notthe
question
,
Sir
Matthew
,
asking
your
pardon
.
There
's
no
great
difficulty
in
finding
out
whether
they
are
in
a
real
faint
,
or
only
making
the
most
of
being
a
little
sickish
from
standing
,
and
want
of
air
.
That
's
not
the
difficulty
.
The
thing
is
to
know
,
when
they
really
take
to
the
downright
faintings
,
whether
they
are
likely
to
live
through
it
or
not
.
"
"
And
where
is
the
great
difficulty
of
that
?
You
know
Dr.
Crockley
would
come
at
a
moment
's
warning
at
any
time
,
and
feel
their
pulses
.
"
"
And
he
does
do
it
,
sir
.
But
,
in
the
first
place
,
I
doubt
if
any
man
can
justly
tell
whether
girls
are
likely
to
go
on
fainting
,
and
up
again
,
as
lots
and
lots
of
'
em
do
for
years
,
or
drop
down
and
die
,
as
Nancy
Stephens
did
.
That
's
one
thing
;
and
another
is
,
that
Dr.
Crockley
is
so
fond
of
a
joke
,
that
'
tis
rarely
one
knows
when
he
speaks
earnest
,
and
when
he
does
not
.
He
did
see
Nancy
Stephens
,
about
a
month
ago
,
and
all
he
said
was
,
'
she
do
look
a
little
pale
in
the
gills
,
to
be
sure
,
but
a
dance
would
cure
her
,
I
have
no
doubt
.
'
A
dance
!
says
I
,
doctor
.
And
please
to
tell
me
,
says
I
,
how
the
work
is
to
get
on
,
if
the
factory
boys
and
girls
sets
off
dancing
?
"
"
'
Maybe
you
have
n't
got
a
fiddle
?
'
"
said
he
.
"
Maybe
I
have
n't
,
"
said
I
.
"
'
Well
,
then
,
'
says
he
,
'
if
it
do
n't
suit
you
to
let
them
dance
to
the
fiddle
,
I
'll
bet
ten
to
one
you
'll
be
after
making
'
em
dance
to
the
strap
.
'
And
with
that
,
if
you
'll
believe
me
,
sir
,
he
set
off
capering
,
and
making
antics
,
just
as
if
there
had
been
somebody
behind
a-strapping
him
.
To
be
sure
,
it
was
fit
to
make
one
die
of
laughing
to
see
him
;
but
that
's
not
the
way
you
know
,
sir
,
to
do
one
any
good
as
to
finding
out
the
real
condition
of
the
people
.
"
Sir
Mathew
could
not
resist
a
hearty
laugh
at
this
characteristic
trait
of
his
friend
,
but
he
concluded
by
acknowledging
that
Parsons
was
quite
right
in
saying
that
this
way
of
doing
business
was
more
agreeable
than
useful
.
"
However
,
Parsons
,
"
he
continued
,
"
we
must
not
talk
about
that
now
,
for
I
have
something
else
to
say
to
you
.
It
is
quite
plain
that
they
are
getting
again
to
their
grumblings
;
and
Crockley
,
who
you
know
is
up
to
every
thing
,
says
that
he
'll
bet
his
life
they
have
got
some
new
mischief
into
their
cursed
heads
.
Now
this
must
be
prevented
,
Parsons
,
some
way
or
other
;
for
any
harm
they
can
do
the
machinery
,
is
not
the
worst
of
it
.
—
'
Tis
the
rousing
up
people
's
attention
again
,
Parsons
,
there
's
the
danger
.
—
Just
see
what
they
've
done
about
the
blackamoor
slaves
,
by
going
on
boring
for
everlasting
,
ding-dong
,
ding-dong
,
till
they
actually
got
the
thing
done
at
last
.
Now
the
Philadelphy
people
and
the
Boston
people
are
just
playing
the
very
same
game
t'other
side
the
water
;
and
when
they
have
got
their
way
,
where
will
their
national
wealth
be
I
should
like
to
know
?
—
And
where
will
our
national
wealth
be
,
when
these
rascals
have
contrived
to
stop
the
mills
instead
of
working
them
?
"
"
Lord
have
mercy
upon
us
!
Sir
Matthew
;
—
if
you
do
n't
make
me
creep
all
over
to
hear
you
!
"
exclaimed
Parsons
.
"
'
Tis
a
pity
,
sir
,
and
often
's
the
time
I
have
said
it
,
that
you
ar
n't
in
parliament
yourself
—
you
'd
pretty
soon
show
'
em
what
their
meddling
with
factories
would
do
for
the
country
.
"
"
'
Tis
likely
I
might
,
Parsons
;
but
a
man
ca
n't
be
in
two
places
at
once
—
and
depend
upon
it
,
there
's
good
to
be
done
here
,
if
we
knew
how
to
set
about
it
.
I
shall
make
you
stare
,
perhaps
,
Mr.
Parsons
,
when
I
tell
you
what
I
am
about
now
.
It
came
into
my
head
by
accident
at
first
;
but
if
I
do
n't
greatly
mistake
,
I
'll
make
a
capital
thing
of
it
before
I
have
done
.
"
"
There
's
no
doubt
of
that
,
Sir
Matthew
,
if
you
sets
your
mind
to
it
,
let
it
be
what
it
will
,
"
replied
the
confidential
overlooker
;
"
and
if
it
is
n't
a
secret
,
sir
,
I
should
like
uncommon
much
to
hear
it
.
"
"
No
,
it
's
no
secret
,
Parsons
—
any
thing
in
the
world
but
that
,
"
replied
Sir
Matthew
,
laughing
.
"
What
should
you
say
now
,
Mr.
Superintendent
,
to
my
taking
a
dirty
little
dog
of
a
piecer
out
of
the
factory
into
my
own
house
,
and
dressing
him
,
and
feeding
him
,
and
lodging
him
,
all
for
the
love
of
pure
benevolence
,
and
little
boys
?
"
"
I
do
n't
quite
understand
you
,
sir
,
"
replied
Mr.
Joseph
Parsons
,
looking
very
grave
.
"
No
,
I
dare
say
you
do
n't
.
But
I
think
I
do
,
Parsons
,
and
that
's
more
to
the
purpose
.
Trust
me
,
man
,
it
will
do
good
if
it
's
only
by
giving
the
people
something
to
talk
of
just
now
,
besides
this
confounded
girl
's
death
.
And
now
,
my
good
fellow
,
tell
me
all
you
know
of
a
boy
called
Michael
Armstrong
,
for
he
you
must
understand
,
is
the
hero
of
my
tale
.
"
"
That
's
the
boy
,
is
it
?
—
Then
that
's
why
the
chap
did
n't
come
to
work
this
morning
,
"
replied
Mr.
Parsons
;
"
I
knows
him
well
enough
,
Sir
Matthew
,
in
course
;
for
he
's
going
on
for
eight
or
nine
,
and
he
comed
to
the
factory
just
about
five
.
"
"
And
what
sort
of
a
boy
is
he
,
Parsons
?
"
"
Nothing
very
particular
,
Sir
Matthew
,
unless
it
is
because
of
the
unaccountable
fuss
he
makes
about
his
elder
brother
,
who
is
but
a
poor
rickety
,
shriveldy
sort
of
a
child
.
For
some
reason
or
other
,
his
bones
never
seemed
to
come
rightly
straight
,
and
this
Mike
makes
as
great
a
fuss
about
him
,
as
if
he
was
his
grandmother
.
"
"
Are
the
parents
living
?
"
inquired
Sir
Matthew
.
"
The
mother
is
.
She
is
a
bedridden
woman
,
and
ought
to
be
in
the
workhouse
;
but
she
's
upish
,
and
ca
n't
abide
it
,
and
so
she
lies
abed
,
doing
plain
work
and
that
,
and
the
two
boys
'
wages
maintains
'
em
.
