermin
?
"
roared
Sir
Matthew
.
"
Now
she
's
down
again
.
—
Do
what
I
bid
you
,
or
by
the
living
God
you
shall
smart
for
it
!
"
Still
Michael
did
not
stir
,
neither
did
he
speak
;
or
if
he
did
,
his
young
voice
was
wholly
inaudible
,
and
the
anger
of
Sir
Matthew
was
demonstrated
by
a
clenched
fist
and
threatening
brow
.
"
Where
the
devil
is
Parsons
?
"
he
demanded
in
accents
that
poor
Michael
both
heard
and
understood
.
"
Fine
as
he
is
,
the
strap
will
do
him
good
.
"
In
saying
this
,
the
great
man
turned
to
reconnoitre
the
space
he
had
traversed
,
and
by
which
his
confidential
servant
must
approach
,
and
found
that
he
was
already
within
a
good
yard
of
him
.
"
That
's
good
—
I
want
you
Parsons
.
Do
you
see
this
little
rebel
here
,
that
I
have
dressed
and
treated
like
one
of
my
own
children
?
What
d'ye
think
of
his
refusing
to
kiss
Miss
No.
3
,
scavenger
,
when
I
bid
him
?
"
"
The
devil
he
does
?
"
said
the
manager
grinning
;
"
we
must
see
if
we
ca
n't
mend
that
.
Mind
your
hits
,
Master
Piecer
,
and
salute
the
young
lady
when
the
mules
go
back
,
like
a
gentleman
.
"
Sir
Matthew
perceived
that
his
favourite
agent
feared
to
enforce
his
first
brutal
command
,
and
was
forced
,
therefore
,
to
content
himself
with
seeing
the
oiled
and
grimy
face
of
the
filthy
little
girl
in
contact
with
that
of
the
now
clean
and
delicate-looking
Michael
.
But
he
felt
he
had
been
foiled
,
and
cast
a
glance
upon
his
protégé
,
which
seemed
to
promise
that
he
would
not
forget
it
.
Having
made
known
to
the
superintendent
,
that
it
was
his
pleasure
to
enter
the
room
where
the
brother
of
Michael
was
at
work
,
Mr.
Parsons
led
the
way
to
the
fifth
floor
of
the
building
;
Sir
Matthew
,
however
,
ordering
the
door
of
each
chamber
,
as
he
passed
up
,
to
be
opened
for
him
,
that
he
might
look
in
upon
his
stifling
slaves
,
and
satisfy
himself
that
neither
wheels
nor
sinews
were
loitering
in
unthrifty
repose
.
The
air
that
issued
from
each
,
was
nauseous
;
and
on
entering
the
room
,
at
the
farther
end
of
which
Edward
Armstrong
was
employed
,
Dr.
Crockley
secretly
resolved
,
that
when
making
the
final
arrangements
for
his
promised
appointment
,
it
should
be
specified
that
he
should
never
enter
the
working
portion
of
the
establishment
.
For
though
by
no
means
a
particularly
scientific
practitioner
,
the
little
doctor
knew
quite
enough
of
the
business
he
followed
,
to
be
aware
that
,
in
his
own
case
at
least
,
the
air
which
filled
it
,
could
not
be
breathed
with
impunity
.
"
Now
then
,
sir
,
"
said
Sir
Matthew
,
addressing
himself
to
Michael
,
while
Parsons
opened
the
door
on
the
fifth
floor
,
and
announced
that
this
was
the
room
that
contained
Edward
.
"
Now
,
sir
,
walk
on
,
and
find
your
brother
;
and
,
if
your
pride
does
not
stand
in
your
way
,
let
him
be
made
to
understand
all
the
extraordinary
kindness
I
have
shown
you
.
Take
care
that
you
let
him
and
all
his
companions
know
that
I
have
adopted
you
as
one
of
my
own
family
;
and
that
henceforward
,
they
will
always
see
you
dressed
as
well
as
you
are
at
present
.
"
All
that
Michael
clearly
understood
from
this
harangue
was
,
that
he
had
permission
to
go
forward
and
speak
to
his
brother
;
and
though
not
venturing
quite
to
run
,
he
moved
onward
at
a
pace
that
speedily
brought
him
within
sight
of
Edward
.
The
little
fellow
who
,
despite
his
gay
disguise
,
immediately
recognised
him
,
uttered
a
cry
of
joy
.
"
Love
conquered
fear
;
"
and
dropping
the
reel
he
had
just
taken
between
his
fingers
,
he
rushed
from
the
place
he
occupied
before
the
mules
,
and
the
next
moment
was
fondly
clasped
in
his
brother
's
arms
.
Every
labourer
in
the
factory
,
within
sight
of
the
spot
where
this
meeting
took
place
,
forgot
all
standing
orders
in
their
astonishment
,
and
stood
with
gaping
mouths
and
eyes
fixed
upon
the
astounding
spectacle
.
Sir
Matthew
,
too
,
forgot
for
an
instant
,
that
every
movement
made
within
that
crowded
chamber
,
not
having
for
its
object
the
transmutation
of
human
life
into
gold
,
was
a
positive
loss
to
him
;
for
the
display
of
his
extraordinary
benevolence
was
,
he
conceived
,
of
high
importance
,
and
he
looked
round
with
great
contentment
on
the
multitude
of
wondering
faces
which
he
saw
peering
over
the
machinery
in
all
directions
,
to
gaze
on
the
sight
he
had
prepared
for
them
.
"
This
will
be
talked
of
,
or
the
devil
is
in
it
,
"
thought
he
.
"
I
should
like
to
know
who
would
dare
to
mention
night
work
and
hard
usage
now
.
A
capital
scheme
this
,
as
ever
was
hit
upon
.
"
And
from
the
gazers
,
he
now
turned
his
eyes
upon
the
object
that
fixed
their
attention
,
when
,
to
his
inconceivable
astonishment
and
rage
,
he
perceived
that
the
two
boys
,
who
still
stood
locked
in
each
other
's
arms
,
were
both
weeping
bitterly
.
"
"
Not
loud
,
but
deep
,
"
were
the
curses
that
he
breathed
against
the
unfortunate
object
of
his
affected
bounty
;
and
faithfully
did
he
pledge
a
promise
to
his
own
heart
,
that
he
should
pay
for
the
vexation
he
thus
occasioned
him
.
But
for
the
present
,
he
condescended
to
veil
the
feeling
by
a
smile
more
bland
than
any
one
ever
before
witnessed
from
him
within
those
walls
;
and
striding
forwards
to
the
sobbing
children
,
he
laid
a
hand
on
the
shoulder
of
each
,
while
he
said
in
a
voice
that
seemed
endowed
by
nature
with
an
especial
power
of
competing
with
the
thunder
of
a
cotton-mill
—
"
Come
,
come
,
my
dears
!
I
know
you
are
crying
for
joy
;
but
you
must
not
go
on
so
,
or
it
will
look
as
if
little
Michael
was
ungrateful
for
all
I
have
done
for
him
!
Have
you
told
your
brother
,
dear
,
how
I
ordered
you
to
take
some
nice
things
home
to
your
mother
?
That
will
make
him
look
up
,
I
'll
answer
for
it
!
