hopelessnessand
weakness
.
It
was
getting
dark
,
but
he
loitered
on
,
returning
no
greeting
to
any
one
.
A
child
's
cry
caught
his
ear
.
His
thoughts
were
running
on
little
Tom
;
on
the
dead
and
buried
child
of
happier
years
.
He
followed
the
sound
of
the
wail
,
that
might
have
been
his
,
and
found
a
poor
little
mortal
,
who
had
lost
his
way
,
and
whose
grief
had
choked
up
his
thoughts
to
the
single
want
,
"
Mammy
,
mammy
.
"
With
tender
address
,
John
Barton
soothed
the
little
laddie
,
and
with
beautiful
patience
he
gathered
fragments
of
meaning
from
the
half
spoken
words
which
came
mingled
with
sobs
from
the
terrified
little
heart
.
So
,
aided
by
inquiries
here
and
there
from
a
passer-by
,
he
led
and
carried
the
little
fellow
home
,
where
his
mother
had
been
too
busy
to
miss
him
,
but
now
received
him
with
thankfulness
,
and
with
an
eloquent
Irish
blessing
.
When
John
heard
the
words
of
blessing
,
he
shook
his
head
mournfully
,
and
turned
away
to
retrace
his
steps
.
Let
us
leave
him
.
Mary
took
her
sewing
after
he
had
gone
,
and
sat
on
,
and
sat
on
,
trying
to
listen
to
Job
,
who
was
more
inclined
to
talk
than
usual
.
She
had
conquered
her
feeling
of
impatience
towards
him
so
far
as
to
be
able
to
offer
him
her
father
's
rejected
supper
;
and
she
even
tried
to
eat
herself
.
But
her
heart
failed
her
.
A
leaden
weight
seemed
to
hang
over
her
;
a
sort
of
presentiment
of
evil
,
or
perhaps
only
an
excess
of
low-spirited
feeling
in
consequence
of
the
two
departures
which
had
taken
place
that
afternoon
.
She
wondered
how
long
Job
Legh
would
sit
.
She
did
not
like
putting
down
her
work
,
and
crying
before
him
,
and
yet
she
had
never
in
her
life
longed
so
much
to
be
alone
in
order
to
indulge
in
a
good
hearty
burst
of
tears
.
"
Well
,
Mary
,
"
she
suddenly
caught
him
saying
,
"
I
thought
you
'd
be
a
bit
lonely
to-night
;
and
as
Margaret
were
going
to
cheer
th
'
old
woman
,
I
said
I
'd
go
and
keep
th
'
young
un
company
;
and
a
very
pleasant
,
chatty
evening
we
've
had
;
very
.
Only
I
wonder
as
Margaret
is
not
come
back
.
"
"
But
perhaps
she
is
,
"
suggested
Mary
.
"
No
,
no
,
I
took
care
o
'
that
.
Look
ye
here
!
"
and
he
pulled
out
the
great
house-key
.
"
She
'll
have
to
stand
waiting
i
'
th
'
street
,
and
that
I
'm
sure
she
would
n't
do
,
when
she
knew
where
to
find
me
.
"
"
Will
she
come
back
by
hersel
?
"
asked
Mary
.
"
Ay
.
At
first
I
were
afraid
o
'
trusting
her
,
and
I
used
to
follow
her
a
bit
behind
;
never
letting
on
,
of
course
.
But
,
bless
you
!
she
goes
along
as
steadily
as
can
be
;
rather
slow
,
to
be
sure
,
and
her
head
a
bit
on
one
side
as
if
she
were
listening
.
And
it
's
real
beautiful
to
see
her
cross
the
road
.
She
'll
wait
above
a
bit
to
hear
that
all
is
still
;
not
that
she
's
so
dark
as
not
to
see
a
coach
or
a
cart
like
a
big
black
thing
,
but
she
ca
n't
rightly
judge
how
far
off
it
is
by
sight
,
so
she
listens
.
Hark
!
that
's
her
!
"
Yes
;
in
she
came
with
her
usually
calm
face
all
tear-stained
and
sorrow-marked
.