But
I
did
hear
t'other
day
,
she
had
given
in
,
and
was
a
begging
to
go
into
the
house
,
and
take
the
eldest
boy
with
her
.
These
creturs
never
know
what
they
would
be
at
.
I
suspect
,
howsomever
,
that
she
has
got
hold
of
a
notion
,
that
because
he
's
so
cripply
,
he
beant
to
work
no
more
;
but
I
shall
take
care
to
see
Butchel
,
the
parish-overseer
,
about
it
.
It
is
altogether
a
trick
that
,
what
wo
n't
answer
—
his
fingers
is
just
as
able
to
handle
the
reels
,
and
piece
the
threads
as
ever
they
was
;
and
in
course
,
a
little
dwarf
like
him
,
with
his
legs
like
crooked
drumsticks
,
ca
n't
look
for
any
but
the
youngest
wages
;
so
after
all
,
he
's
one
of
them
as
answers
best
.
"
"
No
!
Parsons
,
no
!
ejaculated
Sir
Matthew
with
sudden
energy
.
That
woman
must
not
go
into
the
workhouse
.
The
whole
thing
shall
be
got
up
,
I
tell
you
,
in
the
best
possible
style
.
What
d'ye
say
now
to
getting
the
woman
arrested
for
debt
?
—
or
having
all
her
things
sold
?
—
and
we
just
stepping
in
at
the
very
nick
of
time
,
to
save
her
from
destruction
!
"
There
was
something
so
truly
comic
in
the
expression
of
the
knight
's
countenance
,
as
he
said
this
,
that
even
the
saturnine
Mr.
Parsons
could
not
help
laughing
.
"
If
the
born
devils
do
n't
sing
your
praises
through
the
country
,
sir
,
"
said
he
,
as
soon
as
he
had
recovered
his
gravity
,
"
why
we
must
find
some
other
way
to
go
to
work
with
them
.
"
"
Now
then
be
off
,
Parsons
,
and
contrive
some
clever
scheme
or
other
to
throw
the
unhappy
family
into
a
quandary
.
"
"
I
understand
,
sir
,
"
said
Parsons
,
nodding
his
head
,
and
so
parted
the
master
and
the
man
.
CHAPTER
IV
.
A
LITTLE
COTTAGE
GOSSIP
—
A
VISIT
OF
CHARITY
—
PRACTICAL
BENEVOLENCE
.
The
promptitude
of
the
measures
taken
by
Mr.
Joseph
Parsons
,
to
bring
to
effect
the
wishes
of
his
master
,
showed
him
to
be
deserving
the
post
of
confidence
he
held
,
as
principal
superintendent
of
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
's
factory
.
He
lost
not
a
moment
in
obtaining
a
short
interview
with
one
of
the
parish-officers
,
who
was
his
particular
friend
,
and
then
made
his
way
to
Hoxley-lane
,
with
the
intention
of
questioning
the
widowed
mother
of
the
two
Armstrongs
,
as
to
the
situation
of
her
affairs
,
and
the
particular
species
of
misery
from
which
she
might
,
at
that
precise
moment
,
be
suffering
the
most
.
The
statement
pronounced
in
Sir
Matthew
's
kitchen
respecting
the
general
eligibility
of
Hoxley-lane
as
a
place
of
residence
,
was
perfectly
correct
.
It
was
the
most
deplorable
hole
in
the
parish
—
a
narrow
,
deep-rutted
parish-road
(
too
hopelessly
bad
to
be
indicted
)
,
led
from
the
turnpike
down
a
steep
hill
to
the
town
of
Ashleigh
.
Exactly
at
the
bottom
of
the
hill
,
just
at
the
point
where
every
summer
storm
and
winter
torrent
deposited
their
gatherings
,
there
to
remain
and
be
absorbed
as
they
might
,
began
a
long
,
closely-packed
double
row
of
miserable
dwellings
,
crowded
to
excess
by
the
population
drawn
together
by
the
neighbouring
factories
.
There
was
a
squalid
,
untrimmed
look
about
them
all
,
that
spoke
fully
as
much
of
want
of
care
,
as
of
want
of
cash
in
the
unthrifty
tribe
who
dwelt
there
.
It
was
like
the
moral
delinquencies
of
a
corporate
body
,
of
which
no
man
is
ashamed
,
because
no
man
can
be
pointed
at
as
the
guilty
ONE
.
It
was
not
the
business
of
No.
1
to
look
after
the
filth
accumulated
in
front
of
No.
2
;
and
the
inhabitants
of
No.
3
,
saw
no
use
in
mending
the
gate
that
swung
on
one
hinge
,
because
No.
4
had
no
gate
at
all
;
and
the
dogs
and
the
pigs
who
made
good
their
entry
there
,
of
course
found
their
way
easy
enough
through
the
make-believe
hedge
,
which
throughout
the
row
divided
one
tenement
from
another
.
The
very
vilest
rags
were
hanging
before
most
of
the
doors
,
as
demonstration
that
washing
of
garments
was
occasionally
resorted
to
within
.
Crawling
infants
,
half-starved
cats
,
mangy
curs
,
and
fowls
that
looked
as
if
each
particular
feather
had
been
used
as
a
scavenger
's
broom
,
shared
the
dust
and
the
sunshine
between
them
,
while
an
odour
,
which
seemed
compounded
of
a
multitude
of
villanous
smells
,
all
reeking
together
into
one
,
floated
over
them
,
driving
the
pure
untainted
air
of
heaven
aloft
,
far
beyond
the
reach
of
any
human
lungs
abiding
in
Hoxley-lane
.
"
Where
does
widow
Armstrong
live
?
"
demanded
Mr.
Parsons
of
a
woman
who
was
whipping
a
child
for
tumbling
in
the
dunghill
before
No.
5.
"
In
the
back
kitchen
of
No.
12
,
please
your
honour
,
"
replied
the
woman
,
making
a
low
reverence
to
the
well-known
superintendent
.
"
No.
12
!
—
why
that
's
Sykes
's
tenement
—
and
they
're
on
the
ground-floor
themselves
.
"
"
Yes
,
please
your
honour
;
but
since
the
rents
have
been
raised
by
Sir
Matthew
,
the
Sykes
's
have
been
obliged
to
let
off
the
back-kitchen
,
and
live
in
the
front
one
.
"
"
Why
there
's
a
matter
of
a
dozen
of
'
em
,
is
n't
there
?
"
"
Yes
,
your
honour
,
they
lies
terrible
close
.
"
"
Obstinate
dolt-heads
!
—
That
's
just
because
they
pretend
to
fancy
that
it
is
not
good
for
the
small
children
to
work
—
I
know
,
for
certain
,
that
they
have
got
two
above
five
years
,
that
they
wo
n't
send
to
the
factory
;
and
then
they
have
the
outdaciousness
to
complain
that
the
rents
are
raised
—
as
if
because
they
are
above
choosing
to
earn
money
in
an
honest
way
,
Sir
Matthew
was
not
to
make
what
he
could
of
his
own
.
'
Tis
disgusting
to
see
such
airs
,
where
people
ought
to
be
thankful
and
happy
to
get
work
.
"
"
That
's
quite
true
,
no
doubt
,
sir
,
"
answered
the
woman
,
continuing
to
shake
,
and
occasionally
to
slap
the
grub
of
a
child
she
had
taken
off
the
dunghill
.
"
But
Robert
Sykes
's
children
are
very
weakly
;
and
them
as
your
honour
talks
of
,
is
almost
too
small
—
though
'
tis
n't
to
be
doubted
that
it
is
the
bounden
duty
of
us
all
to
send
'
em
,
sooner
than
see
'
em
starve
.