There
,
now
I
'll
leave
you
here
that
you
may
tell
all
your
friends
that
you
have
been
made
a
gentleman
of
,
on
account
of
your
good
behaviour
,
and
because
you
was
faithful
to
your
master
.
Let
them
have
ten
minutes
,
Parsons
,
with
the
mules
standing
still
,
that
they
may
all
hear
the
story
.
"
Sir
Matthew
then
turned
about
,
and
hastened
out
of
the
factory
,
followed
by
Dr.
Crockley
;
and
as
they
slowly
rode
homewards
by
some
round-about
lanes
that
were
shaded
from
the
sun
,
they
discussed
high
thoughts
,
—
"
Such
as
Lycurgus
loved
,
When
he
bade
flog
the
little
Spartans
.
"
And
ere
they
reached
the
luxurious
abode
of
the
knight
,
had
between
them
sketched
such
a
scheme
of
political
,
moral
,
and
religious
defence
for
the
factory
system
in
all
its
branches
,
and
in
all
its
bearings
,
that
the
doctor
as
he
descended
from
his
horse
,
snapped
his
fingers
triumphantly
,
exclaiming
,
"
A
fig
for
them
all
,
Sir
Matthew
thew
!
If
they
mine
,
egad
we
'll
countermine
,
and
we
start
with
a
pretty
tolerable
advantage
.
You
are
a
man
of
science
,
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
;
and
I
need
not
tell
you
,
that
a
powerful
movement
once
in
action
,
is
devilish
hard
to
stop
.
The
vis
inertiæ
will
work
for
us
,
my
friend
—
not
to
mention
that
when
the
animals
find
out
their
only
alternative
is
labour
or
starvation
—
labour
,
such
and
so
much
as
you
in
your
bounty
will
be
pleased
to
bestow
—
they
will
all
grow
as
patient
as
so
many
sucking
doves
.
"
These
words
were
spoken
as
they
slowly
mounted
together
the
steps
of
the
stately
portico
;
Sir
Matthew
,
as
a
reply
,
shook
his
friend
cordially
by
the
hand
,
and
leading
the
way
to
the
cool
and
lofty
library
,
ordered
iced
water
and
claret
,
to
wash
away
the
effect
of
their
half-hour
's
visit
to
the
factory
.
CHAPTER
IX
.
SOME
PARTICULARS
RESPECTING
MISS
BROTHERTON
—
A
DEMONSTRATION
OF
NEIGHBOURLY
FRIENDSHIP
AND
ANXIETY
—
THE
WILFULNESS
OF
AN
HEIRESS
—
A
GLEAM
OF
LIGHT
CAUGHT
IN
THE
DARKNESS
.
The
mansion
of
Miss
Brotherton
,
at
the
distance
of
three
miles
from
the
town
of
Ashleigh
,
though
less
splendid
in
external
appearance
than
that
of
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
,
was
quite
as
elaborately
elegant
in
its
interior
,
and
moreover
,
incomparably
superior
to
it
in
every
point
in
which
taste
was
concerned
.
To
this
superb
home
we
must
now
follow
the
young
heiress
,
as
circumstances
will
hereafter
frequently
blend
her
name
with
that
of
Michael
Armstrong
.
The
position
of
Mary
Brotherton
was
a
very
singular
one
,
and
in
many
respects
far
from
being
fortunate
.
At
the
age
of
twenty-one
years
and
eight
months
,
she
found
herself
,
by
the
death
of
her
mother
,
in
the
uncontrolled
possession
of
two
hundred
thousand
pounds
.
Her
father
,
dead
some
six
or
seven
years
before
,
had
been
a
manufacturer
of
the
old
apprentice-system
school
,
and
his
fortune
made
long
before
the
humane
bill
of
Sir
Robert
Peel
,
the
elder
,
had
,
in
some
degree
,
weakened
the
chains
which
bound
thousands
of
friendless
orphans
to
unmeasured
and
unmitigated
drudgery
.
[
2
]
But
of
all
these
circumstances
,
his
daughter
was
totally
and
altogether
ignorant
.
Educated
,
from
a
very
early
age
,
at
a
fashionable
London
boarding-school
,
she
knew
nothing
concerning
the
neighbourhood
of
her
home
,
but
that
its
hills
and
valleys
were
deformed
by
tall
chimneys
and
dirty
smoke
;
and
that
none
of
the
young
ladies
who
paid
her
visits
during
the
holidays
,
were
at
all
like
her
school-fellows
in
London
.
Of
course
,
the
little
lady
soon
learned
to
know
that
she
was
a
person
of
great
consequence
;
and
at
the
age
of
fourteen
,
had
most
completely
acquired
all
the
airs
and
graces
of
a
spoiled
child
.
But
the
death
of
her
father
was
a
great
advantage
to
her
;
as
his
only
child
,
and
the
only
heir
of
his
immense
wealth
,
he
rather
worshipped
than
loved
her
,
and
the
attentions
he
paid
her
,
seemed
more
like
acts
of
homage
than
of
affection
.
Had
she
not
given
herself
airs
,
he
would
have
been
miserable
;
and
had
it
been
possible
that
any
act
of
hers
could
bring
upon
her
a
reprimand
,
it
would
have
been
something
indicating
her
belief
,
that
she
was
formed
of
the
same
sort
of
materials
as
the
wretches
who
toiled
for
him
.
Fortunately
,
however
,
she
was
fond
of
her
mother
,
who
,
being
a
great
invalid
,
lived
quietly
in
the
midst
of
her
splendour
;
and
the
holidays
of
her
daughter
were
thus
passed
quietly
too
,
which
saved
her
from
much
early
adulation
.
She
had
remained
at
school
till
nearly
eighteen
;
and
from
that
time
,
to
the
period
of
her
mother
's
death
,
which
happened
about
fifteen
months
before
the
opening
of
this
narrative
,
she
had
led
a
life
of
great
retirement
,
dividing
her
time
between
attendance
in
her
sick
mother
's
chamber
,
galloping
about
the
country
on
horseback
,
and
reading
every
book
she
could
get
hold
of
,
good
,
bad
,
and
indifferent
.
On
first
finding
herself
alone
in
her
own
great
house
,
the
poor
girl
wept
bitterly
.
Her
mother
's
increasing
sufferings
had
long
made
her
release
from
them
an
event
to
be
ardently
desired
by
the
only
being
who
loved
her
;
but
when
at
last
it
came
,
and
she
had
herself
to
think
of
,
and
nobody
else
,
there
was
something
almost
terrible
in
her
utter
loneliness
.
She
was
personally
acquainted
with
very
few
in
the
neighbourhood
,
and
felt
no
affection
for
any
of
them
.
Of
relations
,
to
the
best
of
her
knowledge
and
belief
,
she
possessed
not
one
in
the
world
;
and
with
all
her
advantages
,
for
she
had
many
,
being
young
,
pretty
,
talented
,
and
rich
,
she
would
gladly
have
changed
places
during
the
first
weeks
of
her
dismal
mourning
,
with
any
girl
of
her
own
age
who
had
father
,
mother
,
brother
,
and
sisters
to
love
,
and
be
loved
by
.
Mrs.
Gabberly
was
the
nearest
neighbour
she
had
on
one
side
,
and
Lady
Clarissa
Shrimpton
on
the
other
,
and
both
these
ladies
had
occasionally
been
admitted
to
see
her
mother
till
within
a
few
days
of
her
death
.