"
What
's
the
matter
,
my
wench
?
"
said
Job
,
hastily
.
"
Oh
!
grandfather
!
Alice
Wilson
's
so
bad
!
"
She
could
say
no
more
,
for
her
breathless
agitation
.
The
afternoon
,
and
the
parting
with
Will
,
had
weakened
her
nerves
for
any
after-shock
.
"
What
is
it
?
Do
tell
us
,
Margaret
!
"
said
Mary
,
placing
her
in
a
chair
,
and
loosening
her
bonnet-strings
.
"
I
think
it
's
a
stroke
o
'
the
palsy
.
Any
rate
she
has
lost
the
use
of
one
side
.
"
"
Was
it
afore
Will
had
set
off
?
"
asked
Mary
.
"
No
;
he
were
gone
before
I
got
there
,
"
said
Margaret
;
"
and
she
were
much
about
as
well
as
she
has
been
this
many
a
day
.
She
spoke
a
bit
,
but
not
much
;
but
that
were
only
natural
,
for
Mrs.
Wilson
likes
to
have
the
talk
to
hersel
,
you
know
.
She
got
up
to
go
across
the
room
,
and
then
I
heard
a
drag
wi
'
her
leg
,
and
presently
a
fall
,
and
Mrs.
Wilson
came
running
,
and
set
up
such
a
cry
!
I
stopped
wi
'
Alice
,
while
she
fetched
a
doctor
;
but
she
could
not
speak
,
to
answer
me
,
though
she
tried
,
I
think
.
"
"
Where
was
Jem
?
Why
did
n't
he
go
for
the
doctor
?
"
"
He
were
out
when
I
got
there
,
and
he
never
came
home
while
I
stopped
.
"
"
Thou'st
never
left
Mrs.
Wilson
alone
wi
'
poor
Alice
?
"
asked
Job
,
hastily
.
"
No
,
no
,
"
said
Margaret
.
"
But
,
oh
!
grandfather
;
it
's
now
I
feel
how
hard
it
is
to
have
lost
my
sight
.
I
should
have
so
loved
to
nurse
her
;
and
I
did
try
,
until
I
found
I
did
more
harm
than
good
.
Oh
!
grandfather
;
if
I
could
but
see
!
"
She
sobbed
a
little
;
and
they
let
her
give
that
ease
to
her
heart
.
Then
she
went
on
—
"
No
!
I
went
round
by
Mrs.
Davenport
's
,
and
she
were
hard
at
work
;
but
,
the
minute
I
told
my
errand
,
she
were
ready
and
willing
to
go
to
Jane
Wilson
,
and
stop
up
all
night
with
Alice
.
"
"
And
what
does
the
doctor
say
?
"
asked
Mary
.
"
Oh
!
much
what
all
doctors
say
:
he
puts
a
fence
on
this
side
,
and
a
fence
on
that
,
for
fear
he
should
be
caught
tripping
in
his
judgment
.
One
moment
he
does
not
think
there
's
much
hope
—
but
while
there
is
life
there
is
hope
;
th
'
next
he
says
he
should
think
she
might
recover
partial
,
but
her
age
is
again
her
.
He
's
ordered
her
leeches
to
her
head
.
"
Margaret
,
having
told
her
tale
,
leant
back
with
weariness
,
both
of
body
and
mind
.
Mary
hastened
to
make
her
a
cup
of
tea
;
while
Job
,
lately
so
talkative
,
sat
quiet
and
mournfully
silent
.
"
I
'll
go
first
thing
to-morrow
morning
,
and
learn
how
she
is
;
and
I
'll
bring
word
back
before
I
go
to
work
,
"
said
Mary
.
"
It
's
a
bad
job
Will
's
gone
,
"
said
Job
.
"
Jane
does
not
think
she
knows
any
one
,
"
replied
Margaret
.
"
It
's
perhaps
as
well
he
should
n't
see
her
now
,
for
they
say
her
face
is
sadly
drawn
.
He
'll
remember
her
with
her
own
face
better
,
if
he
does
not
see
her
again
.