"
"
I
fancy
so
,
indeed
,
"
replied
Mr.
Parsons
;
adding
,
with
a
finger
pointed
at
the
squalling
child
,
who
still
continued
under
the
cleansing
process
above
described
,
"
And
is
n't
it
a
comfort
now
,
Mrs.
Miller
,
to
get
rid
of
the
plague
of
'
em
?
"
The
woman
ceased
to
shake
her
little
boy
,
and
looking
for
a
moment
at
the
clear
blue
eyes
that
,
notwithstanding
her
rough
discipline
,
were
very
lovingly
turned
up
to
her
face
—
something
like
a
shudder
passed
over
her
.
"
Get
along
in
with
you
,
Bill
,
"
said
she
,
as
if
afraid
that
the
blighting
glance
of
the
superintendent
should
rest
upon
him
;
and
then
added
,
"
as
long
as
they
be
so
very
small
,
your
honour
,
they
ca
n't
do
no
good
if
they
be
sent
.
"
"
Stuff
and
nonsense
!
there
's
ways
to
teach
'
em
.
But
do
n't
fancy
that
I
want
you
to
send
your
brats
—
confound
'
em
!
They
're
the
greatest
plagues
in
natur
;
and
nothing
on
God
's
earth
but
good-heartedness
and
love
of
his
country
would
ever
make
Sir
Matthew
,
for
one
,
trouble
himself
or
his
men
with
any
of
the
creturs
.
—
No.
12
,
is
it
,
where
I
shall
find
the
widow
Armstrong
?
"
"
Yes
,
please
your
honour
—
you
'll
be
sure
to
find
her
.
She
's
a
cripple
pour
soul
,
and
ca
n't
stir
.
"
"
She
's
made
up
her
mind
to
go
into
the
workhouse
,
has
n't
she
?
"
demanded
the
manager
.
"
Have
she
indeed
,
poor
thing
?
"
responded
the
woman
,
in
an
accent
of
compassion
.
"
I
heard
so
,
as
I
come
along
,
and
that
's
the
reason
I
'm
going
to
her
.
Our
good
Sir
Matthew
,
who
to
be
sure
is
the
kindest-hearted
man
in
the
whole
world
,
has
taken
a
fancy
to
her
boy
,
and
he
'll
be
a
father
to
him
,
I
'll
be
bound
to
say
he
will
;
and
that
's
why
I
think
he
'd
like
me
to
give
her
a
call
,
just
to
tell
her
not
to
fret
herself
about
the
workhouse
.
If
she
do
n't
like
going
there
,
she
need
n't
,
I
dare
say
,
with
such
a
good
friend
as
she
's
got
.
"
The
woman
stared
at
him
with
an
air
of
such
genuine
astonishment
,
that
the
superintendent
felt
disconcerted
,
and
turning
abruptly
away
,
continued
his
progress
down
the
lane
.
By
the
time
he
had
reached
No.
12
,
however
,
he
had
begun
to
doubt
whether
his
sudden
appearance
at
the
bedside
of
the
widow
Armstrong
might
not
produce
an
effect
unfavourable
to
the
object
he
had
in
view
.
"
As
sure
as
steam
's
steam
,
"
thought
he
,
"
she
'll
be
more
inclined
to
fancy
that
I
am
come
scolding
about
the
boys
for
something
,
than
to
take
her
part
,
or
do
her
pleasure
;
so
I
'll
just
say
a
civil
word
to
the
Sykeses
,
and
then
stroll
away
on
,
till
such
time
as
the
parish
officers
have
been
after
her
.
I
'll
engage
for
it
,
that
Sam
Butchel
wo
n't
let
no
grass
grow
under
his
feet
after
what
I
said
to
him
;
and
if
I
turn
in
when
he
's
there
,
as
if
to
see
what
was
going
on
,
it
would
certainly
be
more
natural-like
,
and
believable
.
"
In
accordance
with
this
improved
projet
de
charité
,
Mr.
Joseph
Parsons
walked
on
;
but
he
had
not
proceeded
far
ere
,
on
turning
his
head
round
to
reconnoitre
,
he
perceived
,
not
the
tall
and
burly
Sam
Butchel
,
the
overseer
of
the
parish
,
but
the
lean
and
lathy
person
of
little
Michael
,
advancing
with
an
eager
and
rapid
step
towards
his
mother
's
dwelling
.
"
Soh
!
"
ejaculated
the
sagacious
Parsons
,
"
here
comes
the
charity
job
!
It
would
be
worth
a
week
's
wages
to
hear
him
tell
his
own
story
.
"
Mr.
Joseph
Parsons
had
a
Napoleon-like
promptitude
of
action
,
which
the
unlearned
operatives
described
by
calling
him
"
a
word-and-a-blow
man
,
"
but
which
in
reality
often
deserved
the
higher
epithet
above
bestowed
.
Scarcely
had
the
thought
of
overhearing
little
Michael
's
tale
suggested
itself
,
ere
a
sidelong
movement
ensconced
him
for
a
moment
behind
a
favouring
pig-sty
,
from
whence
,
unseen
,
he
watched
the
boy
enter
the
door
of
No.
12.
Again
Napoleon-like
,
he
remembered
all
he
had
heard
from
her
neighbour
,
concerning
the
position
of
the
widow
's
dwelling-place
;
and
rightly
judging
that
Sykes
's
back-kitchen
must
,
in
some
way
or
other
,
be
in
a
condition
to
favour
the
emission
of
sound
,
he
troubled
not
the
household
by
making
his
approaches
through
the
principal
entrance
,
but
striding
over
the
inefficient
fence
of
the
tiny
cabbage-plot
behind
,
obtained
a
station
as
favourable
to
his
purpose
,
as
he
could
possibly
desire
.
This
was
a
nook
between
a
protuberance
intended
for
an
oven
,
and
the
window
close
beside
the
widow
Armstrong
's
bed
,
from
whence
prophetic
fate
,
favouring
the
yet
latent
purpose
of
the
manager
,
had
caused
three
panes
to
be
extracted
by
a
volley
of
pebbles
,
intended
for
mother
Sykes
's
cat
,
at
least
two
months
before
.
To
this
safe
and
commodious
crouching-place
,
he
made
his
way
just
in
time
to
hear
the
widow
say
,
"
Understand
one
word
of
Edward
's
story
,
Mike
;
so
sit
down
dear
boy
,
and
tell
me
all
.
"
"
Why
mother
,
'
tis
like
a
story-book
—
and
it
's
very
fine
to
be
sure
—
but
yet
—
"
And
the
boy
stopped
short
.
"
But
yet
you
do
n't
like
it
,
Mike
?
"
rejoined
his
mother
.
"
That
's
what
you
was
going
to
say
.
Tell
the
truth
,
my
child
,
and
do
n't
go
to
keep
nothing
from
me
.
"
"
That
was
it
,
"
said
Mike
.
"
Ungrateful
viper
!
"
muttered
the
confidential
superintendent
between
his
closed
teeth
.
"
Poor
fellow
!
poor
dear
Michael
!
"
exclaimed
the
woman
,
soothingly
.
"
It
was
hard
to
go
to
sleep
without
kissing
mother
,
was
n't
it
?
"
"
Yes
,
I
did
n't
like
that
—
nor
I
did
n't
like
being
without
Teddy
neither
—
and
I
did
n't
like
the
grumpy
old
lady
as
comed
into
the
kitchen
,
and
abused
me
;
nor
the
gentlemen
servants
either
,
except
the
gardener
,
and
he
took
hold
of
my
hand
,
and
led
me
along
kind
enough
—
and
I
like
Molly
too
,
that
's
she
as
give
me
my
supper
and
my
bed
,
and
my
breakfast
this
morning
,
mother
.