When
,
therefore
,
this
long-expected
event
at
length
took
place
,
they
both
thought
themselves
privileged
to
assume
the
freedom
of
intimate
friends
,
and
penetrate
to
the
lone
boudoir
of
the
mournful
heiress
.
Fortunate
for
her
it
was
,
that
they
did
so
;
for
though
neither
of
them
possessed
any
single
quality
of
sufficient
value
to
win
and
wear
the
esteem
,
or
even
the
liking
,
of
an
acute
,
clearsighted
observer
,
such
as
the
half-spoiled
heiress
certainly
was
;
it
was
better
to
hear
the
sound
of
almost
any
human
voice
uttering
words
of
kindness
,
than
to
sit
lonely
and
apart
,
and
hear
none
;
so
that
neither
the
twaddling
larum
of
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
nor
the
absurd
affectation
of
Lady
Clarissa
were
without
their
use
.
It
might
,
however
,
have
been
somewhat
dangerous
to
the
moral
development
of
the
young
lady
's
character
,
had
she
long
continued
to
find
her
only
relief
from
sorrow
and
solitude
in
the
society
of
persons
who
could
only
amuse
her
by
their
absurdities
.
Almost
the
first
time
she
exerted
herself
for
the
purpose
of
pursuing
some
of
her
ordinary
occupations
,
she
drew
forth
her
drawing-box
,
and
produced
a
caricature
of
Lady
Clarissa
reciting
verses
from
the
pen
of
Mr.
Norval
;
and
the
first
observations
she
committed
to
paper
,
were
the
result
of
a
tolerably
accurate
counting
of
the
number
of
times
Mrs.
Gabberly
had
uttered
"
Well
now
!
"
during
her
last
visit
.
At
length
,
the
first
dismal
fortnight
being
over
,
Miss
Brotherton
appeared
at
church
;
and
then
the
whole
neighbourhood
rushed
in
to
express
their
sympathy
,
till
her
very
soul
sickened
under
the
cuckoo-note
of
sorrowless
lamentation
.
Nevertheless
,
there
was
so
much
of
real
sadness
in
the
spectacle
of
a
young
girl
thus
left
utterly
alone
in
the
world
,
that
despite
the
golden
light
her
wealth
threw
around
her
,
many
among
her
herd
of
visiters
might
have
felt
more
for
her
,
perhaps
,
than
she
gave
them
credit
for
.
But
,
unfortunately
such
persons
are
not
those
who
make
their
"
griefs
and
clamour
roar
"
most
audibly
,
so
she
knew
nothing
about
it
,
if
it
were
so
,
and
thereby
lost
any
advantage
which
her
temper
might
have
gained
from
emotions
that
soothe
and
soften
.
Instead
of
this
,
she
had
to
undergo
what
she
felt
to
be
a
very
severe
persecution
,
from
the
prodigiously
active
interest
which
Mrs.
Gabberly
took
in
her
,
and
her
concerns
.
As
some
of
the
singularities
of
Miss
Brotherton
's
character
,
will
eventually
produce
results
of
considerable
importance
to
our
hero
,
it
may
not
be
amiss
to
recount
the
particulars
of
a
scene
which
took
place
in
her
boudoir
exactly
three
weeks
after
the
death
of
her
mother
.
On
the
morning
in
question
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
had
as
usual
made
her
way
unannounced
to
the
young
lady
's
presence
,
by
dint
of
that
assumption
of
extreme
intimacy
in
her
manner
of
inquiring
for
her
,
which
in
this
case
,
as
in
a
multitude
of
others
,
succeeded
in
putting
to
the
rout
the
protecting
discretion
of
her
servants
.
"
Well
now
,
dear
child
!
"
she
exclaimed
on
entering
;
"
how
are
you
to-day
?
Upon
my
word
,
Mary
,
you
are
too
pale
.
You
know
my
dear
,
the
palor
,
as
we
call
it
,
is
not
natural
to
your
complexion
,
and
therefore
the
symptom
must
be
attended
to
.
Have
you
any
camphor
in
the
house
,
dear
?
"
"
Thank
you
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
;
but
I
want
nothing
of
the
kind
.
"
"
Well
now
!
then
I
must
think
of
something
else
.
"
"
Not
for
me
,
ma'am
,
I
shall
not
take
any
medicine
whatever
.
"
"
Dear
child
!
How
very
odd
that
does
seem
to
me
!
We
people
of
science
,
Mary
,
are
so
used
to
turn
to
it
upon
all
occasions
,
that
it
almost
looks
like
losing
one
's
wits
altogether
,
to
go
on
so
,
and
take
nothing
.
"
"
People
of
no
science
,
ma'am
,
do
not
require
it
.
"
"
Well
now
!
so
much
the
worse
for
them
;
but
that
was
not
the
point
I
came
to
talk
about
.
Do
you
know
,
my
dear
,
I
am
perfectly
miserable
in
my
mind
about
you
.
I
ca
n't
sleep
at
nights
for
thinking
about
the
impossibility
of
your
living
on
,
all
by
your
own
self
,
in
this
great
palace
of
a
house
.
"
Miss
Brotherton
turned
away
her
head
,
and
resting
her
elbow
on
the
mass
of
cushions
that
were
piled
beside
her
on
the
sofa
,
concealed
her
eyes
with
her
hand
,
while
her
neighbour
proceeded
to
discuss
her
condition
.
"
Did
you
ever
hear
of
such
a
thing
in
your
whole
life
,
my
dear
?
No
,
never
!
that
's
quite
certain
.
It
is
quite
out
of
the
question
,
and
impossible
;
and
to
speak
out
the
whole
truth
at
once
,
it
is
not
in
any
way
decent
.
"
Something
a
little
approaching
to
a
start
,
produced
a
slight
movement
in
Miss
Brotherton
.
Mrs.
Gabberly
proceeded
.
"
Well
now
,
my
dear
!
I
have
been
thinking
that
what
you
must
do
,
is
to
find
out
among
your
friends
and
acquaintance
,
some
respectable
person
in
the
situation
of
a
gentlewoman
to
live
with
you
.
Somebody
already
known
in
the
neighbourhood
,
would
be
the
most
desirable
,
because
then
you
would
not
have
the
trouble
of
introducing
her
;
for
of
course
it
will
be
in
no
wise
proper
for
so
young
a
person
as
you
are
to
visit
about
,
even
in
the
country
,
without
a
proper
chaperone
.
"
Again
the
cushions
were
slightly
moved
,
but
this
time
it
was
not
a
start
,
but
a
shudder
which
caused
it
.
"
Well
now
,
my
dear
Mary
!
"
resumed
the
friendly
Mrs.
Gabberly
;
"
what
do
you
think
about
it
?
"
"
It
requires
longer
time
than
I
have
yet
had
,
before
I
can
answer
your
question
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
"
replied
the
young
lady
.
"
Well
now
!
that
's
very
true
,
and
very
discreet
,
and
sensible
;
and
God
forbid
,
my
dear
,
that
I
should
make
you
do
any
thing
in
a
hurry
.
Only
you
must
not
forget
that
every
body
will
be
on
the
look
out
to
observe
what
you
do
.
