Ibelieve
she
deserves
it
,
Michael
,
"
returned
Mr.
Bell
,
"
and
,
by
the
by
,
you
have
it
in
your
power
to
show
your
love
,
and
do
her
a
great
kindness
by
the
very
simple
process
of
letting
her
know
that
you
are
alive
.
Poor
girl
!
She
has
suffered
dreadfully
from
believing
that
she
caused
your
death
by
the
advice
she
gave
to
your
mother
about
signing
your
indentures
,
and
I
fancy
that
letting
her
know
that
you
did
not
perish
in
consequence
,
would
be
conferring
a
real
blessing
on
her
.
"
"
Dear
,
good
Miss
Martha
!
"
exclaimed
Michael
,
"
how
well
do
I
remember
the
walk
we
took
together
when
she
went
to
Hoxley-lane
,
to
give
my
dearest
mother
that
advice
.
She
did
it
for
my
good
,
and
for
my
good
it
would
have
been
,
if
what
she
advised
had
been
the
thing
she
thought
it
!
I
owe
her
still
,
notwithstanding
the
misery
she
brought
me
to
,
the
deepest
gratitude
;
for
her
kind
and
careful
teaching
during
the
short
time
I
was
in
her
father
's
house
first
gave
me
the
ambition
and
the
hope
to
learn
,
and
,
spite
of
my
degraded
condition
,
I
have
never
lost
sight
of
it
—
and
this
it
is
,
which
,
if
any
thing
can
,
may
reconcile
me
to
presenting
myself
as
a
poor
shepherd-boy
before
my
well-taught
brother
.
"
"
You
are
right
there
,
Michael
,
"
replied
Mr.
Bell
;
"
it
is
very
clear
to
me
that
you
have
profited
greatly
by
the
feelings
so
inspired
,
notwithstanding
the
adverse
circumstances
in
which
you
were
placed
during
the
four
terrible
years
passed
in
the
Deep
Valley
;
and
such
feelings
I
can
tell
you
,
will
make
a
vast
difference
in
the
degree
of
happiness
you
are
likely
to
enjoy
in
a
reunion
with
your
brother
.
"
"
And
to
Fanny
Fletcher
too
!
"
said
Michael
,
with
the
eagerness
of
reviving
hope
heightening
his
colour
,
and
darting
its
brightness
from
his
eye
,
—
"
to
Fanny
Fletcher
too
,
I
owe
the
suggestion
of
thoughts
which
have
saved
me
from
being
too
utterly
degraded
to
meet
her
again
with
pleasure
.
It
is
to
Martha
Dowling
,
surely
,
that
I
owe
all
the
little
book
learning
I
have
been
able
to
acquire
,
as
well
as
the
power
of
writing
down
the
thoughts
and
meditations
to
which
it
has
given
rise
;
but
it
was
Fanny
who
made
me
fell
that
however
lowly
our
condition
and
state
on
earth
,
we
may
yet
retain
as
good
a
right
as
any
of
the
kings
of
it
,
to
open
our
hearts
before
God
,
and
ask
for
His
Spirit
to
help
us
.
How
many
mornings
have
I
watched
the
sun
rise
,
how
many
evenings
have
I
seen
him
set
in
glory
behind
the
mountain-tops
,
and
thoughts
as
I
lay
amidst
the
heather
,
and
worshipped
his
Almighty
Maker
,
that
,
but
for
her
,
I
should
never
have
known
the
comfort
of
loving
and
trusting
,
as
well
as
of
adoring
him
.
It
was
that
dear
patient
little
girl
who
taught
me
this
,
and
perhaps
I
may
yet
live
to
thank
her
for
it
.
"
"
I
trust
you
will
,
my
dear
boy
,
"
replied
Mr.
Bell
,
touched
with
the
earnest
energy
of
the
boy
's
manner
;
"
I
trust
you
will
,
Michael
:
and
if
I
mistake
her
not
,
she
will
receive
such
thanks
as
a
very
welcome
reward
for
all
the
pains
she
took
to
comfort
you
.
Such
kindness
as
she
showed
you
is
,
indeed
,
—
'
twice
blest
,
It
blesseth
him
that
gives
,
and
him
that
takes
:
'
and
I
doubt
not
that
she
,
as
well
as
yourself
,
has
been
the
better
for
it
,
from
that
time
to
this
.
"
"
May
I
look
once
more
at
that
drawing
,
sir
?
"
said
Michael
,
with
some
little
embarrassment
.
"
There
it
is
,
Michael
,
"
said
the
clergyman
smiling
,
and
once
more
laying
it
before
him
.
"
Were
it
not
that
I
think
you
will
so
soon
see
the
dear
originals
,
and
that
we
shall
not
,
I
would
ask
my
wife
to
give
it
you
.
"
"
I
think
I
shall
learn
every
line
,
and
every
shade
of
it
by
rote
,
"
said
Michael
,
"
if
I
do
but
look
at
it
a
few
minutes
longer
.
There
,
sir
,
"
he
added
,
after
an
earnest
gaze
,
and
resigning
it
into
his
hands
;
"
I
feel
as
if
it
were
my
own
now
.
"
Then
,
after
one
deep
sigh
,
he
seemed
to
rouse
himself
;
and
,
as
if
endeavouring
to
shake
off
some
feeling
that
oppressed
him
,
he
said
,
"
But
you
have
not
told
me
yet
,
sir
,
the
reason
why
Miss
Brotherton
calls
my
first
benefactress
'
poor
Martha
!
'
"
"
I
am
sorry
to
say
,
"
replied
Mr.
Bell
,
"
that
there
are
more
reasons
than
one
,
for
applying
that
pitying
epithet
to
Miss
Martha
Dowling
.
In
the
first
place
,
she
is
greatly
out
of
health
,
poor
girl
;
and
in
the
next
,
her
father
's
affairs
are
said
to
be
in
a
very
tottering
condition
,
in
consequence
of
his
having
overloaded
himself
with
a
greater
quantity
of
spun
cotton
than
he
can
get
any
sale
for
.
He
is
said
to
have
lent
out
money
,
too
,
on
some
speculation
which
has
not
answered
:
and
,
in
short
,
that
it
is
rather
a
nice
question
,
whether
he
will
be
able
to
get
through
his
difficulties
or
not
.
Another
misfortune
is
,
that
Sir
Matthew
,
as
soon
as
he
possibly
could
after
the
death
of
his
first
wife
,
thought
proper
to
marry
the
Lady
Clarissa
Shrimpton
,
who
,
strange
to
say
,
thought
proper
also
to
marry
him
;
and
it
is
said
also
,
that
poor
Miss
Martha
,
who
is
the
eldest
of
the
daughters
unmarried
,
is
not
permitted
to
enjoy
much
peace
under
the
rule
of
her
noble
step-mother
.
"
"
Lady
Clarissa
Shrimpton
?
"
said
Michael
,
with
the
air
of
one
to
whom
some
long-lost
image
is
brought
back
—
"
Lady
Clarissa
Shrimpton
?
Why
,
surely
,
that
was
the
name
of
the
tall
,
thin
woman
who
had
to
practise
the
laying
her
bony
hand
upon
my
unfortunate
little
head
,
when
the
terrible
play
was
about
?
"
"
I
dare
say
it
was
,
"
said
Mr.
Bell
.
"
But
,
at
any
rate
,
Lady
Clarissa
Shrimpton
is
now
Lady
Clarissa
Dowling
.
"
"
Poor
Miss
Martha
!
—
and
she
is
out
of
health
too
?
How
can
I
manage
to
pay
my
duty
to
her
,
Mr.
Bell
,
without
running
the
risk
of
being
recognised
by
Sir
Matthew
,
as
the
unfortunate
boy
who
escaped
from
the
Deep
Valley
?