Oh
,
mother
!
how
I
did
long
to
bring
away
some
of
the
milk
and
bread
and
butter
home
with
me
!
"
"
Never
think
of
such
a
thing
,
for
your
life
,
boy
!
"
exclaimed
the
mother
eagerly
.
"
It
would
be
thieving
,
nothing
else
,
Michael
—
nothing
more
nor
less
than
thieving
—
never
mention
that
again
to
me
,
dear
,
that
's
a
darling
.
"
"
I
wo
n't
,
mother
;
but
I
know
I
shall
think
of
it
every
time
I
see
them
big
pounds
of
butter
,
and
jugs
of
milk
,
and
minds
how
careful
you
be
over
your
little
scrimped
bit
in
the
broken
saucer
,
and
how
you
drinks
your
drop
of
tea
without
ever
having
any
milk
at
all
.
"
"
Never
you
mind
that
,
darling
.
But
what
are
they
going
to
do
with
you
,
Mike
?
And
what
for
do
they
want
to
have
you
up
at
the
great
house
?
'
Tis
a
mystery
to
me
,
and
thankful
as
we
ought
to
be
for
any
help
,
I
ca
n't
say
but
I
should
be
easier
in
my
mind
,
if
I
understood
something
about
it
.
"
"
Impertinent
hag
!
"
growled
the
surly
Parsons
from
his
lair
.
"
Does
she
think
they
are
going
to
trap
him
like
a
rabbit
,
for
the
sake
of
his
skin
?
"
"
But
,
mother
,
I
do
n't
understand
any
thing
about
it
myself
,
"
said
Michael
,
rather
dolefully
.
To
this
avowal
,
no
reply
was
made
for
some
minutes
;
upon
which
the
superintendent
grew
impatient
,
and
stretching
forward
his
neck
a
little
,
contrived
athwart
the
sheltering
branches
of
an
elder-bush
,
to
peep
through
the
broken
window
.
To
the
agent
of
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
's
benevolence
the
sight
that
presented
itself
was
really
revolting
;
though
there
may
be
others
who
would
have
been
affected
differently
by
it
.
Michael
had
flung
himself
across
the
bed
;
his
arms
were
thrown
round
his
mother
,
who
was
sitting
upright
with
some
piece
of
needlework
in
her
hands
,
and
his
dark
curls
set
off
in
strong
contrast
the
extreme
paleness
of
the
face
that
looked
down
upon
him
.
The
widow
Armstrong
was
still
rather
a
young
woman
,
and
would
still
have
been
a
very
lovely
one
,
had
not
sickness
and
poor
living
sharpened
the
delicate
features
,
and
destroyed
the
oval
outline
that
nature
had
made
perfect
.
Yet
she
had
quite
enough
of
beauty
left
to
detain
the
eye
;
and
such
a
history
of
patient
suffering
might
be
read
in
every
line
of
her
speaking
countenance
,
that
few
ever
looked
upon
her
harshly
.
Spite
of
her
extreme
poverty
too
,
she
was
clean
—
her
cap
was
clean
,
the
bedclothes
were
clean
,
and
the
pale
hands
too
,
looked
so
very
white
,
that
if
Mr.
Parsons
from
his
hiding-place
had
ventured
to
speak
any
opinion
concerning
her
,
he
would
certainly
have
given
utterance
to
a
strong
expression
of
indignation
,
at
the
abominable
air
of
delicacy
which
her
appearance
displayed
.
She
looked
as
if
she
were
struggling
with
some
painful
feeling
,
but
did
not
weep
,
though
her
boy
did
,
heartily
.
For
a
little
while
she
suffered
his
tears
to
flow
without
interruption
or
reproof
,
and
then
she
kissed
him
once
,
twice
,
thrice
.
"
There
now
,
Michael
,
"
she
said
,
looking
at
him
fondly
;
"
have
you
not
played
baby
long
enough
?
Stand
up
,
darling
,
and
listen
to
me
.
You
do
n't
seem
over-glad
,
Mike
,
of
this
great
change
,
and
if
you
did
,
perhaps
I
might
have
been
over-sorry
;
but
sorrow
would
be
sin
for
either
of
us
,
when
God
has
sent
us
help
.
'
Tis
you
that
be
the
heartiest
Mike
,
and
'
tis
you
that
want
food
the
most
,
growing
at
the
rate
you
do
,
and
heart-sore
have
I
been
at
meal-times
to
see
you
so
stinted
.
So
never
let
us
trouble
ourselves
any
more
about
the
reasons
for
your
getting
so
into
favour
,
but
just
thank
God
,
and
be
contented
.
"
"
But
mother
!
How
will
you
get
on
without
me
?
"
replied
Michael
,
shaking
his
head
;
"
I
am
sure
that
Teddy
ca
n't
make
your
bed
as
I
do
—
he
has
n't
the
strength
in
his
arms
.
And
who
's
to
fetch
water
?
'
Deed
and
'
deed
mother
,
you
'd
better
thank
Sir
Matthew
,
and
say
no
,
unless
he
'll
just
please
to
let
Teddy
go
instead
.
"
"
That
wo
n't
do
my
dear
child
,
in
any
way
.
'
Tis
I
must
watch
poor
Edward
.
Little
as
I
can
do
for
him
,
I
do
n't
think
he
'd
like
to
part
from
me
,
as
long
as
God
is
pleased
to
let
me
stay
.
"
"
That
's
true
mother
—
that
's
very
true
!
Teddy
would
break
his
heart
.
No
,
no
,
'
tis
n't
he
shall
be
parted
from
you
;
I
'll
show
him
how
to
make
the
bed
,
if
I
ca
n't
come
over
myself
;
but
perhaps
they
'll
let
me
,
mother
?
"
"
What
's
the
business
that
you
'll
have
to
do
,
Michael
?
"
inquired
the
widow
.
"
I
have
n't
been
told
of
any
business
yet
,
"
replied
the
boy
.
"
But
you
do
n't
expect
that
you
're
going
to
be
kept
for
nothing
,
dear
?
"
said
the
mother
,
smiling
.
"
'
Tis
n't
for
my
work
,
mother
;
'
tis
for
the
cow
,
"
replied
Michael
,
gravely
.
"
The
cow
,
child
?
What
is
it
you
and
Teddy
have
got
into
your
heads
about
a
cow
?
A
poor
starved
beast
,
he
says
it
was
,
that
would
n't
have
frightened
a
mouse
,
and
you
made
it
turn
round
,
Mike
—
that
's
all
I
can
make
out
.
But
he
must
be
mistaken
surely
.
What
was
it
you
did
about
the
cow
,
darling
?
"
At
this
question
,
the
boy
burst
into
a
hearty
fit
of
laughter
,
which
to
say
truth
,
offended
the
listening
ears
of
Mr.
Joseph
Parsons
,
still
more
than
his
weeping
had
done
.
"
I
'll
do
his
business
for
him
,
he
may
depend
upon
it
,
"
thought
he
.
"
If
master
must
have
a
charity
job
,
he
must
;
but
it
do
n't
follow
that
the
cretur
sha
n't
be
made
to
know
himself
just
as
well
as
if
he
was
in
the
factory
.
I
'll
be
your
overlooker
yet
,
master
Mike
.
"
Just
as
this
prophetic
sketching
of
the
future
had
made
itself
distinctly
visible
to
his
mind
's
eye
,
the
bodily
senses
of
the
agent
announced
to
him
that
the
tranquil
tête-à-tête
within
the
widow
's
chamber
was
disturbed
by
the
entrance
of
persons
,
whose
voice
and
step
announced
that
they
were
men
.
Mr.
Parsons
was
at
no
loss
to
guess
their
errand
.