"
With
a
few
more
sorrowful
remarks
they
separated
for
the
night
,
and
Mary
was
left
alone
in
her
house
,
to
meditate
on
the
heavy
day
that
had
passed
over
her
head
.
Everything
seemed
going
wrong
.
Will
gone
;
her
father
gone
—
and
so
strangely
too
!
And
to
a
place
so
mysteriously
distant
as
Glasgow
seemed
to
be
to
her
!
She
had
felt
his
presence
as
a
protection
against
Harry
Carson
and
his
threats
;
and
now
she
dreaded
lest
he
should
learn
she
was
alone
.
Her
heart
began
to
despair
,
too
,
about
Jem
.
She
feared
he
had
ceased
to
love
her
;
and
she
—
she
only
loved
him
more
and
more
for
his
seeming
neglect
.
And
,
as
if
all
this
aggregate
of
sorrowful
thoughts
was
not
enough
,
here
was
this
new
woe
,
of
poor
Alice
's
paralytic
stroke
.
CHAPTER
XVIII
.
MURDER
.
"
But
in
his
pulse
there
was
no
throb
,
Nor
on
his
lips
one
dying
sob
;
Sigh
,
nor
word
,
nor
struggling
breath
Heralded
his
way
to
death
.
"
Siege
of
Corinth
.
"
My
brain
runs
this
way
and
that
way
;
'
twill
not
fix
On
aught
but
vengeance
.
"
Duke
of
Guise
.
I
must
now
go
back
to
an
hour
or
two
before
Mary
and
her
friends
parted
for
the
night
.
It
might
be
about
eight
o'clock
that
evening
,
and
the
three
Miss
Carsons
were
sitting
in
their
father
's
drawing-room
.
He
was
asleep
in
the
dining-room
,
in
his
own
comfortable
chair
.
Mrs.
Carson
was
(
as
was
usual
with
her
,
when
no
particular
excitement
was
going
on
)
very
poorly
,
and
sitting
up-stairs
in
her
dressing-room
,
indulging
in
the
luxury
of
a
head-ache
.
She
was
not
well
,
certainly
.
"
Wind
in
the
head
,
"
the
servants
called
it
.
But
it
was
but
the
natural
consequence
of
the
state
of
mental
and
bodily
idleness
in
which
she
was
placed
.
Without
education
enough
to
value
the
resources
of
wealth
and
leisure
,
she
was
so
circumstanced
as
to
command
both
.
It
would
have
done
her
more
good
than
all
the
æther
and
sal-volatile
she
was
daily
in
the
habit
of
swallowing
,
if
she
might
have
taken
the
work
of
one
of
her
own
housemaids
for
a
week
;
made
beds
,
rubbed
tables
,
shaken
carpets
,
and
gone
out
into
the
fresh
morning
air
,
without
all
the
paraphernalia
of
shawl
,
cloak
,
boa
,
fur
boots
,
bonnet
,
and
veil
,
in
which
she
was
equipped
before
setting
out
for
an
"
airing
,
"
in
the
closely
shut-up
carriage
.
So
the
three
girls
were
by
themselves
in
the
comfortable
,
elegant
,
well-lighted
drawing-room
;
and
,
like
many
similarly-situated
young
ladies
,
they
did
not
exactly
know
what
to
do
to
while
away
the
time
until
the
tea-hour
.
The
elder
two
had
been
at
a
dancing-party
the
night
before
,
and
were
listless
and
sleepy
in
consequence
.
One
tried
to
read
"
Emerson
's
Essays
,
"
and
fell
asleep
in
the
attempt
;
the
other
was
turning
over
a
parcel
of
new
music
,
in
order
to
select
what
she
liked
.
Amy
,
the
youngest
,
was
copying
some
manuscript
music
.
The
air
was
heavy
with
the
fragrance
of
strongly-scented
flowers
,
which
sent
out
their
night
odours
from
an
adjoining
conservatory
.
The
clock
on
the
chimney-piece
chimed
eight
.
Sophy
(
the
sleeping
sister
)
started
up
at
the
sound
.
"
What
o'clock
is
that
?
"
she
asked
.