Depend
upon
it
,
that
they
wo
n't
wait
to
make
their
remarks
—
that
's
all
.
"
The
heiress
retained
her
meditative
position
,
but
said
nothing
.
"
Do
n't
you
think
what
I
have
said
is
true
,
my
dear
?
"
Mary
bowed
her
head
,
but
without
changing
the
position
of
the
hand
which
concealed
her
face
.
"
I
wish
she
would
look
up
at
me
,
"
thought
Mrs.
Gabberly
;
"
I
might
guess
then
,
perhaps
,
if
there
was
any
chance
for
me
.
"
"
It
would
be
a
comfort
,
as
well
as
a
protection
,
would
n't
it
,
my
dear
,
to
have
a
kind
,
affectionate
friend
,
always
near
you
!
"
Mary
bowed
again
.
"
Well
now
!
I
wish
you
would
open
your
dear
heart
,
and
speak
out
.
Tell
me
,
do
n't
you
feel
very
lonesome
,
when
you
sit
down
to
dinner
?
"
"
I
have
been
long
used
to
that
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
.
"
"
Yes
;
but
then
you
had
not
got
to
think
all
the
time
,
as
I
am
sure
you
must
do
now
,
that
there
was
nobody
near
you
;
that
there
was
nobody
in
the
whole
great
house
but
your
own
self
,
besides
the
servants
;
that
there
was
nobody
to
drink
your
health
;
nobody
to
say
wo
n't
you
take
a
little
bit
more
,
my
dear
?
Nobody
to
say
is
n't
this
very
nice
?
Nobody
to
give
you
a
nod
and
a
smile
when
you
look
up
.
Nobody
to
ask
,
'
Shall
I
peel
an
orange
for
you
,
my
dear
?
'
or
,
'
Shall
I
mix
your
strawberries
and
cream
,
my
ove
?
'
Now
is
n't
this
all
dismal
?
"
"
Very
dismal
,
ma'am
!
"
replied
the
young
lady
in
a
voice
that
showed
plainly
enough
,
that
the
picture
was
not
an
indifferent
one
.
"
Well
now
!
that
's
saying
something
;
and
I
ca
n't
help
thinking
,
dear
Mary
!
I
ca
n't
help
saying
,
that
it
has
come
into
my
head
,
that
if
—
"
"
Mrs.
Gabberly
!
"
cried
Miss
Brotherton
,
starting
suddenly
up
.
"
I
must
now
beg
you
to
leave
me
.
You
have
described
my
situation
so
forcibly
,
that
I
feel
more
than
ever
the
necessity
of
making
some
arrangement
that
may
better
it
.
But
I
will
not
do
this
without
reflection
.
Leave
me
,
now
.
I
thank
you
for
your
kind
concern
,
and
when
next
you
call
upon
me
,
you
shall
find
that
what
you
have
said
has
not
been
disregarded
.
"
"
Well
now
,
that
's
all
right
,
and
I
'll
go
directly
.
Shall
it
be
to-morrow
,
dear
,
that
I
call
again
?
"
"
No
,
ma'am
,
if
you
please
,
not
till
next
Saturday
.
"
"
Saturday
?
Why
,
my
dear
,
this
is
only
Monday
—
it
is
a
great
while
for
me
to
live
in
such
suspense
about
you
,
dearest
.
"
"
No
,
ma'am
,
not
very
long
.
Saturday
it
must
be
if
you
please
;
and
I
shall
be
happy
if
you
will
stay
and
dine
here
on
that
day
.
"
"
Thank
you
,
my
dear
.
I
shall
like
that
very
,
very
much
indeed
.
And
then
we
can
talk
every
thing
over
,
my
dear
Mary
.
God
bless
you
,
my
love
.
Take
care
of
yourself
,
dearest
,
till
Saturday
;
and
just
let
me
say
one
word
in
your
ear
at
parting
.
Remember
,
that
there
is
nobody
in
the
whole
wide
world
that
loves
you
as
much
as
I
do
.
"
Miss
Brotherton
submitted
herself
passively
to
the
embrace
which
followed
;
and
when
the
door
closed
after
her
affectionate
neighbour
,
she
stood
,
as
it
seemed
,
patiently
,
while
her
sharp
,
short
,
retreating
footsteps
were
heard
along
the
spacious
corridor
,
and
when
they
were
heard
no
more
she
applied
her
hand
to
the
bell
.
But
something
made
her
pause
ere
she
rang
it
,
and
stepping
to
a
window
,
that
opened
upon
a
balcony
filled
with
skilfully-shaded
exotics
,
she
peeped
forth
from
among
them
,
till
the
active-moving
little
figure
of
Mrs.
Gabberly
trudging
along
the
drive
below
,
became
visible
,
and
then
the
heiress
turned
again
to
the
bell-rope
,
and
pulled
it
vigorously
.
"
Tell
nurse
Tremlett
—
tell
Mrs.
Tremlett
to
be
so
kind
as
to
come
to
me
immediately
,
"
was
the
order
given
to
the
servant
who
answered
it
.
After
the
interval
of
a
few
minutes
,
during
which
Miss
Brotherton
stood
with
her
arm
resting
on
the
mantelpiece
,
with
a
countenance
and
attitude
of
deep
meditation
,
the
door
opened
again
,
and
a
pale
,
thin
,
little
old
woman
entered
,
who
,
had
not
her
wrinkles
and
gray
locks
betrayed
her
,
might
have
passed
for
five-and-twenty
,
so
active
and
nicely
moulded
was
her
little
person
.
But
despite
her
still
clear
and
bright
black
eye
,
her
face
showed
that
she
could
not
honestly
count
less
than
twice
that
sum
of
years
.
"
Come
in
,
dear
nurse
!
"
said
Miss
Brotherton
kindly
,
"
come
in
,
and
sit
down
by
me
.
"
The
old
woman
obeyed
this
command
without
further
ceremony
;
and
,
by
her
manner
of
doing
it
,
showed
plainly
that
it
was
not
an
uncommon
one
.
"
What
have
you
been
about
,
my
child
?
"
said
she
,
"
you
do
n't
look
well
.
"
"
I
dare
say
not
,
"
replied
Mary
abruptly
,
"
I
have
been
bored
and
plagued
,
nurse
Tremlett
;
and
now
I
am
going
to
bore
and
plague
you
,
in
order
to
comfort
myself
.
"
For
all
answer
,
the
chartered
nurse
put
her
arm
round
the
young
lady
's
neck
,
and
gave
her
a
very
loving
kiss
.
"
Nay
,
it
is
very
true
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
;
and
no
joke
in
it
.
I
do
assure
you
.
I
am
going
to
make
a
terrible
change
in
your
manner
of
life
,
my
dear
old
woman
.
I
am
going
to
make
a
state-prisoner
of
you
.
"
"
You
may
plague
and
puzzle
your
old
nurse
as
much
as
you
like
,
my
darling
,
so
you
will
but
smile
and
look
a
little
less
dismal
than
you
have
done
of
late
.
And
what
is
it
you
are
going
to
do
to
me
,
Miss
Mary
?
I
dare
say
it
is
nothing
that
I
shall
think
very
hard
.
"
"
I
do
n't
know
that
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
"
replied
Mrs.
Brotherton
very
gravely
.