"
Here
they
come
!
"
muttered
he
.
"
Now
we
'll
see
how
Master
Butchel
manages
his
job
.
"
We
be
commed
to
see
,
"
said
a
gruff
voice
within
the
widow
's
chamber
,
"
whether
or
no
you
be
commed
to
your
senses
,
Mrs.
Armstrong
.
"
"
Sir
?
"
said
the
trembling
woman
in
return
.
"
You
knows
well
enough
what
I
means
,
without
my
going
into
it
again
;
you
knows
well
enough
as
I
comes
to
talk
to
ye
about
the
house
again
.
We
've
had
Larkins
the
baker
,
coming
to
inquire
if
there
's
parish
pay
to
look
to
,
for
your
bill
,
Mrs.
Armstrong
—
and
I
have
told
him
,
NO
,
not
a
farthing
,
not
the
quarter
of
a
farthing
,
unless
you
'll
come
into
the
house
.
The
parish
have
gone
on
allowing
you
two
shilling
a
week
,
week
after
week
,
God
knows
how
long
—
'
tis
a
perfect
shame
and
imposition
,
and
the
board
says
they
wo
n't
do
it
no
longer
.
You
and
the
boys
too
may
come
in
if
you
will
,
that
's
one
thing
;
but
living
here
,
cramming
'
em
with
as
much
wheaten
bread
as
they
'll
eat
without
paying
for
it
,
is
another
,
and
it
's
what
no
honest
parish
do
n't
tolerate
.
I
'll
be
bound
to
say
now
,
as
you
have
brought
up
the
scamps
without
their
ever
knowing
the
taste
of
gruel
?
Tell
the
truth
,
did
you
ever
take
the
trouble
to
make
a
drop
of
gruel
for
'
em
?
"
"
As
long
as
I
had
my
legs
to
stand
upon
,
sir
,
I
never
minded
trouble
;
and
,
when
my
husband
was
living
,
we
did
a
deal
better
,
and
I
have
done
cooking
for
'
em
then
,
such
as
a
few
potatoes
and
a
cabbage
,
may
be
,
with
a
scrap
of
bacon
on
a
Sunday
;
but
,
from
the
hour
he
died
,
we
have
never
had
a
pot
upon
the
fire
.
"
"
That
's
what
'
tis
to
be
so
obstinate
.
If
you
'd
come
into
the
house
you
'd
see
the
pot
upon
the
fire
all
day
long
,
a'most
.
"
"
But
the
children
would
be
in
one
room
,
after
they
came
from
the
factory
,
and
I
should
be
in
another
,
"
pleaded
the
widow
,
"
and
I
've
got
a
few
of
the
decent
things
as
I
married
with
,
when
I
came
from
service
,
and
it
would
be
a
grief
to
me
to
see
'
em
all
sold
.
"
"
If
the
parish
do
n't
sell
'
em
,
Larkins
the
baker
will
,
you
may
take
my
word
for
that
,
Mrs.
Armstrong
,
"
replied
the
overseer
.
"
However
,
'
tis
your
business
,
not
mine
.
Here
's
a
decent
,
respectable
man
,
as
is
ready
to
take
all
you
've
got
at
a
valiation
,
fair
and
honourable
,
but
that
's
just
as
you
please
.
I
only
called
,
as
in
duty
bound
,
to
tell
ye
that
the
parish
do
n't
mean
to
continy
no
such
extravagance
as
paying
you
two
shilling
a
week
,
no
longer
.
"
"
God
help
me
!
"
answered
the
widow
gently
.
"
If
'
tis
his
will
that
so
it
should
be
,
it
would
be
a
sin
for
me
to
complain
.
"
"
That
's
vastly
fine
,
beant
it
?
"
said
the
brutal
Butchel
,
"
and
now
let
's
hear
what
you
'll
be
after
saying
to
Master
Larkins
,
for
here
he
comes
,
as
sure
as
eggs
be
eggs
.
"
An
abrupt
,
and
most
peremptory
demand
,
for
three
pounds
two
shillings
and
seven
pence
,
was
here
made
,
by
a
sour-looking
little
man
,
who
entered
the
small
room
without
ceremony
,
making
a
group
of
intruders
round
the
widows
bed
,
equally
unwonted
and
unwelcome
.
Her
over-taxed
courage
seemed
to
fail
,
for
it
was
with
something
like
a
sob
that
she
replied
to
his
demand
by
saying
,
"
I
shall
have
twelve
shillings
to
take
for
needlework
,
when
this
is
done
,
and
you
shall
have
it
every
farthing
sir
,
if
you
'll
be
so
merciful
.
"
"
And
who
's
to
pay
your
rent
,
Missis
Armstrong
?
if
I
may
be
so
bold
,
"
said
Mr.
Butchel
.
The
widow
had
not
a
word
to
say
for
herself
,
and
,
covering
her
face
with
her
hands
,
wept
bitterly
.
"
Now
's
my
time
!
"
said
Parsons
to
himself
,
as
he
stealthily
crept
from
his
hiding-place
.
"
Now
for
Sir
Matthew
's
benevolence
.
"
And
,
in
a
minute
afterwards
,
his
tall
,
gaunt
figure
,
and
hard
countenance
,
were
added
to
the
company
.
The
noise
he
made
in
entering
,
caused
the
widow
to
uncover
her
eyes
,
and
it
was
with
an
emotion
little
short
of
terror
that
she
recognised
the
tyrant
,
at
whose
name
her
children
's
cheeks
grew
pale
.
Instinctively
she
stretched
out
her
hand
,
and
took
hold
of
that
of
Michael
,
who
was
still
seated
on
the
side
of
the
bed
.
But
the
boy
shook
it
off
,
as
if
his
mother
's
love
was
a
secret
treasure
that
the
overlooker
must
not
see
,
and
,
suddenly
standing
up
,
he
remained
,
with
his
eyes
fixed
on
the
ground
,
and
his
hands
hanging
by
his
sides
,
as
if
petrified
.
"
Hollo
!
—
why
what
's
the
matter
now
?
Is
all
the
parish
come
to
wish
joy
to
this
good
woman
here
?
"
said
the
overlooker
,
with
as
jocund
an
air
as
he
could
persuade
his
iron
features
to
assume
.
"
Wish
her
joy
?
"
responded
the
well-tutored
parish-officer
,
"
and
for
what
,
Mr.
Parsons
,
if
you
please
?
For
having
an
honest
tradesman
come
upon
her
with
the
gripe
of
the
law
,
in
hopes
to
get
what
's
his
own
?
She
's
got
into
trouble
,
I
promise
you
,
and
I
do
n't
very
well
see
how
she
's
to
get
out
of
it
.
"
"
You
do
n't
say
so
?
"
said
the
confidential
agent
.
"
What
!
is
that
you
,
Mr.
Larkins
,
coming
to
take
the
law
of
a
poor
body
this
way
?
I
did
n't
think
you
was
so
hard-hearted
.
"
"
I
do
n't
deserve
that
character
,
sir
,
"
replied
the
baker
sharply
;
for
though
desired
to
call
and
enforce
his
claim
by
the
parish
overseer
,
Mr.
Larkins
knew
not
a
word
about
Sir
Matthew
's
scheme
of
benevolence
;
"
and
the
proof
that
my
heart
is
n't
harder
than
other
people
's
"
he
continued
,
"
is
,
that
I
gave
the
widow
here
credit
for
what
has
been
,
excepting
a
few
ounces
of
tea
,
her
whole
and
sole
living
for
months
past
.
"
"
And
very
kind
of
ye
too
,
"
observed
the
conciliating
superintendent
.
"
I
should
like
to
know
,
then
,
what
became
of
all
the
money
the
two
boys
got
,
besides
her
own
needlework
,
and
,
of
late
,
two
shilling
a
week
from
the
parish
,
beside
?