"
Eight
,
"
said
Amy
.
"
Oh
dear
!
how
tired
I
am
!
Is
Harry
come
in
?
Tea
would
rouse
one
up
a
little
.
Are
not
you
worn
out
,
Helen
?
"
"
Yes
;
I
am
tired
enough
.
One
is
good
for
nothing
the
day
after
a
dance
.
Yet
I
do
n't
feel
weary
at
the
time
;
I
suppose
it
is
the
lateness
of
the
hours
.
"
"
And
yet
,
how
could
it
be
managed
otherwise
?
So
many
do
n't
dine
till
five
or
six
,
that
one
cannot
begin
before
eight
or
nine
;
and
then
it
takes
a
long
time
to
get
into
the
spirit
of
the
evening
.
It
is
always
more
pleasant
after
supper
than
before
.
"
"
Well
,
I
'm
too
tired
to-night
to
reform
the
world
in
the
matter
of
dances
or
balls
.
What
are
you
copying
,
Amy
?
"
"
Only
that
little
Spanish
air
you
sing
—
'
Quien
quiera
.
'
"
"
What
are
you
copying
it
for
?
"
asked
Helen
.
"
Harry
asked
me
to
do
it
for
him
this
morning
at
breakfast-time
,
—
for
Miss
Richardson
,
he
said
.
"
"
For
Jane
Richardson
!
"
said
Sophy
,
as
if
a
new
idea
were
receiving
strength
in
her
mind
.
"
Do
you
think
Harry
means
any
thing
by
his
attention
to
her
?
"
asked
Helen
.
"
Nay
,
I
do
not
know
any
thing
more
than
you
do
;
I
can
only
observe
and
conjecture
.
What
do
you
think
,
Helen
?
"
"
Harry
always
likes
to
be
of
consequence
to
the
belle
of
the
room
.
If
one
girl
is
more
admired
than
another
,
he
likes
to
flutter
about
her
,
and
seem
to
be
on
intimate
terms
with
her
.
That
is
his
way
,
and
I
have
not
noticed
any
thing
beyond
that
in
his
manner
to
Jane
Richardson
.
"
"
But
I
do
n't
think
she
knows
it
's
only
his
way
.
Just
watch
her
the
next
time
we
meet
her
when
Harry
is
there
,
and
see
how
she
crimsons
,
and
looks
another
way
when
she
feels
he
is
coming
up
to
her
.
I
think
he
sees
it
,
too
,
and
I
think
he
is
pleased
with
it
.
"
"
I
dare
say
Harry
would
like
well
enough
to
turn
the
head
of
such
a
lovely
girl
as
Jane
Richardson
.
But
I
'm
not
convinced
that
he
is
in
love
,
whatever
she
may
be
.
"
"
Well
,
then
!
"
said
Sophy
,
indignantly
,
"
though
it
is
our
own
brother
,
I
do
think
he
is
behaving
very
wrongly
.
The
more
I
think
of
it
the
more
sure
I
am
that
she
thinks
he
means
something
,
and
that
he
intends
her
to
think
so
.
And
then
,
when
he
leaves
off
paying
her
attention
—
"
"
Which
will
be
as
soon
as
a
prettier
girl
makes
her
appearance
,
"
interrupted
Helen
.
"
As
soon
as
he
leaves
off
paying
her
attention
,
"
resumed
Sophy
,
"
she
will
have
many
and
many
a
heart-ache
,
and
then
she
will
harden
herself
into
being
a
flirt
,
a
feminine
flirt
,
as
he
is
a
masculine
flirt
.
Poor
girl
!
"
"
I
do
n't
like
to
hear
you
speak
so
of
Harry
,
"
said
Amy
,
looking
up
at
Sophy
.
"
And
I
do
n't
like
to
have
to
speak
so
,
Amy
,
for
I
love
him
dearly
.
He
is
a
good
,
kind
brother
,
but
I
do
think
him
vain
,
and
I
think
he
hardly
knows
the
misery
,
the
crimes
,
to
which
indulged
vanity
may
lead
him
.
"
Helen
yawned
.