He
would
be
able
,
I
suppose
,
to
make
me
serve
out
my
time
?
"
"
I
do
not
think
he
would
attempt
it
just
now
,
Michael
?
"
was
the
consolatory
reply
.
"
Thank
God
!
"
continued
Mr.
Bell
,
"
there
has
been
a
good
deal
said
of
late
concerning
the
abominations
of
the
Deep
Valley
Factory
,
and
I
do
n't
much
think
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
would
run
the
risk
of
having
it
proved
that
he
had
kidnapped
a
boy
away
to
it
,
in
the
style
he
managed
you
.
I
should
have
no
fear
whatever
,
of
your
presenting
yourself
at
Dowling
Lodge
;
only
I
think
it
is
ten
to
one
her
ladyship
will
not
let
you
get
a
sight
of
Miss
Martha
without
her
being
present
,
—
unless
you
were
to
write
a
line
to
the
young
lady
first
,
and
then
perhaps
she
might
contrive
it
.
"
Michael
now
rose
to
take
his
leave
,
offering
with
a
fervour
that
was
very
touching
,
his
earnest
thanks
for
the
generous
kindness
with
which
he
had
been
received
;
but
he
resisted
all
the
hospitable
efforts
made
to
retain
him
as
a
guest
.
He
had
need
,
he
said
,
to
be
alone
,
that
he
might
bring
his
mind
to
such
a
state
as
should
enable
him
to
sustain
the
wonderful
change
in
his
prospects
with
something
like
fortitude
and
rational
composure
.
There
was
more
real
kindness
,
and
true
sympathy
,
in
the
manner
of
accepting
this
excuse
,
than
the
most
pressing
offers
of
hospitality
could
have
shown
;
and
Michael
,
after
involuntarily
kissing
the
hand
stretched
out
to
bid
him
farewell
took
his
departure
from
the
clergyman
's
house
,
with
a
heart
full
of
thankfulness
to
God
and
man
.
CHAPTER
XXIX
.
MICHAEL
CALLS
HIS
WISDOM
TO
COUNCIL
,
AND
THE
POINTS
TO
BE
DISCUSSED
PUZZLE
THEM
—
AN
EARLY
WALK
—
AN
OLD
FRIEND
WITH
A
CHANGED
FACE
.
To
describe
Michael
Armstrong
's
feeling
as
he
took
his
solitary
way
along
what
seemed
to
him
the
most
unfrequented
fields
he
could
find
,
would
be
both
a
difficult
and
an
unnecessary
task
.
That
his
heart
swelled
with
thankfulness
and
joy
cannot
be
doubted
;
yet
there
was
a
vagueness
and
uncertainty
as
to
what
he
ought
immediately
to
do
,
which
made
him
anxious
and
sad
,
even
in
the
midst
of
hope
and
joy
.
The
small
sum
he
had
been
able
to
save
from
his
wages
had
been
spent
,
or
very
nearly
so
,
since
he
set
out
upon
his
eventful
expedition
.
He
had
already
accepted
a
loan
from
the
friendly
old
coachman
of
Miss
Brotherton
,
and
he
shrunk
from
the
idea
of
contracting
more
debts
,
while
unable
to
say
with
certainty
when
they
should
be
paid
.
How
then
was
he
to
reach
his
brother
in
his
happy
distant
home
?
And
where
and
how
was
he
to
pass
the
anxious
interval
that
must
of
necessity
intervene
before
he
could
even
know
to
what
point
he
should
direct
his
pilgrim
steps
,
even
had
he
the
means
of
setting
forth
?
The
path
he
had
taken
proved
to
be
a
short
cut
leading
into
the
highroad
from
Fairly
to
Ashleigh
,
and
on
quitting
the
fields
he
found
himself
close
to
the
door
of
a
public-house
which
he
was
tempted
to
select
for
his
shelter
as
long
as
he
remained
in
the
neighbourhood
,
both
because
it
was
lonely
,
and
because
it
was
humble
.
Having
entered
there
,
bespoken
a
bed
,
and
made
a
very
frugal
repast
,
he
inquired
the
distance
to
Dowling
Lodge
,
and
finding
it
was
greater
than
he
could
traverse
on
foot
with
any
hope
of
returning
in
decent
time
to
occupy
his
newly-taken
lodging
,
he
resolved
to
wait
till
the
following
morning
,
when
,
by
setting
off
at
daybreak
,
he
might
be
able
to
make
his
visit
to
Martha
,
and
perhaps
report
the
result
of
it
to
Mr.
Bell
,
before
he
slept
.
His
mind
had
too
much
on
which
to
employ
itself
for
him
to
feel
the
afternoon
a
long
one
:
an
orchard
close
behind
the
little
inn
,
afforded
him
shade
and
soft
turf
whereon
to
sit
or
lie
,
or
to
pace
backwards
and
forwards
,
with
unequal
steps
,
as
he
meditated
on
the
chances
for
and
against
his
ever
being
one
in
the
happy
,
thrice
happy
party
described
by
Miss
Brotherton
.
Nor
had
he
wearied
of
these
exciting
,
but
most
anxious
thoughts
,
when
the
moon
,
and
the
stars
,
and
the
heavy
dew
warned
him
at
length
that
the
day
was
gone
,
and
night
come
.
And
then
he
remembered
that
,
in
order
to
follow
Mr.
Bell
's
advice
,
he
must
prepare
himself
with
a
letter
to
Miss
Martha
,
which
it
would
be
necessary
to
write
before
he
went
to
bed
.
Fortunately
his
hotel
was
able
to
furnish
the
needful
implements
,
and
after
a
little
reflection
,
he
penned
the
following
note
:
"
A
poor
lad
,
to
whom
Miss
Martha
Dowling
once
showed
much
charitable
kindness
,
is
now
waiting
at
the
park-gates
,
to
know
if
he
may
pay
his
duty
to
her
.
He
takes
the
freedom
of
asking
for
this
favour
,
because
he
has
been
told
that
she
would
be
pleased
to
hear
he
was
alive
and
well
.
"
Having
directed
this
to
Miss
Martha
Dowling
,
and
sealed
it
in
the
best
manner
he
could
,
he
retired
to
his
little
bed
in
a
state
of
mind
that
hovered
between
inexpressible
felicity
,
and
anxiety
that
he
was
hardly
able
to
bear
.
He
was
afoot
in
time
to
hear
the
lark
's
first
overture
on
the
following
morning
:
and
his
spirits
,
cheered
by
the
bracing
influence
of
the
delicious
hour
,
and
by
the
sound
sleep
which
had
preceded
it
,
enabled
him
to
breakfast
on
a
slice
of
brown
bread
,
bespoken
the
night
before
,
and
laid
ready
for
him
,
with
a
draught
of
icy-cold
water
from
a
neighbouring
well
,
without
any
mixture
of
melancholy
,
though
he
thought
the
while
of
all
the
dangers
and
difficulties
he
might
have
to
encounter
ere
he
stood
beside
his
Edward
on
the
beautiful
terrace
to
which
his
dreams
had
transported
him
so
easily
.
Michael
was
a
stout
walker
,
and
had
reached
the
well-remembered
precincts
of
Dowling
Lodge
soon
after
the
earliest
servants
were
stirring
.
He
had
made
up
his
mind
to
be
the
bearer
of
his
own
letter
,
and
accordingly
,
having
shown
the
address
to
the
woman
at
the
lodge
as
a
reason
for
being
permitted
to
enter
,
he
approached
the
stately
mansion
by
the
road
which
led
to
the
offices
,
and
intrusting
his
epistle
to
the
first
female
he
encountered
,
requested
her
to
deliver
it
to
Miss
Martha
without
delay
.