"
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
and
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
"
said
the
old
woman
,
looking
earnestly
at
her
,
"
what
does
that
mean
,
Miss
Mary
?
—
I
do
n't
like
it
.
"
"
I
know
you
wo
n't
like
it
.
But
you
must
bear
that
,
and
a
great
deal
more
,
my
dear
old
friend
.
You
must
make
up
your
mind
to
lead
a
new
life
altogether
;
and
I
am
very
much
afraid
that
you
will
not
like
the
change
.
"
"
Oh
!
goodness
,
Miss
Mary
,
what
is
it
you
mean
?
You
are
not
going
to
send
me
away
from
you
are
you
?
"
"
Is
that
the
worst
thing
I
could
do
to
vex
you
?
"
said
the
young
lady
,
very
cordially
returning
the
caress
she
had
received
;
"
you
need
not
be
afraid
of
that
,
at
any
rate
.
The
misfortune
I
threaten
is
of
quite
a
different
kind
.
"
"
Well
,
then
I
sha
n't
mind
it
;
let
it
be
what
it
will
.
But
I
do
n't
think
it
is
any
thing
very
bad
,
my
dear
;
for
you
look
as
if
you
were
ready
to
laugh
,
though
you
try
to
look
grave
,
and
talk
of
a
misfortune
.
"
"
It
will
be
no
misfortune
to
me
,
I
assure
you
,
but
quite
the
contrary
.
I
shall
like
it
very
much
,
and
that
is
the
reason
you
see
me
ready
to
smile
;
and
if
you
will
be
a
dear
good
woman
,
and
make
no
difficulties
about
it
,
all
will
go
well
.
Mrs.
Gabberly
has
been
here
,
nurse
Tremlett
;
and
she
tells
me
that
I
must
immediately
take
some
elderly
lady
into
the
house
,
to
sit
with
me
and
take
care
of
me
;
because
,
as
she
says
,
I
am
too
young
to
live
alone
,
and
that
all
the
neighbourhood
will
be
making
remarks
upon
me
.
"
"
Well
,
my
dear
,
and
I
dare
say
she
says
no
more
than
the
truth
.
Your
great
fortune
,
and
your
prettiness
,
and
all
that
,
will
certainly
bring
many
and
many
an
eye
upon
you
,
my
dear
child
;
and
,
of
course
,
it
wo
n't
do
for
you
to
go
on
without
having
some
steady
lady
of
a
companion
like
,
to
be
living
with
you
.
"
"
But
I
hate
all
ladies
that
would
come
to
live
as
a
companion
like
,
"
replied
the
young
lady
.
"
What
should
I
do
with
a
Miss
Mogg
,
trotting
about
after
me
,
to
ask
if
I
wanted
my
smelling-bottle
,
or
my
pug-dog
?
And
that
is
not
the
worst
that
could
happen
to
me
either
.
As
sure
as
you
are
there
,
nurse
Tremlett
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
has
made
up
her
mind
to
come
and
live
here
as
my
companion
herself
!
"
"
And
you
would
not
like
that
,
by
your
manner
,
my
dear
?
I
do
think
she
is
rather
too
bustling
and
busy
for
you
.
You
are
such
a
reader
that
you
would
not
like
any
one
that
was
over
talkative
and
fidgety
about
you
.
But
do
n't
fret
yourself
for
that
,
dear
;
you
must
make
some
civil
sort
of
excuse
to
Mrs.
Gabberly
.
You
are
clever
enough
to
find
one
,
I
dare
say
.
"
"
Yes
,
nurse
Tremlett
,
I
think
I
am
—
I
have
found
one
already
.
"
"
That
's
very
right
,
Miss
Mary
;
and
what
shall
you
say
to
her
,
my
dear
?
"
"
I
shall
tell
her
that
you
are
going
to
live
with
me
as
my
companion
.
"
Nonsense
,
dear
!
That
is
the
joke
,
is
it
,
that
you
were
looking
so
merry
about
?
"
"
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
I
am
not
jesting
in
any
way
,
"
replied
Miss
Brotherton
,
very
gravely
;
"
and
I
entreat
you
to
listen
to
my
proposal
as
seriously
as
I
make
it
.
I
am
friendless
,
very
friendless
,
dear
nurse
;
and
trust
me
,
with
all
my
money
,
I
am
greatly
to
be
pitied
.
Why
,
in
addition
to
the
misfortune
of
not
having
a
relation
in
the
world
,
should
I
be
doomed
to
the
misery
of
hiring
a
stranger
to
pester
me
with
her
presence
from
morning
to
night
?
It
is
a
penance
that
I
cannot
,
and
will
not
endure
.
Yet
I
know
that
all
people
will
say
,
that
I
ought
not
to
sit
up
here
alone
to
receive
company
,
and
I
do
not
wish
to
be
spoken
of
as
a
person
who
either
knows
not
or
values
not
propriety
.
But
if
you
will
do
what
I
desire
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
you
may
save
me
from
this
,
and
from
what
I
perhaps
should
unhappily
consider
as
a
greater
misfortune
still
,
namely
,
the
being
forced
to
pass
my
life
with
a
person
whose
presence
was
a
pain
to
me
.
"
Tears
flowed
down
the
cheeks
of
the
heiress
as
she
spoke
;
and
the
devoted
servant
who
sat
beside
her
,
though
absolutely
confounded
by
the
strange
proposal
,
could
find
no
words
to
utter
in
opposition
to
it
.
"
Dear
nurse
!
—
you
will
not
forsake
me
,
then
?
"
said
Mary
,
smiling
through
her
tears
.
"
There
's
a
dear
soul
—
you
will
let
me
have
my
own
way
in
everything
—
about
your
dress
,
you
know
,
and
all
that
?
It
will
be
worth
any
thing
in
the
world
to
see
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
when
she
first
beholds
you
sitting
up
in
state
in
the
drawing-room
!
"
From
the
moment
the
old
woman
had
perceived
that
her
beloved
,
but
wilful
darling
,
was
not
only
serious
,
but
sorrowful
,
and
that
,
too
,
concerning
no
imaginary
grief
,
but
from
the
contemplation
of
the
truly
melancholy
isolation
of
her
condition
,
all
disposition
to
resist
her
vanished
;
and
yet
nurse
Tremlett
was
perfectly
capable
of
perceiving
all
the
inconveniences
likely
to
arise
on
both
sides
from
so
strange
a
scheme
.
But
even
while
such
thoughts
silently
took
possession
of
her
,
leaving
perhaps
some
legible
traces
on
her
countenance
,
her
young
mistress
looked
so
kindly
and
so
coaxingly
in
her
face
,
as
if
at
once
reading
and
deprecating
all
she
had
to
say
,
that
she
felt
nothing
was
left
for
her
but
obedience
.
"
Do
what
you
will
with
me
,
my
dear
,
"
said
she
,
with
a
fond
smile
and
a
shake
of
the
head
,
that
seemed
to
say
,
"
I
know
you
must
have
your
own
way
,
Mary
.
"
And
thus
was
conceived
and
established
a
mode
of
life
for
the
pretty
heiress
,
which
left
her
as
completely
uncontrolled
as
to
all
she
did
,
and
all
she
said
,
as
if
nurse
Tremlett
still
occupied
her
quarters
in
what
was
once
called
the
nursery
,
but
had
since
become
the
favoured
nurse
's
sitting-room
.