"
observed
Mr.
Butchel
.
"
Why
,
that
is
rather
puzzling
,
I
must
say
,
"
replied
Mr.
Parsons
,
"
but
no
matter
for
that
,
no
matter
for
that
,
just
now
.
This
family
have
got
a
kind
friend
,
I
promise
you
.
"
"
Yes
,
but
it
does
matter
,
"
returned
Larkins
.
"
It
ca
n't
be
right
,
no
how
,
for
me
to
be
out
of
three
pounds
two
shillings
and
seven
pence
,
and
she
with
such
lots
of
money
.
"
"
Indeed
,
indeed
,
sir
!
"
said
the
widow
,
once
more
looking
up
at
him
,
"
I
have
done
my
very
best
,
paying
a
little
and
a
little
at
a
time
,
as
you
know
I
never
stopped
doing
,
only
for
two
weeks
that
my
biggest
—
that
is
my
oldest
boy
,
was
making
up
time
that
was
lost
,
when
he
was
home
sick
,
and
so
got
no
wages
.
But
the
seven
shillings
a
week
that
they
get
between
'
em
,
and
my
uncertain
bit
of
needle-work
,
gentlemen
,
ca
n't
stand
for
food
,
and
clothes
,
and
rent
'
—
and
a
little
soap
to
keep
us
decent
,
and
a
bit
of
firing
to
boil
a
drop
of
water
—
it
ca
n't
do
all
that
,
gentlemen
,
without
getting
behindhand
,
when
any
making
up
time
comes
in
the
factory
.
"
"
Well
then
,
that
's
just
the
reason
why
you
must
come
into
the
house
,
"
replied
Butchel
;
"
and
,
at
any
rate
,
you
may
depend
upon
getting
no
more
money
out
of
it
.
"
Upon
hearing
these
words
,
"
the
decent
,
respectable
man
,
"
who
was
willing
to
take
the
widow
's
goods
,
at
a
"
valiation
fair
and
honourable
,
"
began
examining
the
condition
of
a
chair
that
stood
near
him
;
an
operation
which
the
widow
eyed
with
the
most
piteous
look
imaginable
.
"
Come
into
the
house
,
I
tell
you
,
without
more
ado
,
"
resumed
Butchel
.
"
And
what
,
in
God
's
name
,
d'ye
think
we
want
you
in
for
but
your
own
good
?
D'ye
think
the
parish
have
a
fancy
for
maintaining
crippled
women
and
children
,
by
way
of
a
pleasure
?
'
Tis
ruination
any
way
;
but
when
you
're
in
,
we
know
the
worst
of
it
at
once
,
and
that
's
something
.
The
boys
'
wages
will
go
a
bit
to
help
,
and
at
any
rate
there
'll
be
no
two
shillings
to
pay
,
which
is
what
the
overseers
hates
above
all
things
;
and
what
they
wo
n't
continy
to
do
.
So
now
I
have
said
my
say
.
"
And
here
Mr.
Butchel
began
to
move
his
heavy
person
towards
the
door
.
"
Stop
a
minute
,
Mr.
Butchel
,
if
you
please
sir
,
"
ejaculated
Sir
Matthew
's
superintendent
.
"
I
should
be
sorry
to
let
you
go
back
to
your
employers
under
any
delusion
or
mistake
whatever
,
and
the
fact
is
,
that
this
good
woman
,
the
widow
Armstrong
,
is
no
more
likely
to
go
into
the
workhouse
than
you
are
yourself
,
Mr.
Butchel
;
begging
your
pardon
for
naming
such
a
thing
.
"
"
Then
I
suppose
as
it
's
yourself
as
means
to
keep
her
out
of
it
,
Mr.
Parsons
?
"
replied
the
parish
officer
jocosely
.
"
Not
exactly
me
,
myself
,
"
replied
the
other
in
the
same
tone
,
"
but
it
's
one
as
much
more
able
as
he
is
willing
.
It
is
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
as
intends
to
befriend
her
,
and
that
not
only
on
account
of
the
general
charitableness
of
his
temper
,
which
all
who
know
him
really
well
are
quite
aware
is
very
great
,
but
because
that
little
boy
as
stands
there
,
and
who
is
one
of
our
factory
children
,
saved
a
friend
of
Lady
Dowling
's
,
last
night
,
from
something
she
looked
upon
to
be
a
considerable
danger
.
"
"
And
does
Sir
Matthew
mean
to
see
me
paid
?
"
demanded
the
baker
.
"
Upon
my
word
,
Mr.
Larkin
,
that
's
more
than
what
I
've
got
authority
to
say
,
"
replied
Parsons
;
"
but
,
howsomever
,
I
do
n't
think
that
you
had
best
go
on
,
just
at
this
particular
minute
,
to
persecute
about
it
,
seeing
that
in
course
Sir
Matthew
wo
n't
take
it
civil
,
when
he
's
being
such
a
friend
himself
to
the
widow
.
"
"
I
do
n't
want
to
do
nothing
uncivil
to
nobody
,
"
replied
the
baker
,
"
but
I
do
n't
quite
understand
this
business
.
It
is
something
new
,
is
n't
it
,
Sir
Matthew
setting
up
for
a
soft-hearted
gentleman
,
among
the
factory
folks
?
"
"
New
to
you
,
may
be
,
Mr.
Larkin
,
but
not
to
me
,
"
replied
the
trustworthy
agent
.
"
There
is
n't
another
to
be
found
,
look
which
way
you
will
,
that
can
be
compared
with
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
,
for
real
,
true
,
benevolent
,
charitableness
,
when
he
finds
proper
objects
for
it
.
"
The
baker
stared
;
the
man
of
old
chairs
and
tables
scratched
his
puzzled
head
;
the
intelligent
Mr.
Butchel
looked
at
the
speaker
with
a
knowing
wink
;
the
widow
fixed
her
eyes
upon
her
patchwork
quilt
;
and
little
Michael
in
astonishment
,
which
conquered
terror
,
raised
his
eyes
to
the
superintendent
's
face
,
while
that
worthy
advocate
of
a
master
's
virtues
stood
firmly
,
striking
his
stout
cane
upon
the
ground
,
with
the
air
of
a
man
ready
to
do
battle
with
all
the
world
in
support
of
what
he
has
asserted
.
"
Well
then
,
at
any
rate
my
business
is
done
and
ended
,
"
said
Mr.
Butchel
moving
off
,
"
and
I
wish
you
joy
Mussiss
Armstrong
of
your
unaccountable
good
fortune
.
"
"
Come
along
,
Jim
!
"
said
the
baker
to
the
respectable
dealer
in
seized
goods
,
"
there
's
nothing
to
be
done
to-day
,
that
's
clear
.
But
I
hope
you
'll
remember
the
twelve
shillings
as
you
've
promised
me
,
Mrs.
Armstrong
.
"
"
I
will
indeed
,
sir
!
"
answered
the
widow
earnestly
;
and
,
on
receiving
this
assurance
,
Mr.
Larkin
took
his
departure
with
his
professional
friend
,
leaving
Mr.
Joseph
Parsons
,
the
widow
Armstrong
,
and
her
son
Michael
to
carry
on
whatever
conversation
they
might
wish
for
,
without
interruption
.
"
Well
now
,
if
I
ai
n't
glad
they
're
gone
,
them
fellows
,
"
said
the
superintendent
shutting
the
door
after
them
.
"
You
are
a
favoured
woman
,
Mrs.
Armstrong
,
to
get
rid
of
'
em
as
you
have
done
,
and
I
do
n't
and
wo
n't
,
question
that
you
are
thankful
to
those
to
whom
thanks
are
due
.