"
Oh
!
do
you
think
we
may
ring
for
tea
?
Sleeping
after
dinner
always
makes
me
so
feverish
.
"
"
Yes
,
surely
.
Why
should
not
we
?
"
said
the
more
energetic
Sophy
,
pulling
the
bell
with
some
determination
.
"
Tea
directly
,
Parker
,
"
said
she
,
authoritatively
,
as
the
man
entered
the
room
.
She
was
too
little
in
the
habit
of
reading
expressions
on
the
faces
of
others
to
notice
Parker
's
countenance
.
Yet
it
was
striking
.
It
was
blanched
to
a
dead
whiteness
;
the
lips
compressed
as
if
to
keep
within
some
tale
of
horror
;
the
eyes
distended
and
unnatural
.
It
was
a
terror-stricken
face
.
The
girls
began
to
put
away
their
music
and
books
,
in
preparation
for
tea
.
The
door
slowly
opened
again
,
and
this
time
it
was
the
nurse
who
entered
.
I
call
her
nurse
,
for
such
had
been
her
office
in
by-gone
days
,
though
now
she
held
rather
an
anomalous
situation
in
the
family
.
Seamstress
,
attendant
on
the
young
ladies
,
keeper
of
the
stores
;
only
"
Nurse
"
was
still
her
name
.
She
had
lived
longer
with
them
than
any
other
servant
,
and
to
her
their
manner
was
far
less
haughty
than
to
the
other
domestics
.
She
occasionally
came
into
the
drawing-room
to
look
for
things
belonging
to
their
father
or
mother
,
so
it
did
not
excite
any
surprise
when
she
advanced
into
the
room
.
They
went
on
arranging
their
various
articles
of
employment
.
She
wanted
them
to
look
up
.
She
wanted
them
to
read
something
in
her
face
—
her
face
so
full
of
woe
,
of
horror
.
But
they
went
on
without
taking
any
notice
.
She
coughed
;
not
a
natural
cough
;
but
one
of
those
coughs
which
ask
so
plainly
for
remark
.
"
Dear
nurse
,
what
is
the
matter
?
"
asked
Amy
.
"
Are
not
you
well
?
"
"
Is
mamma
ill
?
"
asked
Sophy
,
quickly
.
"
Speak
,
speak
,
nurse
!
"
said
they
all
,
as
they
saw
her
efforts
to
articulate
,
choked
by
the
convulsive
rising
in
her
throat
.
They
clustered
round
her
with
eager
faces
,
catching
a
glimpse
of
some
terrible
truth
to
be
revealed
.
"
My
dear
young
ladies
!
my
dear
girls
,
"
she
gasped
out
at
length
,
and
then
she
burst
into
tears
.
"
Oh
!
do
tell
us
what
it
is
,
nurse
,
"
said
one
.
"
Any
thing
is
better
than
this
.
Speak
!
"
"
My
children
!
I
do
n't
know
how
to
break
it
to
you
.
My
dears
,
poor
Mr.
Harry
is
brought
home
—
"
"
Brought
home
—
brought
home
—
how
?
"
Instinctively
they
sank
their
voices
to
a
whisper
;
but
a
fearful
whisper
it
was
.
In
the
same
low
tone
,
as
if
afraid
lest
the
walls
,
the
furniture
,
the
inanimate
things
which
told
of
preparation
for
life
and
comfort
,
should
hear
,
she
answered
,
"
Dead
!
"
Amy
clutched
her
nurse
's
arm
,
and
fixed
her
eyes
on
her
as
if
to
know
if
such
a
tale
could
be
true
;
and
when
she
read
its
confirmation
in
those
sad
,
mournful
,
unflinching
eyes
,
she
sank
,
without
word
or
sound
,
down
in
a
faint
upon
the
floor
.
One
sister
sat
down
on
an
ottoman
,
and
covered
her
face
,
to
try
and
realise
it
.
That
was
Sophy
.
Helen
threw
herself
on
the
sofa
,
and
burying
her
head
in
the
pillows
,
tried
to
stifle
the
screams
and
moans
which
shook
her
frame
.