Mary
's
delight
in
dressing
and
drilling
the
old
woman
for
her
new
duties
,
was
childish
and
excessive
;
and
most
triumphant
was
the
satisfaction
with
which
she
perceived
that
rich
black
silks
,
and
delicate
white
crape
,
performed
their
office
upon
her
nice
little
person
so
effectually
,
as
to
give
her
quite
as
much
the
air
of
a
gentlewoman
,
as
the
majority
of
those
who
were
likely
to
meet
her
.
So
,
on
the
following
Saturday
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
found
Miss
Brotherton
no
longer
the
solitary
occupant
of
her
elegant
boudoir
,
but
with
a
remarkably
well-dressed
elderly
lady
,
seated
in
the
most
luxurious
of
all
the
newly-invented
chairs
which
decorated
the
apartment
,
with
a
small
work-table
before
her
;
while
on
the
footstool
at
her
feet
,
sat
the
heiress
,
looking
a
vast
deal
more
happy
than
she
had
ever
before
seen
her
.
The
mystification
did
not
last
long
.
The
eyes
of
Mrs.
Gabberly
were
of
that
happy
fabric
,
which
enables
the
owner
to
retain
for
ever
the
memory
of
every
face
they
have
ever
looked
upon
;
and
it
was
with
heightened
colour
,
and
no
very
sweet
expression
of
countenance
,
that
she
exclaimed
,
"
Soh
!
you
have
taken
your
old
nurse
,
Tremlett
,
to
sit
with
you
?
"
"
My
nurse
no
longer
,
but
my
most
kind
friend
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
who
has
affectionately
consented
to
forsake
many
of
her
former
comforts
,
in
order
to
be
useful
to
me
.
You
will
perceive
,
ma'am
,
that
your
advice
has
not
been
lost
upon
me
.
"
"
Well
now
!
that
is
a
strange
whim
,
Miss
Brotherton
.
But
of
course
,
you
are
not
serious
in
trying
to
make
me
believe
that
it
is
your
intention
to
let
nurse
Tremlett
assist
you
in
receiving
your
company
.
If
it
be
so
,
I
think
it
but
fair
to
tell
you
at
once
,
as
my
experience
is
rather
greater
than
yours
,
that
not
one
single
soul
among
all
our
rich
folks
,
will
care
to
visit
you
at
all
.
I
do
n't
wish
to
affront
you
,
nurse
Tremlett
;
but
you
wo
n't
contradict
what
I
say
,
I
am
quite
sure
of
that
.
"
Mrs.
Tremlett
showed
herself
an
apt
scholar
,
for
she
bowed
her
head
,
went
on
with
her
knitting
,
and
said
nothing
.
If
she
was
silent
,
however
,
Miss
Brotherton
was
not
.
"
Listen
to
me
,
ma'am
,
if
you
please
,
for
a
few
minutes
,
while
I
explain
to
you
my
ideas
on
the
subject
;
and
having
done
so
,
I
desire
that
it
may
never
be
alluded
to
again
.
I
am
left
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
as
I
dare
say
you
know
—
exceedingly
well
,
in
the
possession
of
an
ample
fortune
,
with
unlimited
power
to
spend
it
as
I
please
.
Now
I
do
not
please
to
spend
any
part
of
it
in
putting
myself
under
circumstances
that
I
should
feel
annoying
to
me
.
For
this
reason
I
will
not
hire
a
gentlewoman
—
in
all
human
probability
of
much
higher
birth
than
myself
—
to
watch
my
caprices
,
and
endure
my
whims
.
If
any
one
now
in
existence
really
loves
me
,
it
is
Mrs.
Tremlett
;
and
I
,
too
,
most
sincerely
love
her
;
therefore
I
flatter
myself
,
that
drawing
tighter
the
tie
that
has
long
united
us
,
will
occasion
pain
to
neither
.
If
the
obscure
tradition
I
have
heard
respecting
my
grandfather
be
correct
,
he
received
much
kindness
when
travelling
the
country
as
an
itinerant
tinker
from
Mrs.
Tremlett
's
father
,
then
a
flourishing
farmer
in
Yorkshire
.
So
you
perceive
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
that
I
am
really
honoured
by
the
association
.
But
if
any
one
should
fancy
the
contrary
—
if
any
one
should
feel
that
the
luxuries
of
my
house
and
table
—
the
only
attractions
I
know
of
,
by
which
I
may
hope
to
draw
my
neighbours
round
me
—
if
any
should
feel
that
the
value
of
these
are
lessened
by
the
presence
of
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
they
must
give
them
up
.
For
the
price
I
shall
put
upon
my
good
dinners
and
fine
balls
,
will
be
the
most
courteous
and
kind
politeness
to
that
dear
and
valued
friend
.
And
now
that
we
have
finally
and
for
ever
dismissed
this
subject
,
will
you
tell
me
if
I
may
hope
for
the
pleasure
of
your
company
at
dinner
to-day
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
?
"
From
this
period
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
never
quitted
Mary
Brotherton
,
excepting
when
the
heiress
accommodated
Lady
Clarissa
Shrimpton
by
the
use
of
her
carriage
,
when
they
were
both
going
to
visit
at
the
same
mansion
:
an
arrangement
which
had
often
taken
place
during
the
late
Mrs.
Brotherton
's
lifetime
,
and
which
was
of
such
very
obvious
mutual
convenience
,
that
one
was
rarely
invited
without
the
other
.
Miss
Brotherton
by
degrees
recovered
her
natural
high
spirits
,
and
though
she
not
unfrequently
felt
the
weight
of
great
loneliness
,
she
was
rapidly
learning
to
enjoy
her
independence
.
She
read
a
great
deal
,
though
nobody
knew
any
thing
about
it
.
She
dearly
loved
flowers
,
and
often
assisted
in
their
culture
with
her
own
hands
,
despite
her
half-dozen
gardeners
.
She
laid
out
whole
miles
of
gravel
walks
in
her
own
grounds
with
almost
as
much
skill
as
went
to
form
the
Cretan
labyrinth
,
in
order
that
she
might
walk
,
and
walk
,
and
walk
,
without
passing
her
own
lodge-gates
,
and
so
running
the
risk
of
being
called
"
imprudent
"
She
still
indulged
herself
,
and
with
no
sparing
licence
,
in
caricaturing
her
neighbours
;
and
,
if
all
the
truth
must
be
told
,
derived
no
small
portion
of
amusement
from
the
variety
of
modes
she
adopted
to
assure
the
almost
innumerable
pretenders
to
her
hand
,
that
it
was
not
in
her
power
to
reward
their
valuable
and
flattering
attachments
.
Such
was
Mary
Brotherton
's
condition
when
she
complied
with
Lady
Clarissa
Shrimpton
's
request
,
to
drive
over
to
Dowling
Lodge
the
day
after
they
had
dined
there
.
Upon
this
occasion
,
as
upon
many
previous
ones
,
the
young
lady
,
for
lack
of
other
amusement
,
occupied
herself
in
selecting
subjects
for
her
merry
pencil
.
The
best
excuse
to
be
offered
for
her
offences
in
this
line
is
,
that
nobody
but
Mrs.