"
Why
she
bea
n't
up
yet
,
"
said
the
girl
,
looking
at
him
,
however
,
with
the
good-humoured
smile
with
which
light-hearted
young
damsels
are
wont
to
greet
such
very
handsome
lads
as
our
Michael
.
"
But
perhaps
you
will
be
so
good
as
to
let
her
have
it
as
soon
as
she
is
awake
?
"
he
replied
,
returning
the
smile
.
"
Well
,
poor
thing
,
and
that
may
be
now
,
most
likely
,
"
returned
the
girl
,
"
for
her
cough
often
wakes
her
before
this
time
.
Will
you
wait
for
an
answer
?
"
"
I
wo
n't
trouble
the
servants
by
staying
here
,
"
replied
Michael
;
"
but
if
you
please
you
may
tell
the
young
lady
that
I
will
walk
up
and
down
the
road
till
she
can
let
me
have
it
.
Does
Miss
Martha
walk
out
early
in
the
mornings
,
as
she
used
to
do
?
"
he
added
.
"
That
's
just
what
she
likes
best
,
poor
thing
,
"
replied
the
girl
.
"
But
you
need
n't
be
afeard
that
she
's
gone
out
already
;
for
if
she
had
,
I
should
have
been
sure
to
have
seed
her
;
for
she
never
has
the
great
door
opened
for
her
at
this
time
of
day
,
for
fear
of
disturbing
my
lady
,
who
always
lies
unaccountable
late
.
"
"
And
does
Sir
Matthew
rise
early
now
?
"
demanded
Michael
with
some
anxiety
.
"
He
!
—
not
he
!
He
eats
and
sleeps
like
a
pig
,
they
say
;
but
he
is
grumpier
than
ever
he
was
,
both
to
men
and
maids
too
,
since
he
married
the
new
lady
.
I
wonder
as
I
never
happened
to
see
you
before
,
as
you
seem
to
know
'
em
all
so
well
.
"
"
It
is
several
years
since
I
was
last
here
,
"
returned
Michael
;
"
but
run
up
stairs
with
it
,
there
's
a
dear
girl
,
will
you
?
because
I
want
to
get
my
answer
and
be
off
.
"
"
You
had
better
stop
here
till
I
come
down
again
,
"
replied
his
good-natured
messenger
,
"
instead
of
walking
up
and
down
the
road
,
without
knowing
whether
there
's
an
answer
or
no
—
sit
down
in
the
kitchen
,
and
I
'll
be
back
in
no
time
.
"
And
into
the
kitchen
he
went
—
the
selfsame
kitchen
which
just
eight
years
before
had
been
the
scene
of
his
painful
examination
by
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
's
servants
.
'
He
remembered
the
room
perfectly
;
could
have
pointed
out
the
exact
spot
where
the
awful
housekeeper
sat
,
and
the
place
where
he
had
himself
stood
,
with
no
better
champion
to
sustain
his
courage
than
the
greasy
kitchen-maid
,
whose
pitying
broad
face
,
bent
over
him
,
he
recollected
as
perfectly
as
if
it
had
beamed
upon
him
but
the
day
before
.
He
was
still
deeply
revolving
these
interesting
reminiscences
,
and
the
strange
contrast
they
offered
to
his
present
hopes
,
when
his
envoy
returned
—
"
Miss
Martha
wants
to
know
your
name
,
young
man
,
"
she
said
,
"
but
she
is
getting
up
,
and
will
be
walking
in
the
park
as
usual
,
she
says
,
presently
,
so
it
is
likely
enough
that
she
will
give
you
the
answer
herself
.
"
"
Very
well
,
"
replied
Michael
,
perfectly
satisfied
—
"
good
morning
!
—
I
am
very
much
obliged
to
you
.
"
"
But
you
have
n't
told
me
your
name
,
and
Miss
Martha
says
that
she
should
like
to
know
it
.
"
"
My
name
is
n't
one
that
would
make
any
difference
,
"
he
replied
,
"
so
I
wo
n't
trouble
you
to
go
up
again
about
that
—
good
bye
!
"
And
without
waiting
for
any
further
discussion
,
he
walked
off
,
exceedingly
well
pleased
at
having
arranged
the
wished
for
tête-à-tête
so
satisfactorily
.
The
noble
dimensions
of
the
park
enabled
Michael
to
select
a
space
amply
sufficient
for
his
promenade
which
was
neither
within
sight
of
the
mansion
nor
the
lodge
,
and
ere
he
had
made
many
turns
upon
it
,
he
perceived
the
lady
he
wished
to
see
,
approaching
him
.
He
could
not
doubt
that
it
was
Martha
,
for
at
that
hour
of
the
morning
none
other
was
at
all
likely
to
be
there
;
but
she
was
too
much
altered
for
him
to
recognise
her
in
any
degree
.
He
thought
she
was
taller
than
he
had
expected
to
see
her
,
but
at
any
rate
she
was
greatly
thinner
,
and
so
delicately
pale
,
that
her
appearance
was
rather
a
contrast
,
than
a
resemblance
to
what
he
had
expected
to
meet
.
She
was
already
near
him
when
he
turned
upon
the
path
,
and
met
her
.
He
stopped
,
took
off
his
hat
,
and
bowed
respectfully
.
"
You
are
Miss
Martha
Dowling
,
ma'am
?
"
he
said
interrogatively
.
"
Yes
,
"
replied
Martha
,
"
that
is
my
name
,
but
when
did
I
see
you
before
,
young
man
?
I
do
not
know
you
.
"
"
It
is
a
great
many
years
,
Miss
Martha
—
but
I
can
never
forget
your
kindness
.
"
The
pale
cheek
of
Martha
was
tinted
with
a
vivid
blush
,
as
she
exclaimed
,
"
If
it
were
possible
—
if
I
did
not
know
that
he
was
dead
—
But
this
is
nonsense
,
"
she
added
,
recovering
her
composure
.
"
I
quite
forget
your
person
,
young
man
,
"
she
continued
,
after
a
pause
:
"
But
if
I
have
ever
done
you
any
service
,
I
am
glad
of
it
.
Perhaps
if
you
tell
me
your
name
I
may
remember
the
circumstances
to
which
you
allude
.
"
"
Oh
!
Miss
Martha
!
"
replied
Michael
,
"
I
am
afraid
my
name
will
startle
you
,
and
therefore
I
do
not
like
to
speak
it
.
But
I
think
it
came
into
your
head
just
now
,
only
you
stopped
short
,
and
said
it
was
impossible
.
"
"
Can
it
be
Michael
Armstrong
that
I
see
?
"
demanded
Martha
,
in
an
agitated
voice
.
"
It
is
indeed
,
Miss
Martha
!
"
he
replied
.
"
It
is
Michael
Armstrong
,
come
back
to
thank
you
for
all
your
great
kindness
to
him
.
"
"
My
kindness
to
Michael
Armstrong
?
"
she
exclaimed
.
—
"
Alas
!
it
was
I
who
occasioned
all
his
sufferings
,
and
,
as
I
have
thought
for
many
years
,
his
death
.
How
is
it
you
have
been
saved
,
Michael
?
How
is
it
you
have
escaped
from
the
horrid
place
to
which
I
was
the
cause
of
your
being
sent
?
"
"
My
dear
Miss
Martha
!
"
returned
Michael
,
greatly
affected
by
her
look
of
ill-health
,
and
by
the
agitation
she
displayed
—
for
tears
were
trickling
fast
down
her
pale
cheeks
.
"
My
dear
Miss
Martha
,
"
he
said
,
"
I
know
,
if
nobody
else
does
,
the
kind
motive
that
you
had
for
every
word
you
spoke
—
and
was
it
not
I
myself
that
said
I
wanted
to
go
,
Miss
Martha
,
when
we
walked
together
from
here
,
down
to
poor
mother
's
house
?