"
"
I
always
wish
to
be
so
,
sir
,
"
said
the
widow
.
"
Well
,
there
's
no
hardship
in
that
I
suppose
.
But
about
this
son
of
yours
,
this
young
Master
Michael
,
you
must
see
to
his
doing
his
duty
to
his
benefactor
.
If
he
was
to
prove
ungrateful
,
Mrs.
Armstrong
,
it
is
but
fair
to
tell
you
that
I
would
n't
undertake
to
answer
for
the
consequences
.
"
"
God
forbid
he
ever
should
be
ungrateful
to
any
as
was
kind
to
him
!
"
replied
the
poor
woman
;
"
but
indeed
,
sir
,
I
do
n't
think
it
is
in
his
heart
to
be
so
.
Since
the
day
he
was
born
,
God
bless
him
,
I
have
had
little
besides
love
to
give
him
,
and
indeed
,
sir
,
I
think
the
child
would
die
for
me
.
"
Michael
slily
stole
his
little
hand
sideways
under
the
bedclothes
,
where
it
was
soon
clasped
in
that
of
his
mother
,
but
his
eyes
were
again
firmly
rivetted
upon
the
ground
.
"
Ay
,
ay
,
that
's
all
very
well
;
but
it
has
nothing
to
do
in
any
way
with
his
duty
and
obligations
to
Sir
Matthew
.
What
I
want
to
know
is
,
whether
he
is
ready
and
willing
to
do
that
which
Sir
Matthew
will
require
of
him
—
that
's
the
main
question
,
you
see
,
Mrs.
Armstrong
.
"
"
And
what
will
that
be
,
sir
?
"
said
the
widow
,
while
Michael
's
eyes
were
again
raised
for
a
moment
to
the
face
of
his
taskmaster
.
"
He
is
to
be
made
a
gentleman
of
—
that
's
to
be
the
first
work
put
upon
him
.
"
The
poor
woman
smiled
;
but
little
Michael
shook
his
head
.
The
superintendent
appeared
to
pay
no
attention
to
either
;
but
again
striking
his
cane
magisterially
upon
the
ground
,
he
added
,
"
Let
him
make
up
his
mind
to
do
all
that
he
's
bid
,
and
come
back
to
Dowling
Lodge
with
as
little
delay
as
possible
.
"
With
these
words
,
and
without
deigning
to
bestow
any
species
of
parting
salutation
upon
those
to
whom
they
were
addressed
,
Mr.
Parsons
left
the
room
.
CHAPTER
V.
A
SEPARATION
OF
LOVING
HEARTS
—
A
SPECIMEN
OF
FINISHED
COMPOSITION
—
CONDESCENSION
AND
GENEROSITY
—
SIR
MATTHEW
CLOTHES
LITTLE
MICHAEL
WITH
HIS
OWN
HANDS
.
While
the
superintendent
,
in
his
serpentine
course
homeward
,
scattered
the
tidings
of
his
master
's
munificence
towards
the
factory-boy
,
Michael
Armstrong
and
his
mother
indulged
themselves
in
a
few
parting
words
and
very
tender
caresses
;
the
mother
continuing
to
repeat
at
intervals
,
"
Be
sure
,
darling
,
to
be
a
good
boy
,
and
do
what
you
're
bid
,
"
while
the
son
reiterated
his
entreaties
that
she
and
Teddy
would
take
care
one
of
t'other
,
and
have
him
back
again
,
spite
of
every
thing
,
if
they
found
that
they
could
not
do
so
well
without
him
.
But
even
while
this
went
on
,
Michael
was
improving
his
toilet
by
putting
on
the
more
carefully
patched
garments
,
which
had
hitherto
been
kept
sacred
for
Sundays
.
When
this
operation
was
completed
,
and
his
hair
,
face
,
and
hands
made
as
clean
as
the
joint
efforts
of
himself
and
his
mother
could
contrive
to
make
them
,
the
little
boy
turned
to
leave
the
miserable
shed
that
had
been
his
home
,
with
a
reluctant
step
and
heavy
heart
,
retracing
the
short
distance
between
his
mother
's
bed
and
the
door
,
once
and
again
to
take
another
kiss
,
and
to
repeat
,
with
increased
earnestness
,
the
questions
,
"
Is
n't
there
nothing
more
I
can
do
for
you
,
mother
,
before
I
go
away
?
—
and
will
you
be
sure
to
tell
Teddy
to
stop
for
me
,
morning
and
night
,
at
the
gate
in
the
lane
,
where
it
all
happened
?
—
will
you
mother
?
"
But
at
length
the
lingering
separation
was
completed
,
and
Michael
set
off
upon
his
return
to
Dowling
Lodge
.
In
the
mean
time
,
Sir
Matthew
himself
had
not
been
idle
;
but
,
retiring
to
his
study
,
he
composed
a
paragraph
for
the
county
newspaper
,
which
,
after
considerable
study
and
repeated
corrections
,
was
at
length
completed
,
and
despatched
by
the
post
,
in
a
feigned
hand
,
the
wax
being
stamped
with
the
handle
of
the
seal
instead
of
his
arms
,
and
the
postage
paid
.
The
paragraph
ran
thus
:
"
ENGLISH
BENEVOLENCE
.
"
There
is
,
perhaps
,
no
class
of
men
so
cruelly
misrepresented
as
the
manufacturers
of
Great
Britain
;
surrounded
on
all
sides
by
a
population
of
labourers
,
crowded
together
exactly
in
proportion
to
the
quantity
of
work
the
neighbouring
factories
are
able
to
furnish
—
they
are
continually
reproached
both
with
giving
to
many
hours
of
employment
to
their
poor
neighbours
on
the
one
hand
,
and
with
the
poverty
which
is
the
inevitable
lot
of
operatives
with
large
families
on
the
other
.
"
That
all
manufacturers
,
however
,
are
not
the
cruel
mercenary
tyrants
they
are
so
often
,
and
so
unjustly
described
to
be
,
was
shown
within
the
last
few
days
by
an
incident
which
occurred
near
the
town
of
Ashleigh
,
not
a
hundred
miles
from
D
—
I
—
g
L
—
d
—
e
.
The
owner
of
that
splendid
mansion
,
while
escorting
the
amiable
Lady
—
round
his
grounds
,
had
occasion
to
remark
some
symptoms
of
a
very
noble
disposition
in
one
of
the
children
belonging
to
a
neighbouring
factory
on
his
estate
.
On
making
inquiries
,
he
discovered
him
to
be
the
son
of
a
poor
widow
,
whose
failing
health
made
her
,
and
her
orphan
children
peculiarly
eligible
as
objects
of
charity
.
This
fact
having
been
satisfactorily
ascertained
,
Sir
M
—
th
—
w
D
—
l
—
g
gave
way
to
the
warm
impulses
of
his
generous
heart
,
and
adopting
the
little
orphan
among
his
own
children
,
at
once
gratified
the
gentle
feelings
of
his
amiable
nature
,
and
set
them
an
example
which
it
is
impossible
they
should
ever
forget
.
It
is
more
easy
for
the
recorder
of
this
charming
anecdote
to
relate
thus
the
principal
circumstances
of
it
,
than
to
enter
into
any
detail
of
the
numberless
delicate
traits
of
character
exhibited
by
Sir
M
.
D
—
l
—
g
in
the
course
of
the
transaction
.
Those
who
know
him
thoroughly
,
will
,
however
,
be
at
no
loss
how
to
supply
these
;
and
those
who
do
not
,
would
scarcely
understand
the
description
,
were
it
given
with
all
the
detail
possible
.