Tremlett
ever
saw
her
saucy
productions
;
so
that
assuredly
they
gave
pain
to
no
one
—
and
when
the
heart
is
empty
,
and
the
head
full
,
much
allowance
must
be
made
for
such
freaks
and
fancies
.
While
laying
up
stores
of
sketches
from
Sir
Matthew
,
Lady
Clarissa
,
and
the
poet
,
her
eye
suddenly
became
fixed
upon
the
beautiful
child
who
had
been
brought
in
for
general
examination
.
Like
most
other
ready
limners
of
the
human
face
,
Miss
Brotherton
had
considerable
skill
in
physiognomy
,
and
ere
she
had
long
gazed
on
the
pretty
,
nicely-dressed
,
little
boy
,
she
felt
persuaded
that
in
spite
of
his
gay
habit
de
fête
,
the
child
was
ill
at
ease
,
and
under
great
discomfort
.
It
is
difficult
for
persons
residing
at
a
distance
,
and
not
"
to
the
manner
born
,
"
to
conceive
the
extraordinary
degree
of
ignorance
in
which
the
ladies
of
the
great
manufacturing
families
are
brought
up
,
as
to
real
condition
of
the
people
employed
in
the
concern
from
whence
their
wealth
is
derived
.
There
is
,
however
,
a
homely
proverb
that
may
help
to
explain
this
:
"
You
should
never
speak
of
a
rope
in
the
house
of
a
man
that
was
hanged
,
"
and
it
is
probably
on
the
same
principle
,
that
no
one
speaks
of
the
factory
in
the
house
of
the
manufacturer
.
Be
this
as
it
may
,
the
fact
is
certain
,
and
Mary
Brotherton
,
like
perhaps
a
hundred
other
rich
young
ladies
,
of
the
same
class
,
grew
up
in
total
ignorance
of
the
moans
and
the
misery
that
lurked
beneath
the
unsightly
edifices
,
which
she
just
knew
were
called
the
factories
,
but
which
were
much
too
ugly
in
her
picturesque
eyes
for
her
ever
to
look
at
them
,
when
she
could
help
it
.
Little
did
the
kind-tempered
,
warm-hearted
girl
guess
,
that
for
hours
before
she
raised
her
healthy
and
elastic
frame
from
the
couch
where
it
had
luxuriously
reposed
through
the
night
,
thousands
of
sickly
,
suffering
,
children
were
torn
from
their
straw
pallets
,
to
commence
a
long
unvaried
day
of
painful
toil
,
to
fill
the
ever-craving
purses
,
of
which
her
own
was
one
.
She
knew
that
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
was
considered
as
the
richest
man
in
the
district
—
richer
even
than
her
father
had
been
,
and
this
was
all
she
knew
about
him
,
except
that
her
own
sharp
observation
had
enabled
her
to
perceive
that
he
was
ignorant
,
vulgar
,
and
most
ludicrously
crammed
with
pretensions
of
all
sorts
.
After
having
looked
into
the
face
of
little
Michael
,
till
she
was
perfectly
convinced
of
his
being
exceedingly
unhappy
,
she
next
directed
her
attention
to
his
benefactor
,
as
she
heard
him
clamorously
hailed
on
all
sides
;
and
his
countenance
,
though
smiling
,
spoke
a
language
she
liked
not
.
It
was
evident
to
her
that
he
was
very
keenly
watching
the
boy
,
and
more
than
once
she
detected
a
look
from
Sir
Matthew
,
directed
towards
him
,
which
was
instantly
followed
by
an
attempt
on
the
child
's
part
to
look
less
miserable
.
Then
followed
all
the
nonsense
about
Mr.
Osmond
Norval
,
and
his
promised
drama
,
which
was
to
place
upon
the
scene
some
prodigiously
generous
action
of
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
's
,
towards
this
little
boy
.
Mary
Brotherton
did
not
believe
a
word
of
it
,
and
sick
of
the
false
and
fulsome
flattery
that
was
bandied
about
between
the
knight
,
the
lady
,
and
the
poet
,
she
made
,
as
we
have
seen
,
a
somewhat
hasty
retreat
.
On
her
road
home
she
was
more
than
usually
silent
,
being
occupied
in
a
meditation
on
the
features
of
Michael
Armstrong
.
For
some
time
she
suffered
her
ridiculous
ladyship
to
run
on
in
a
violent
strain
of
panegyric
upon
Sir
Matthew
,
his
talents
,
and
his
generosity
,
without
offering
any
interruption
,
but
at
length
it
struck
her
,
that
fool
as
she
was
,
Lady
Clarissa
might
be
able
to
tell
her
what
she
wanted
to
know
;
and
therefore
,
after
answering
"
Indeed
!
"
to
some
tirade
about
Sir
Matthew
's
great
qualities
,
Mary
ventured
to
come
across
the
torrent
of
her
ladyship
's
eloquence
by
saying
,
"
Pray
,
Lady
Clarissa
,
who
is
that
little
boy
?
"
"
Who
,
my
dear
?
Good
gracious
,
what
an
odd
question
!
Is
it
possible
you
do
not
know
he
is
a
poor
little
factory-boy
,
that
Sir
Matthew
has
most
benevolently
taken
out
of
that
sad
way
of
life
,
because
he
behaved
so
remarkably
well
about
that
cow
,
you
know
,
my
dear
,
last
night
?
"
"
But
why
should
you
call
it
a
sad
way
of
life
,
Lady
Clarissa
?
It
is
the
way
that
all
our
poor
people
get
their
bread
,
you
know
.
"
"
Yes
,
I
suppose
so
.
But
yet
,
my
dear
,
you
cannot
but
allow
that
it
must
be
a
very
different
way
of
life
from
what
the
little
children
lead
whose
parents
,
from
father
to
son
,
for
a
dozen
generations
,
have
worked
on
the
mains
of
one
family
.
There
ca
n't
be
the
same
sort
of
family
feeling
and
attachment
,
you
know
.
However
,
I
have
not
the
least
doubt
in
the
world
,
that
good
Sir
Matthew
does
his
very
best
to
make
them
comfortable
.
"
"
Is
this
boy
to
live
in
Sir
Matthew
's
family
?
"
"
I
am
not
quite
sure
about
that
.
I
believe
it
depends
in
a
great
degree
upon
the
manner
in
which
the
little
fellow
behaves
;
and
so
it
ought
,
you
know
,
my
dear
Miss
Brotherton
.
I
rather
think
Mr.
Augustus
was
making
himself
too
agreeable
this
morning
for
you
to
hear
much
of
the
story
.
However
,
the
exquisite
muse
of
our
friend
,
Norval
,
will
set
the
transaction
before
all
the
world
in
a
proper
point
of
view
;
and
then
you
,
like
every
body
else
,
will
be
able
to
form
your
own
judgment
respecting
the
conduct
of
Sir
Matthew
.
"
Again
,
Mary
sunk
into
a
revery
concerning
the
respective
countenances
of
Sir
Matthew
and
the
little
factory-boy
;
but
feeling
quite
sure
that
she
should
obtain
none
of
the
information
she
was
burning
with
impatience
to
acquire
,
from
Lady
Clarissa
,
the
remaining
part
of
the
drive
was
passed
entirely
in
silence
on
her
part
,
excepting
that
when
Lady
Clarissa
asked
her
if
she
did
not
intend
to
take
a
part
in
the
theatrical
performances
about
to
be
brought
out
at
Dowling
Lodge
,
she
replied
,
"
No
,
certainly
Lady
Clarissa
Shrimpton
,
I
do
not
.