Never
,
never
can
I
thank
you
enough
for
all
your
goodness
then
,
as
well
as
at
all
other
times
,
from
the
very
first
moment
that
ever
I
saw
you
?
"
"
Thank
God
!
"
cried
poor
Martha
,
fervently
clasping
her
hands
,
and
raising
her
eyes
to
heaven
,
"
you
know
not
,
Michael
,
what
a
load
you
have
taken
from
my
heart
!
I
have
for
years
lived
under
the
dreadful
weight
of
believing
myself
to
be
your
murderer
.
The
thought
has
haunted
me
by
night
,
and
rarely
quitted
me
by
day
.
And
my
poor
father
too
!
This
crime
at
least
he
has
not
to
answer
for
!
"
Michael
could
not
help
thinking
—
though
for
worlds
he
would
not
have
lessened
her
pious
satisfaction
by
uttering
the
thought
—
that
though
he
had
escaped
with
life
from
the
terrible
sufferings
to
which
he
had
been
exposed
,
he
owed
Sir
Matthew
but
little
gratitude
for
it
.
Fortunately
,
however
,
for
his
veracity
,
he
was
not
called
upon
to
answer
this
observation
,
for
Martha
immediately
added
.
"
Does
Miss
Brotherton
know
that
you
are
alive
,
Michael
?
"
"
No
,
Miss
Martha
,
she
does
not
,
"
he
replied
;
"
my
brother
Edward
is
living
with
her
in
some
place
abroad
,
and
till
yesterday
I
have
existed
in
the
dismal
belief
that
he
was
dead
,
and
that
I
had
not
a
single
relation
in
the
whole
world
.
"
"
And
where
are
you
living
,
Michael
?
What
is
your
home
now
?
And
how
did
you
escape
from
the
dismal
place
to
which
you
were
sent
as
an
apprentice
?
"
In
answer
to
this
,
Michael
related
,
as
briefly
as
he
could
contrive
to
do
it
,
all
that
had
happened
to
him
,
confessing
freely
that
he
had
run
away
,
and
that
he
supposed
he
was
liable
to
be
sent
back
again
to
work
out
his
time
,
if
Sir
Matthew
discovered
that
he
was
alive
,
and
if
it
were
his
pleasure
to
do
it
.
"
We
will
not
talk
of
any
thing
of
that
kind
,
Michael
,
"
said
Martha
,
a
bright
blush
again
visiting
her
cheek
.
"
It
would
not
be
prudent
,
certainly
,
for
you
to
make
yourself
known
here
—
and
I
particularly
desire
that
you
will
not
do
it
.
I
am
grateful
,
oh
!
most
grateful
,
for
your
coming
to
tell
me
that
the
dismal
news
of
your
death
was
not
true
,
but
now
that
you
have
set
my
heart
at
rest
on
that
score
,
do
not
come
here
again
,
Michael
—
Lady
Clarissa
is
very
particular
about
every
body
that
comes
to
the
house
—
and
—
in
short
—
though
I
shall
always
have
the
greatest
regard
for
you
,
Michael
—
I
would
a
great
deal
rather
that
you
did
not
come
to
Dowling
Lodge
again
.
"
Michael
perfectly
understood
,
though
it
was
evident
she
would
not
avow
it
,
that
poor
Martha
had
fears
for
his
safety
,
should
Sir
Matthew
discover
him
;
and
without
giving
her
the
slightest
reason
to
suppose
that
he
saw
this
,
he
assured
her
that
he
was
going
immediately
from
Ashleigh
without
any
intention
of
returning
to
it
.
Martha
then
looked
at
her
watch
,
and
seeing
that
there
was
still
above
an
hour
to
spare
before
the
usual
time
at
which
the
family
came
down
stairs
,
ventured
to
seat
herself
on
the
trunk
of
a
newly-felled
tree
,
while
she
questioned
the
youth
,
for
whom
she
still
felt
the
strongest
interest
,
as
to
what
his
projects
were
,
and
when
,
and
how
he
thought
of
leaving
England
to
join
his
brother
.
With
frank
and
touching
simplicity
,
Michael
entered
freely
into
all
his
harassing
doubts
and
difficulties
—
confessed
that
he
had
not
a
shilling
in
the
world
that
he
could
call
his
own
,
and
,
worse
still
,
that
he
could
not
help
feeling
a
strong
repugnance
to
throwing
himself
wholly
on
the
charity
of
Miss
Brotherton
,
for
no
other
reason
in
the
world
than
because
she
had
nobly
provided
for
his
brother
.
"
To
know
that
Edward
is
alive
,
and
not
endeavour
to
see
him
is
impossible
,
"
he
continued
.
"
But
I
would
fain
earn
money
enough
,
if
it
were
possible
,
to
enable
me
to
get
to
him
without
being
chargeable
to
her
,
and
once
within
reach
of
him
—
once
near
enough
to
his
dwelling-place
to
know
that
we
need
never
be
many
days
asunder
,
I
should
not
fear
but
that
I
might
earn
my
living
,
without
being
indebted
to
charity
for
it
.
I
was
always
stronger
than
Edward
,
you
know
,
Miss
Martha
,
and
there
is
no
reason
because
he
lives
an
idle
life
,
dear
fellow
,
that
I
should
do
so
too
.
"
"
Michael
!
"
she
replied
,
her
whole
countenance
lighted
up
with
the
most
animated
expression
of
pleasure
,
"
my
dear
Michael
Armstrong
!
your
coming
here
is
certainly
the
greatest
blessing
that
Heaven
could
have
sent
me
.
I
cannot
tell
you
,
and
you
can
never
know
,
all
I
have
suffered
from
believing
you
were
dead
,
and
from
knowing
that
I
had
been
the
cause
of
great
and
terrible
suffering
to
you
.
And
that
,
too
,
wholly
owing
to
the
trust
which
you
,
and
your
poor
mother
reposed
in
me
!
May
you
never
,
my
dear
boy
,
know
what
it
is
to
have
a
conscience
burdened
as
mine
has
been
.
Be
very
sure
that
it
is
worse
than
any
thing
you
could
have
suffered
at
the
Deep
Valley
,
Michael
!
When
you
see
Mary
Brotherton
,
tell
her
that
I
owned
this
to
you
—
and
perhaps
she
may
think
,
at
last
,
that
she
judged
me
rather
more
harshly
than
I
deserved
.
"
"
If
she
judged
you
harshly
at
all
,
she
was
very
wrong
,
"
replied
Michael
,
warmly
.
"
People
should
know
,
before
they
judge
.
Nobody
who
really
knew
you
,
could
judge
you
harshly
.
"
"
I
had
rather
that
kind
sentence
came
from
your
lips
,
Michael
,
than
from
those
of
any
other
human
being
.
If
you
can
say
it
,
and
mean
it
too
,
as
I
am
sure
you
do
,
who
is
there
living
that
can
have
a
right
to
say
the
contrary
?
Yet
this
is
not
my
only
pleasure
—
I
happen
to
have
the
power
—
and
I
bless
my
poor
father
for
it
—
of
making
some
little
atonement
for
the
years
of
suffering
that
I
so
unwittingly
caused
you
.
From
the
day
we
were
each
of
us
fifteen
,
we
have
received
an
allowance
of
sixty
pounds
a
year
for
dress
,
and
though
I
really
never
wanted
one-half
so
much
as
my
sisters
,
my
father
,
who
has
ever
been
a
kind
father
to
me
,
has
always
insisted
upon
my
having
the
same
,
and
at
the
marriage
of
my
two
elder
sisters
,
he
gave
me
a
hundred
pounds
each
time
,
that
I
might
be
smart
.