"
The
value
and
the
accuracy
of
the
statements
contained
in
this
announcement
,
belonged
wholly
to
the
author
of
it
;
the
phraseology
to
a
private
MS.
digest
of
newspaper
eloquence
,
the
result
of
many
years
of
steady
research
,
during
which
no
morsel
of
fine
writing
that
might
assist
in
such
occasional
addresses
to
the
public
as
the
present
,
had
been
ever
suffered
to
flow
down
the
stream
of
time
,
and
perish
,
without
having
been
first
carefully
noted
in
the
knight
's
repertory
of
fine
periods
.
Having
concluded
this
business
,
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
rang
his
bell
.
As
it
was
only
the
study-bell
,
it
was
answered
,
as
usual
,
by
one
of
the
housemaids
.
"
Where
is
the
little
boy
,
my
dear
,
that
I
sent
into
the
servants
'
hall
last
night
?
"
inquired
Sir
Matthew
.
"
Upon
my
word
,
Sir
Matthew
,
I
ca
n't
tell
,
"
she
replied
;
adding
,
in
that
tone
of
familiar
confidence
which
her
master
's
condescension
encouraged
,
"
but
if
you
sent
him
into
the
hall
,
Sir
Matthew
,
he
never
got
there
,
nor
never
will
,
you
may
take
my
word
for
that
,
as
long
as
Madam
Thompson
reigns
.
"
The
housemaid
was
not
a
beauty
—
none
such
,
as
was
before
stated
,
ever
made
part
of
Lady
Dowling
's
household
;
but
she
was
a
wit
,
and
Sir
Matthew
was
to
clever
himself
not
to
feel
the
value
of
cleverness
in
others
;
he
,
therefore
,
raised
his
eyebrows
in
a
comic
grimace
,
very
good-humouredly
chucked
the
maid
under
her
ugly
chin
,
and
instead
of
putting
himself
in
a
rage
,
as
might
have
happened
under
other
circumstances
,
he
only
said
,
"
And
how
was
that
my
dear
?
Come
,
tell
me
all
about
it
—
I
like
your
stories
,
Peggy
,
they
are
always
so
funny
.
"
"
Whose
stories
would
n't
he
funny
,
Sir
Matthew
,
if
they
told
of
the
airs
and
graces
of
Mother
Thompson
!
"
replied
the
jively
damsel
;
"
she
's
for
all
the
world
like
an
old
owl
,
as
sits
winking
his
eyes
and
trying
to
look
wise
.
"
"
But
she
's
a
prime
favourite
with
my
lady
,
Peggy
,
and
into
the
bargain
,
knows
a
thing
or
two
about
soups
and
hashes
;
so
we
must
be
very
respectful
,
my
dear
,
in
talking
of
her
—
but
as
to
her
daring
to
say
,
that
the
boy
I
ordered
into
the
hall
was
to
be
turned
out
of
it
,
that
's
rather
more
than
possible
,
I
think
.
"
"
That
's
because
you
do
n't
know
Mrs.
Thompson
,
Sir
Matthew
.
I
only
wish
you
had
heard
and
seen
'
em
last
night
,
she
,
and
the
butler
,
and
Mrs.
Fine
Airs
,
my
lady
's
maid
,
and
Mr.
Fine
Airs
,
my
lady
's
footman
!
If
it
was
not
enough
to
make
one
sick
,
I
wish
I
may
never
see
you
again
,
Sir
Matthew
.
"
"
They
are
a
confounded
impertinent
set
of
rubbish
,
"
replied
Sir
Matthew
;
but
still
without
losing
his
good
humour
.
"
However
,
all
people
of
fashion
,
that
is
,
rich
people
,
Peggy
,
always
do
have
a
confounded
impertinent
set
of
servants
about
'
em
.
That
's
one
of
the
great
differences
between
high
people
and
low
.
"
"
To
be
sure
you
must
know
best
,
Sir
Matthew
,
"
replied
the
saucy
grisette
,
but
with
a
look
and
accent
somewhat
ironical
.
"
I
do
n't
mean
to
doubt
that
in
the
least
,
I
'm
sure
;
but
in
the
places
I
've
lived
at
—
Lord
Wilmot
's
,
Lord
Crampton
's
,
and
such
like
,
I
never
did
hear
of
my
lord
's
commands
being
treated
in
that
fashion
.
They
might
have
their
jokes
in
the
hall
,
and
the
housekeeper
's
room
too
,
no
doubt
of
it
,
and
impudent
enough
if
you
like
it
;
but
for
downright
flat
disobedience
,
I
never
did
hear
of
such
a
thing
.
"
Sir
Matthew
on
hearing
this
,
became
rather
white
about
the
lips
,
and
red
about
the
forehead
;
but
Peggy
knew
the
rising
storm
was
not
at
all
likely
to
fall
on
her
,
so
nothing
daunted
,
she
went
on
.
"
I
do
n't
think
I
should
have
taken
much
notice
about
it
,
Sir
Matthew
,
if
it
had
n't
been
for
not
liking
to
see
you
treated
with
disrespect
;
for
I
'm
not
over
and
above
partial
to
beggar
children
myself
;
but
that
sort
of
natural
dislike
was
nothing
in
comparison
to
my
feelings
about
you
,
sir
:
and
if
I
had
been
placed
in
power
,
instead
of
having
none
,
your
will
would
have
been
obeyed
,
if
every
servant
in
the
house
had
flowed
at
me
for
it
.
"
"
You
're
an
excellent
girl
,
Peggy
,
"
replied
the
knight
,
approaching
her
very
condescendingly
.
"
You
know
well
enough
that
you
are
a
favourite
,
and
I
know
well
enough
,
my
dear
,
that
you
deserve
to
be
so
;
and
I
tell
you
what
,
Peggy
,
I
'll
take
care
to
let
those
animals
,
my
servants
,
know
that
I
am
master
here
,
as
well
as
in
the
factory
—
and
that
my
word
's
law
!
"
"
And
so
it
ought
to
be
,
Sir
Matthew
,
"
replied
the
obedient
domestic
.
"
I
hope
I
know
my
duty
too
well
to
dispute
my
master
's
will
in
any
thing
;
"
and
as
she
spoke
she
very
meekly
yielded
herself
to
receive
the
condescending
salute
,
with
which
Sir
Matthew
was
pleased
to
reward
her
excellent
sentiments
.
"
You
are
an
excellent
good
girl
,
Peggy
!
"
he
resumed
after
this
little
interruption
;
"
and
do
n't
fear
but
I
shall
find
means
to
reward
you
.
But
you
must
give
me
your
help
,
my
dear
,
to
confound
the
impertinence
of
these
fellow-servants
of
yours
;
if
I
do
n't
make
'
em
wait
upon
that
beggar
's
brat
as
if
he
was
their
lord
and
master
,
never
trust
me
with
a
kiss
more
.
Where
is
the
little
factory
vermin
,
Peggy
?
"
"
I
ai
n't
able
to
answer
you
,
Sir
Matthew
;
all
I
know
is
,
that
Mrs.
Thompson
marched
us
all
out
of
the
kitchen
where
she
sat
in
judgment
on
him
,
last
night
,
and
there
he
was
left
with
the
kitchen-maid
and
the
fat
cook
;
but
what
's
come
of
him
since
,
I
am
no
ways
able
to
say
.
"
On
hearing
this
,
Sir
Matthew
raised
his
hand
towards
the
bell
,
but
suddenly
recollecting
himself
,
he
smiled
and
said
,
"
No
,
no
,
that
wo
n't
do
,
Peggy
,
will
it
?
Go
,
my
dear
,
and
ask
where
the
boy
is
,
and
then
come
back
and
tell
me
.
"
The
damsel
,
in
return
,
furtively
smiled
too
,
in
acquiescence
and
approval
of
his
discretion
;
and
upon
leaving
his
study
for
the
purpose
of