"
CHAPTER
X
.
MORE
WILFULNESS
ON
THE
PART
OF
THE
HEIRESS
—
PRIVATE
THE-ATRICALS
—
FAILURE
OF
A
YOUNG
PERFORMER
,
AND
ITS
CONSEQUENCES
—
PHILOSOPHICAL
BREAKFAST-TABLE
—
A
MORNING
'S
EXCURSION
.
No
sooner
did
Miss
Brotherton
enter
the
room
where
she
had
left
her
old
friend
,
who
was
still
tranquilly
enjoying
the
perfumed
air
which
visited
her
through
the
open
window
as
she
sat
knitting
before
it
,
than
throwing
her
bonnet
on
one
side
,
she
began
to
examine
,
and
cross-examine
her
as
follows
:
"
Pray
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
do
you
know
any
thing
about
the
factory
people
that
work
in
all
these
great
ugly
buildings
round
about
Ashleigh
?
"
Mrs.
Tremlett
looked
up
at
her
for
a
moment
before
she
replied
,
and
then
said
,
"
I
know
very
little
about
them
,
Miss
Mary
,
—
not
much
more
than
you
do
,
I
believe
.
"
"
I
have
just
been
thinking
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
how
exceedingly
wrong
it
is
that
I
should
be
so
profoundly
ignorant
on
the
subject
.
"
"
Wrong
?
—
I
do
n't
see
any
thing
wrong
,
my
dear
,
in
your
not
knowing
what
you
was
never
told
.
"
"
I
have
been
wrong
in
never
wishing
to
be
told
;
but
,
in
truth
,
I
have
never
thought
upon
the
subject
,
and
I
have
been
very
wrong
in
this
.
That
silly
body
,
Lady
,
Clarissa
,
said
a
few
words
to-day
,
which
—
quite
unlike
the
usual
effect
of
what
she
utters
,
made
a
great
impression
upon
me
.
Speaking
of
the
children
who
work
in
these
factories
,
nurse
Tremlett
,
she
said
theirs
was
a
very
different
way
of
life
from
that
of
the
children
whose
parents
,
from
father
to
son
,
have
worked
for
a
dozen
generations
on
the
lands
of
the
same
family
.
There
could
not
be
the
same
sort
of
family
feeling
and
attachment
,
she
said
.
But
why
should
there
not
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
?
These
people
work
on
,
I
dare
say
,
from
generation
to
generation
,
and
yet
,
God
help
them
,
poor
souls
!
—
from
the
hour
of
my
birth
to
the
present
day
,
I
am
never
heard
any
body
talk
of
attachment
to
them
.
Can
you
explain
this
difference
to
me
?
I
do
not
at
all
understand
it
;
but
I
am
quite
certain
it
cannot
be
right
.
Why
do
not
we
know
something
about
our
poor
people
,
as
the
people
with
landed
estates
do
about
theirs
?
"
"
Upon
my
word
,
my
dear
,
you
have
asked
me
a
question
not
over
and
above
easy
to
answer
—
that
is
to
say
,
as
to
its
being
right
.
But
it
is
easy
enough
too
,
in
another
way
,
for
I
may
say
plain
and
and
straight
,
without
any
fear
of
blundering
,
that
the
thing
is
impossible
.
"
"
What
thing
is
impossible
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
?
"
"
Why
that
the
factory
people
should
be
noticed
by
the
gentle-folks
,
and
treated
in
the
same
way
as
labourers
that
work
the
land
.
"
"
You
are
too
wise
a
woman
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
"
replied
Mary
,
"
to
assert
so
positively
,
what
you
did
not
know
to
be
true
;
therefore
I
will
take
it
for
granted
,
that
it
is
impossible
for
people
working
in
a
factory
to
be
treated
in
the
same
way
as
people
working
on
a
farm
.
And
now
,
seeing
,
God
help
me
!
that
I
am
most
frightfully
ignorant
,
I
must
beg
you
to
tell
me
what
it
is
that
causes
this
extraordinary
dissimilarity
between
the
different
classes
of
the
labouring
poor
?
"
"
My
dear
child
,
it
would
hardly
be
decent
to
enter
into
all
the
reasons
.
Country
folks
,
that
is
the
field-labourers
I
mean
,
are
just
as
likely
to
be
good
and
virtuous
,
as
their
betters
,
and
so
they
are
for
every
thing
that
I
have
ever
seen
to
the
contrary
.
But
it
is
altogether
a
different
thing
with
the
factory
people
.
By
what
I
can
hear
,
for
of
course
I
never
went
among
them
,
they
are
about
the
worst
set
of
creatures
that
burden
God
's
earth
.
The
men
are
vicious
,
and
the
women
desolate
,
taking
drams
often
,
and
often
when
they
ought
to
buy
food
;
and
so
horridly
dirty
and
unthrifty
that
it
is
a
common
saying
,
you
may
know
a
factory-girl
as
far
as
you
can
see
her
.
So
I
leave
you
to
judge
,
Miss
Mary
,
whether
such
ladies
as
visit
the
cottages
of
the
poor
peasantry
,
could
have
any
thing
to
say
to
such
as
these
.
"
Mary
uttered
no
reply
,
but
sat
for
many
minutes
with
eyes
steadfastly
fixed
upon
the
carpet
.
At
length
she
raised
them
again
to
the
face
of
her
companion
,
and
said
,
"
It
is
then
among
such
people
as
these
,
that
children
,
almost
babies
—
for
such
is
the
one
I
have
just
seen
—
are
often
employed
?
"
"
Often
,
my
dear
?
They
are
always
employed
with
them
.
And
there
's
no
particular
hardship
in
that
you
know
,
because
these
very
men
and
women
are
the
parents
of
the
children
,
and
so
they
could
not
be
separated
any
how
.
"
"
What
a
dreadful
class
of
human
beings
,
then
,
must
these
factory
people
form
!
Is
it
not
considered
as
a
great
misfortune
,
Mrs.
Tremlett
,
to
the
whole
country
?
"
"
Why
as
to
that
,
my
dear
Miss
Mary
,
there
's
many
will
tell
you
that
it
is
the
finest
thing
in
the
world
for
the
places
where
the
great
factories
are
established
,
because
they
give
employment
to
so
many
thousands
of
men
,
women
,
and
even
the
very
smallest
children
that
can
stand
,
almost
.
But
you
must
not
ask
me
,
my
dear
,
what
I
think
about
that
,
for
of
course
I
am
no
fair
judge
at
all
.
I
,
that
spent
my
childhood
in
playing
among
the
hairbells
,
raking
up
little
cooks
of
hay
for
the
hardest
work
I
was
put
to
,
and
going
to
school
to
read
,
write
,
and
sew
,
like
the
child
of
decent
Christian
parents
in
a
civilized
country
—
I
can
hardly
pass
fair
judgment
on
goings
on
so
very
different
.
But
I
have
heard
,
my
dear
,
for
I
believe
these
things
are
talked
of
more
in
the
servants
'