But
I
have
no
taste
for
finery
,
Michael
,
it
always
made
me
melancholy
;
so
I
am
very
rich
—
I
really
do
not
know
how
rich
,
for
I
have
always
kept
on
laying
the
bank-notes
that
I
did
not
want
in
a
drawer
,
and
I
have
never
counted
them
.
Think
if
it
will
not
be
a
pleasure
for
me
now
to
open
that
drawer
,
and
give
you
all
that
is
in
it
?
Oh
!
with
what
different
feelings
shall
I
go
to
bed
to-night
from
any
I
have
felt
for
years
past
!
I
am
sure
there
must
be
enough
to
take
you
to
Italy
,
or
wherever
else
Miss
Brotherton
may
be
gone
,
and
to
set
you
up
in
some
little
business
into
the
bargain
.
Wait
here
only
ten
minutes
,
my
dear
Michael
,
and
I
will
return
with
my
treasure
—
a
real
treasure
now
,
and
for
the
first
time
that
I
ever
thought
it
so
!
"
Martha
had
risen
from
her
seat
as
she
spoke
,
and
literally
before
Michael
could
recover
from
his
atonishment
sufficiently
to
answer
her
,
she
was
already
at
some
distance
from
him
.
He
had
by
no
means
settled
to
his
satisfaction
the
question
of
whether
he
ought
,
or
ought
not
,
to
strip
the
generous
Martha
of
her
little
hoard
when
she
again
appeared
.
But
she
looked
hurried
and
out
of
breath
.
"
Make
haste
,
Michael
,
dear
Michael
!
"
she
said
,
with
much
agitation
.
"
For
pity
's
sake
let
me
not
be
again
plunged
in
all
the
misery
of
self-reproach
from
which
I
have
so
recently
escaped
.
Take
this
parcel
,
Michael
!
Nay
,
never
stay
to
count
them
!
My
father
has
left
his
room
—
may
have
inquired
for
me
—
and
even
now
be
following
me
.
Bless
you
,
Michael
!
Bless
you
!
Go
,
go
,
for
goodness
sake
,
and
leave
the
country
as
quickly
as
possible
.
"
With
these
words
she
turned
from
him
,
and
with
a
step
too
rapid
for
her
state
of
health
,
and
plainly
showing
her
extreme
anxiety
,
she
hastily
retreated
towards
the
house
.
Though
after
hearing
Mr.
Bell
's
decided
opinion
that
no
further
danger
was
to
be
feared
from
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
,
Michael
would
himself
have
felt
not
the
least
desire
to
run
away
from
him
,
yet
it
was
impossible
not
to
perceive
that
Martha
was
of
a
different
mind
,
and
that
for
some
reason
or
other
she
was
exceedingly
anxious
that
he
should
not
remain
near
Dowling
Lodge
,
or
,
in
other
words
,
within
her
father
's
reach
.
Whether
she
were
right
,
or
wrong
,
in
fancying
that
it
was
necessary
for
his
safety
that
he
should
keep
out
of
the
way
,
he
felt
that
it
would
be
cruel
to
oppose
her
;
and
with
the
unexamined
roll
of
bank-notes
thrust
into
his
coat-pocket
,
he
gave
but
one
farewell
look
at
the
retreating
drapery
of
poor
Martha
,
and
then
with
rapid
strides
,
and
thoughts
so
full
of
the
scene
which
had
just
passed
,
that
he
followed
the
right
path
rather
mechanically
than
from
judgment
,
he
set
off
upon
his
return
to
the
humble
lodging
he
had
secured
for
the
night
.
CHAPTER
XXX
.
MICHAEL
GROWS
RICH
,
AND
TAKES
A
VERY
DELIGHTFUL
WALK
BACK
TO
WESTMORLAND
—
HIS
PREPARATIONS
FOR
A
LONGER
JOURNEY
ARE
SUDDENLY
STOPPED
—
HE
MAKES
A
PAINFUL
VISIT
,
BUT
MEETS
MANY
OLD
ACQUAINTANCES
.
The
morning
's
walk
had
been
a
long
one
,
even
for
Michael
Armstrong
,
and
right
glad
was
he
to
find
himself
again
in
the
neatly-sanded
kitchen
of
his
little
inn
,
with
a
loaf
and
cheese
before
him
,
of
sufficient
dimensions
to
resist
any
attacks
he
could
make
upon
them
.
A
moderate
proportion
of
beer
,
in
addition
to
the
solid
meal
these
afforded
,
refreshed
him
so
effectually
that
he
determined
to
take
his
leave
of
Mr.
Bell
that
night
,
preparatory
to
setting
off
on
his
return
to
Westmorland
on
the
following
morning
,
in
order
to
bid
farewell
to
his
good
old
master
there
.
On
the
subject
of
Martha
's
bank-notes
he
meant
to
be
entirely
guided
by
the
advice
of
the
clergyman
,
being
equally
fearful
of
offending
,
or
rather
of
paining
their
generous
owner
by
refusing
to
accept
them
,
or
of
depriving
her
of
what
might
be
hereafter
useful
by
agreeing
to
do
so
.
"
I
have
seen
Miss
Martha
,
sir
!
"
were
his
first
words
on
entering
Mr.
Bell
's
parlour
,
and
both
look
and
accent
showed
that
the
interview
had
been
an
interesting
one
.
"
But
,
alas
!
she
is
greatly
altered
,
"
he
added
,
restraining
with
difficulty
the
tears
that
rose
to
his
eyes
.
"
I
fear
she
is
very
ill
;
—
but
she
was
glad
—
oh
!
so
glad
to
see
me
,
sir
!
She
has
been
fretting
,
poor
dear
young
lady
,
under
the
false
notion
that
she
had
been
to
blame
about
me
;
but
,
thank
Heaven
!
think
she
knows
better
now
,
and
perhaps
when
her
mind
is
at
ease
again
she
may
recover
health
.
I
ca
n't
bear
to
think
how
pale
and
thin
she
is
grown
,
and
all
about
me
,
to
whom
she
was
the
best
and
kindest
friend
that
ever
poor
boy
had
.
And
see
,
sir
,
what
she
has
done
now
!
"
continued
Michael
,
drawing
forth
the
roll
of
notes
from
his
pocket
.
"
Here
is
a
large
sum
of
money
,
I
believe
.
She
did
not
rightly
know
how
much
it
was
herself
,
she
told
me
,
because
she
had
kept
on
putting
by
what
she
did
not
want
,
and
had
never
counted
how
much
it
came
to
—
and
I
'm
sure
I
have
not
counted
it
either
;
but
whether
it
is
little
or
much
,
I
do
n't
feel
quite
certain
whether
I
ought
to
take
it
.
"
Mr.
Bell
smiled
at
the
unusual
manner
in
which
the
rich-looking
,
but
carelessly-packed
roll
of
paper
had
passed
from
one
hand
to
the
other
.
Before
he
examined
the
contents
he
questioned
Michael
as
to
all
that
the
generous-hearted
girl
had
said
to
him
,
on
bestowing
it
,
and
the
young
man
's
faithful
answers
soon
convinced
him
that
there
would
be
little
kindness
to
the
self-reproaching
Martha
in
refusing
a
donation
which
she
evidently
considered
as
an
atonement
,
and
which
would
,
he
doubted
not
,
by
its
application
to
Michael
's
necessities
,
do
more
towards
healing
her
wounded
mind
than
any
other
thing
whatever
.
"
You
must
not
refuse
the
gift
,
Michael
,
"
said
Mr.
Bell
,
after
hearing
his
narrative
to
the
end
.
"
I
do
not
wonder
,
little
as
she
has
been
to
blame
in
the
matter
,
at
her
having
suffered
greatly
for
all
that
she
innocently
made
you
suffer
;
nor
am
I
at
all
surprised
,
since
it
was
in
her
power
to
do
so
,
that
she
should
wish
to
make
you
this
atonement
.
It
comes
at
a
lucky
moment
,
my
dear
boy
,
for
not
only
will
it
enable
you
to
present
yourself
before
Miss
Brotherton
,
without
throwing
yourself
,
as
you
said
yesterday
,
upon
her
charity
,
but
I
suspect
it
may
go
far
in
assisting
your
hopes
of
entering
into
some
business
,
which
may
enable
you
to
support
yourself
.
"
Mr.
Bell
then
opened
the
bundle
of
notes
,
and
found
that
they
amounted
to
rather
more
than
five
hundred
pounds
;
a
sum
which
,
to
Michael
,
appeared
so
enormous
that
he
uttered
something
like
a
remonstrance
against
the
opinion
which
advised
his
appropriating
the
whole
.
"
Did
you
not
tell
me
,
sir
,
"
he
said
,
"
that
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
's
affairs
were
not
considered
to
be
in
so
flourishing
a
state
as
they
had
been
?
And
may
not
this
money
be
wanted
by
Miss
Martha
in
case
he
should
really
become
involved
in
difficulties
?
"
"
I
think
there
is
no
danger
of
her
wanting
it
,
Michael
,
"
returned
Mr.
Bell
.
"
Let
what
will
happen
,
I
have
no
doubt
that
Sir
Matthew
will
be
able
to
secure
sufficient
from
the
relics
of
his
enormous
wealth
to
maintain
his
family
in
easy
circumstances
.
A
sum
like
this
,
my
dear
boy
,
is
but
a
drop
in
such
an
ocean
.
"
Michael
resisted
no
longer
,
and
this
point
being
settled
,
his
plan
of
operations
was
soon
arranged
.
In
deference
to
Martha
's
fears
for
his
safety
,
he
decided
not
to
visit
his
good
friend
Richard
Smithson
,
at
Milford
,
Mr.
Bell
undertaking
to
settle
the
matter
of
the
loan
,
and
moreover
to
convey
to
the
kind-hearted
man
the
assurances
of
Michael
's
well-doing
,
of
his
gratitude
,
and
hearty
good
wishes
.
The
letter
from
the
travellers
,
which
was
to
settle
the
happy
Michael
's
road
,
would
probably
arrive
within
a
week
or
two
,
and
Mr.
Bell
recommended
that
,
having
paid
his
farewell
visit
to
Westmorland
he
should
return
to
Fairly
,
and
there
equip
himself
in
such
a
manner
as
would
be
suitable
for
presenting
himself
before
Miss
Brotherton
.
Mr.
Bell
agreed
to
take
the
custody
of
his
treasure
,
till
his
return
,
and
with
his
bundle
again
on
his
shoulder
,
and
five
pounds
in
his
pocket
,
Michael
set
off
to
walk
over
the
fells
and
moors
he
had
to
traverse
,
with
a
lightness
of
spirit
that
seemed
to
strew
the
deserts
with
flowers
,
and
made
every
blast
that
blew
upon
him
as
soft
and
sweet
as
the
gales
of
Araby
.
It
was
not
the
least
,
perhaps
,
of
his
pleasures
,
as
he
strode
sturdily
along
,
to
compare
his
present
walk
with
that
which
had
conducted
him
from
the
Deep
Valley
to
Ashleigh
,
four
years
before
.
The
suffering
,
the
terror
,
and
the
final
agony
of
that
expedition
could
not
come
over
his
mind
,
however
,
without
throwing
a
shade
over
his
gladness
;
but
it
chastened
without
obscuring
the
bright
combination
of
objects
that
glowed
in
the
prospect
before
him
;
and
,
altogether
,
it
would
be
difficult
to
find
any
walk
on
record
more
replete
with
enjoyment
than
this
of
Michael
to
the
humble
mountain-home
that
had
so
kindly
sheltered
him
.
It
was
with
a
very
flattering
mixture
of
joy
and
sorrow
that
the
good
statesman
and
his
family
accepted
Michael
's
farewell
,
and
listened
to
his
happy
hopes
;
and
it
was
amidst
blessings
and
hearty
good
wishes
that
once
again
he
sallied
forth
to
wend
his
way
for
the
last
time
over
the
mountains
,
and
bid
a
fond
and
lingering
adieu
to
his
beloved
lakes
and
tarns
.
He
felt
that
those
had
been
to
him
as
teachers
and
preachers
,
elevating
his
heart
and
imagination
,
and
preparing
him
,
more
effectually
perhaps
than
any
other
school
could
have
done
,
for
the
different
sphere
of
life
in
which
he
now
hoped
to
move
.
On
reaching
Fairly
,
he
found
that
a
letter
had
arrived
from
Miss
Brotherton
,
enclosing
one
to
Martha
Dowling
,
which
had
been
forwarded
immediately
;
and
which
,
by
what
the
kind-hearted
heiress
said
to
her
Fairly
friends
,
seemed
to
have
been
written
in
consequence
of
the
reports
which
had
reached
her
respecting
the
failing
fortunes
of
Sir
Matthew
.
Miss
Brotherton
was
at
Nice
,
where
it
was
her
purpose
to
remain
for
some
months
.
To
Nice
,
then
,
the
thrice
happy
Michael
prepared
to
go
;
a
respectable
wardrobe
,
and
all
other
necessary
equipments
were
easily
procured
in
the
neighbourhood
,
his
place
to
London
taken
,
and
all
things
ready
for
his
setting
off
,
save
that
he
still
expected
an
answer
to
a
very
cautiously-worded
epistle
which
he
had
ventured
to
address
to
Martha
,
informing
her
that
he
was
setting
off
for
Nice
,
and
that
any
letter
or
message
she
might
wish
to
convey
to
Miss
Brotherton
,
should
be
carefully
delivered
by
her
faithful
humble
servant
,
M
.
A
.
Michael
was
at
breakfast
with
his
kind
and
hospitable
friends
,
when
a
lad
,
bearing
great
marks
of
hasty
travelling
in
his
appearance
,
made
his
way
into
the
room
,
and
with
a
look
that
seemed
to
prophesy
eventful
tidings
,
if
he
were
but
asked
for
them
,
delivered
a
letter
to
Mr.
Bell
.
This
proved
,
however
,
to
be
only
a
blank
cover
,
enclosing
one
to
Michael
,
which
was
handed
to
him
,
while
the
eyes
of
his
host
and
hostess
fixed
themselves
with
some
anxiety
on
his
face
.
Michael
tore
open
the
despatch
,
and
changed
colour
as
he
read
it
.
Then
,
giving
an
intelligible
glance
at
the
messenger
who
ceased
not
to
wipe
his
forehead
with
one
arm
,
while
he
held
his
hat
squeezed
to
his
side
with
the
other
,
he
said
,
"
I
should
like
to
speak
to
you
about
this
,
Mr.
Bell
.
"
"
Go
into
the
kitchen
,
my
lad
,
"
said
the
clergyman
,
"
and
get
some
breakfast
.
You
shall
know
when
the
answer
is
ready
.
"
Though
evidently
disappointed
at
being
thus
dismissed
unquestioned
,
the
boy
consoled
himself
with
the
hope
of
a
kitchen
audience
,
and
making
his
reverence
,
retired
.
"
What
in
the
world
have
you
got
there
,
Michael
?
"
demanded
Mr.
Bell
.
"
Not
good
news
,
I
am
afraid
?
"
"
No
,
indeed
,
sir
,
"
replied
Michael
,
"
very
far
from
it
.
It
is
from
Miss
Martha
Dowling
,
who
seems
to
be
in
great
distress
.
"
"
Read
it
to
us
,
my
good
fellow
,
will
you
?
If
there
is
no
reason
to
the
contrary
.
"
"
What
is
written
here
,
sir
,
cannot
long
be
a
secret
from
any
body
.
This
is
what
she
says
:
"
'
Dear
Michael
!
"
'
Pray
come
to
me
at
Dowling
Lodge
directly
.
There
is
no
longer
any
danger
to
be
feared
from
my
poor
dear
father
,
for
he
is
very
,
very
ill
—
and
I
think
you
can
be
useful
to
me
,
which
I
am
sure
you
will
be
if
you
can
.
Alas
!
Michael
,
you
will
witness
a
dreadful
scene
!
My
poor
father
has
kept
every
thing
secret
to
the
very
last
;
meaning
,
I
am
sure
,
to
prepare
his
family
for
it
as
well
as
he
could
.
I
could
not
think
what
it
was
made
him
send
all
my
sisters
away
to
Arabella
and
Harriet
.
The
two
little
ones
,
indeed
,
as
well
as
the
three
youngest
boys
,
are
all
at
school
,
so
that
I
am
the
only
child
he
has
left
with
him
,
my
elder
brothers
being
all
away
in
their
different
professions
.
I
tell
you
all
this
now
,
Michael
,
because
I
shall
,
I
suppose
,
have
no
time
to
say
any
thing
but
on
necessary
business
when
you
come
here
.
Do
not
delay
,
I
am
sure
you
can
be
useful
to
me
.
"
'
In
great
sorrow
,
your
friend
,
"
'
Martha
Dowling
.
'
"
"
Poor
girl
!
This
is
sad
indeed
!
"
cried
Mr.
Bell
.
"
I
imagine
,
though
she
does
not
explain
herself
,
that
her
father
's
affairs
are
fallen
into
confusion
.
Yet
I
cannot
guess
what
you
can
do
for
her
.
However
,
you
must
go
immediately
of
course
;
and
you
had
better
hire
a
chaise
that
no
time
may
be
lost
.
And
I
would
advise
you
,
Michael
,
to
take
with
you
the
pocket-book
which
Mrs.
Bell
packed
up
for
you
so
carefully
last
night
.
I
fear
that
it
is
but
too
likely
your
prediction
will
be
fulfilled
already
,
and
that
the
poor
young
lady
may
be
glad
to
have
some
of
her
notes
returned
.
"
"
Thank
God
!
that
I
was
not
gone
,
"
replied
Michael
,
fervently
.
"
It
will
be
the
greatest
pleasure
of
my
life
,
if
I
can
be
useful
to
her
!
"
Little
time
was
lost
in
setting
off
;
and
certainly
much
before
his
arrival
had
been
hoped
for
by
Martha
,
Michael
,
who
left
his
postchaise
at
a
public-house
near
the
lodge
,
was
walking
towards
the
mansion
by
the
same
path
in
which
he
had
so
lately
parted
from
her
.
On
entering
the
kitchen
,
the
scene
which
met
his
eyes
,
explained
at
the
very
first
glance
the
nature
of
the
business
carrying
on
upon
the
premises
.
A
number
of
men
were
standing
about
,
some
few
occupied
in
sticking
slips
of
paper
inscribed
"
Lot
No.
—
,
"
upon
a
variety
of
articles
which
appeared
to
have
been
collected
there
for
the
purpose
.
Others
,
with
black
canvass
aprons
and
paper
caps
,
were
coming
and
going
with
no
very
apparent
purpose
;
while
another
set
,
with
cold
meat
and
beer-flagons
before
them
,
sat
round
a
small
table
in
a
corner
,
discoursing
upon
themes
which
appeared
to
occasion
them
much
merriment
.
But
among
all
these
,
there
was
not
one
that
looked
like
a
servant
of
the
house
;
and
taking
advantage
of
the
confusion
which
seemed
to
license
the
freedom
,
he
walked
on
without
speaking
to
any
of
them
,
and
determined
to
trust
to
his
memory
for
finding
the
small
morning-parlour
which
used
to
contain
all
poor
Martha
's
little
literary
personalties
,
and
in
which
all
his
reading
and
writing
lessons
had
been
received
.
Neither
his
recollection
nor
his
conjeture
deceived
him
;
he
found
the
apartment
he
sought
,
and
on
opening
the
door
,
discovered
Martha
sitting
there
.
But
she
was
not
,
as
he
had
hoped
to
find
her
,
alone
.
On
a
sofa
placed
opposite
the
windows
sat
a
figure
,
bolt
upright
in
the
middle
of
it
,
with
a
sofa-table
before
her
entirely
covered
with
trinkets
,
delicate
Sèvre
china
,
miniature
bronzes
,
and
other
valuable
nick-nacks
.
A
quantity
of
cotton-wool
lay
on
the
sofa
beside
her
,
and
her
long
lean
fingers
were
actively
employed
in
selecting
the
most
precious
articles
,
enveloping
them
in
the
wool
,
and
then
cramming
them
into
a
large
basket
that
stood
before
her
,
—
sometimes
selecting
one
,
either
smaller
or
more
precious
than
the
rest
,
and
thrusting
it
into
her
pocket
or
up
her
sleeve
.
A
large
Indian
screen
was
spread
before
the
door
,
which
induced
Michael
,
on
hearing
a
voice
that
certainly
was
not
that
of
his
friend
Martha
,
to
remain
unseen
long
enough
to
decide
whether
his
entrance
would
be
likely
to
occasion
her
any
embarrassment
.
"
I
tell
you
,
Martha
,
that
you
talk
like
a
fool
,
and
that
is
what
you
always
were
,
and
always
will
be
!
"
said
the
upright
lady
,
in
a
shrill
voice
,
but
in
a
tone
that
she
was
endeavouring
to
reduce
to
a
whisper
.
"
What
right
can
any
one
of
these
horrid
dirty
fellows
have
with
what
is
mine
,
i
should
like
to
know
?
I
am
not
going
to
be
made
bankrupt
,
or
sent
to
jail
,
or
have
my
property
seized
,
because
your
abominable
,
wicked
,
low-born
,
brutal
,
treacherous
,
false
father
,
has
been
found
out
,
and
is
going
to
be
treated
as
he
deserves
.
As
for
you
,
and
all
the
rest
of
your
family
,
there
is
nothing
to
be
said
or
done
,
I
suppose
,
but
to
submit
,
and
just
do
what
you
can
to
get
your
bread
.
With
such
blood
as
you
have
got
in
your
veins
,
there
will
be
no
great
harm
done
if
you
were
all
to
go
out
as
housemaids
and
footmen
.
The
thing
happens
among
low
people
continually
,
if
the
father
gets
into
distress
;
but
I
should
like
to
know
who
ever
heard
of
a
woman
of
quality
,
the
daughter
of
an
earl
,
being
treated
in
the
same
sort
of
unceremonious
way
?
"
"
But
indeed
,
Lady
Clarissa
,
it
will
be
a
great
deal
worse
for
my
father
,
if
it
is
found
out
that
his
wife
has
been
endeavouring
to
secrete
property
,
"
said
Martha
.
"
His
wife
,
indeed
!
A
pretty
sort
of
husband
he
has
made
me
,
has
n't
he
?
Having
my
noble
arms
painted
on
his
paltry
carriages
,
and
engraven
on
his
plate
,
not
a
single
ounce
of
which
had
been
twenty
years
in
his
possession
;
and
then
,
vulgar
wretch
!
insisting
upon
seeing
my
housekeeper
's
account
,
for
fear
I
should
save
any
thing
out
of
the
money
he
allowed
me
!
Pitiful
,
cheating
,
brutal
,
manufacturing
savage
!
But
thank
Heaven
!
my
slavery
is
at
an
end
!
—
To-morrow
will
see
me
many
a
good
mile
on
my
way
to
Scotland
!
The
monsters
say
I
may
take
my
clothes
and
my
money
—
and
my
clothes
and
my
money
I
will
take
,
I
promise
you
,
Miss
Martha
;
so
I
would
really
advise
you
to
go
and
collect
your
own
things
,
and
see
them
put
together
decently
.
You
may
be
able
to
sell
some
of
them
perhaps
,
which
might
be
very
useful
,
and
that
would
be
spending
your
time
much
more
profitably
,
and
decently
too
,
than
sitting
there
lecturing
me
upon
what
I
may
,
and
what
I
may
not
take
.
I
shall
take
every
thing
that
belongs
to
me
,
and
there
's
an
end
of
that
;
and
I
wish
to
my
heart
you
would
just
go
away
and
leave
me
in
peace
.
"
"
Did
I
not
know
,
Lady
Clarissa
,
that
my
father
would
suffer
for
it
,
"
said
Martha
rising
,
"
I
would
not
have
troubled
you
with
my
remonstrances
;
but
I
am
certain
that
you
are
now
occupied
in
abstracting
things
that
of
right
belong
to
my
poor
father
's
creditors
,
and
if
it
is
discovered
,
it
may
be
the
means
of
their
refusing
his
certificate
,
and
he
may
be
thrown
into
a
jail
for
life
.
"
"
And
where
could
he
be
better
,
Miss
Martha
?
I
am
sure
I
do
n't
know
.
My
belief
is
that
he
is
mad
,
or
going
to
be
mad
,
and
I
do
n't
see
but
a
jail
is
as
comfortable
as
a
mad-house
,
and
as
it
must
be
a
great
deal
cheaper
,
it
will
suit
his
circumstances
a
great
deal
better
.
I
wish
you
would
go
,
child
,
and
see
if
there
is
such
a
thing
in
the
house
as
a
basin
of
soup
for
my
luncheon
.
I
may
ring
and
ring
,
but
there
is
not
a
creature
that
will
answer
the
bell
now
.
"
Martha
made
no
reply
,
but
she
rose
from
her
chair
,
and
Michael
stepped
back
into
the
passage
,
that
she
might
not
meet
him
within
hearing
of
her
selfish
step-mother
.
"
You
are
come
,
then
!
"
exclaimed
the
poor
girl
,
on
catching
sight
of
him
.
"
This
is
very
kind
of
you
,
Michael
!
If
you
will
walk
this
way
with
me
—
there
is
nobody
in
the
great
drawing-room
now
—
I
will
explain
my
reasons
for
sending
for
you
.
"
Michael
followed
her
to
the
well-remembered
drawing-room
,
which
had
so
often
witnessed
the
display
of
Sir
Matthew
's
munificent
charity
,
by
showing
him
off
to
all
the
neighbourhood
.
The
recollection
was
very
hateful
to
him
,
yet
the
right-hearted
lad
felt
a
pang
as
he
accompanied
his
benefactress
into
this
greatly-altered
scene
of
former
splendour
.
The
whole
house
was
under
preparation
for
a
sale
by
auction
,
and
nothing
could
exceed
the
speaking
state
of
gilded
desolation
which
this
fine
room
exhibited
.
Never
mind
the
confusion
,
Michael
!
Just
step
over
these
curtains
—
we
can
sit
down
,
up
in
that
corner
of
the
room
—
take
care
of
the
mirrors
,
my
dear
boy
!
Surely
they
have
thrown
these
costly
things
about
more
heedlessly
than
was
necessary
!
"
said
poor
Martha
,
as
she
led
the
way
rather
over
,
then
through
the
scattered
mass
of
splendid
furniture
with
which
the
room
was
strewed
.
"
It
is
strange
,
Michael
,
"
she
resumed
,
as
soon
as
they
had
seated
themselves
in
a
clear
space
of
six
feet
wide
,
where
two
chairs
were
standing
near
one
of
the
windows
,
—
"
it
is
strange
,
most
strange
,
that
you
should
be
the
only
person
that
I
could
think
of
to
assist
my
poor
father
in
his
misery
!
You
who
have
suffered
so
severely
from
—
from
his
displeasure
.
But
I
found
out
,
Michael
,
that
you
had
a
kind
,
good
heart
,
when
you
used
to
talk
to
me
of
your
mother
and
poor
Teddy
.
It
was
that
which
made
me
take
notice
of
you
then
,
and
it
is
that
which
makes
me
ask
for
your
assistance
now
.
"
"
And
happy
and
thankful
shall
I
be
if
I
can
do
you
any
good
,
Miss
Martha
!
"
replied
Michael
,
eagerly
.
"
I
have
brought
back
the
notes
,
all
but
about
twelve
pounds
,
that
has
been
laid
out
for
me
.
It
is
a
very
large
sum
,
Miss
Martha
,
and
I
trust
it
will
be
useful
to
you
.
"
"
I
do
not
want
it
,
my
dear
boy
!
"
replied
Martha
,
smiling
through
her
tears
,
"
but
I
am
glad
to
find
that
I
was
not
mistaken
in
you
.
No
,
Michael
!
let
me
still
,
under
all
circumstances
,
have
the
unspeakable
comfort
of
believing
that
I
have
been
able
to
make
you
some
little
atonement
for
all
you
have
gone
through
from
my
ill-judged
and
ignorant
advice
.
You
would
make
no
difficulty
about
keeping
what
has
been
accumulated
out
of
my
hatred
of
silks
and
satins
,
Michael
,
if
you
could
guess
the
extraordinary
good
it
has
done
me
to
know
that
you
are
alive
and
well
,
and
less
destitute
than
you
would
have
been
,
had
you
never
seen
me
.
I
thought
I
was
dying
,
Michael
,
before
your
little
note
reached
me
;
but
now
,
strange
to
say
,
spite
of
all
the
calamities
which
have
fallen
upon
my
family
since
,
I
feel
as
if
I
might
still
live
long
enough
to
be
useful
to
my
poor
father
.
Alas
!
Michael
,
his
condition
is
very
dreadful
!
For
some
months
past
,
I
have
perceived
a
great
alteration
in
him
.
His
memory
ha
failed
him
,
and
at
times
his
temper
has
been
so
variable
that
I
have
seen
him
violently
angry
,
and
very
intemperate
in
his
language
,
one
minute
,
and
enduring
the
insolence
of
Lady
Clarissa
,
with
the
meekness
of
a
child
,
the
next
.
And
now
—
In
short
,
Michael
,
I
greatly
fear
that
his
reason
is
shaken
by
the
misfortunes
that
have
fallen
upon
him
.
He
has
kept
all
his
commercial
disasters
so
completely
to
himself
,
that
not
even
his
most
confidential
agents
were
at
all
aware
of
their
extent
;
and
I
therefore
hope
that
if
I
can
contrive
to
remove
him
from
this
melancholy
scene
,
his
mind
will
be
relieved
by
felling
that
the
worst
is
over
,
and
that
I
may
have
the
exceeding
happiness
of
seeing
him
restored
to
reason
and
to
health
.
"
"
And
in
what
way
then
can
I
be
useful
to
you
,
my
dear
Miss
Martha
?
I
dare
not
combat
your
will
,
but
it
seems
to
me
that
if
his
creditors
are
stripping
his
house
in
this
way
,
such
a
sum
as
you
have
put
into
my
hands
might
be
very
useful
to
him
,
"
said
Michael
.
"
And
so
it
would
,
certainly
,
my
good
friend
,
if
he
had
not
provided
for
the
exigences
of
this
terrible
moment
,
by
having
a
large
sum
of
ready
money
in
the
house
,
a
fact
which
he
has
confided
to
me
only
,
"
replied
Martha
.
"
His
marriage
with
Lady
Clarissa
,
"
she
continued
,
"
has
been
a
greater
misfortune
to
him
,
Michael
,
than
any
losses