The
nurse
stood
silent
.
She
had
not
told
all
.
"
Tell
me
,
"
said
Sophy
,
looking
up
,
and
speaking
in
a
hoarse
voice
,
which
told
of
the
inward
pain
,
"
tell
me
,
nurse
!
Is
he
dead
,
did
you
say
?
Have
you
sent
for
a
doctor
?
Oh
!
send
for
one
,
send
for
one
,
"
continued
she
,
her
voice
rising
to
shrillness
,
and
starting
to
her
feet
.
Helen
lifted
herself
up
,
and
looked
,
with
breathless
waiting
,
towards
nurse
.
"
My
dears
,
he
is
dead
!
But
I
have
sent
for
a
doctor
.
I
have
done
all
I
could
.
"
"
When
did
he
—
when
did
they
bring
him
home
?
"
asked
Sophy
.
"
Perhaps
ten
minutes
ago
.
Before
you
rang
for
Parker
.
"
"
How
did
he
die
?
Where
did
they
find
him
?
He
looked
so
well
.
He
always
seemed
so
strong
.
Oh
!
are
you
sure
he
is
dead
?
"
She
went
towards
the
door
.
Nurse
laid
her
hand
on
her
arm
.
"
Miss
Sophy
,
I
have
not
told
you
all
.
Can
you
bear
to
hear
it
?
Remember
,
master
is
in
the
next
room
,
and
he
knows
nothing
yet
.
Come
,
you
must
help
me
to
tell
him
.
Now
be
quiet
,
dear
!
It
was
no
common
death
he
died
!
"
She
looked
in
her
face
as
if
trying
to
convey
her
meaning
by
her
eyes
.
Sophy
's
lips
moved
,
but
nurse
could
hear
no
sound
.
"
He
has
been
shot
as
he
was
coming
home
along
Turner
Street
,
to-night
.
"
Sophy
went
on
with
the
motion
of
her
lips
,
twitching
them
almost
convulsively
.
"
My
dear
,
you
must
rouse
yourself
,
and
remember
your
father
and
mother
have
yet
to
be
told
.
Speak
!
Miss
Sophy
!
"
But
she
could
not
;
her
whole
face
worked
involuntarily
.
The
nurse
left
the
room
,
and
almost
immediately
brought
back
some
sal-volatile
and
water
.
Sophy
drank
it
eagerly
,
and
gave
one
or
two
deep
gasps
.
Then
she
spoke
in
a
calm
unnatural
voice
.
"
What
do
you
want
me
to
do
,
nurse
?
Go
to
Helen
and
poor
Amy
.
See
,
they
want
help
.
"
"
Poor
creatures
!
we
must
let
them
alone
for
a
bit
.
You
must
go
to
master
;
that
's
what
I
want
you
to
do
,
Miss
Sophy
.
You
must
break
it
to
him
,
poor
old
gentleman
.
Come
,
he
's
asleep
in
the
dining-room
,
and
the
men
are
waiting
to
speak
to
him
.
"
Sophy
went
mechanically
to
the
dining-room
door
.
"
Oh
!
I
cannot
go
in
.
I
cannot
tell
him
.
What
must
I
say
?
"
"
I
'll
come
with
you
,
Miss
Sophy
.
Break
it
to
him
by
degrees
.
"
"
I
ca
n't
,
nurse
.
My
head
throbs
so
,
I
shall
be
sure
to
say
the
wrong
thing
.
"
However
,
she
opened
the
door
.
There
sat
her
father
,
the
shaded
light
of
the
candle-lamp
falling
upon
,
and
softening
his
marked
features
,
while
his
snowy
hair
contrasted
well
with
the
deep
crimson
morocco
of
the
chair
.
The
newspaper
he
had
been
reading
had
dropped
on
the
carpet
by
his
side
.
He
breathed
regularly
and
deeply
.
At
that
instant
the
words
of
Mrs.
Hemans
's
song
came
full
into
Sophy
's
mind
.
"
Ye
know
not
what
ye
do
,
That
call
the
slumberer
back
From
the
realms
unseen
by
you
,
To
life
's
dim
,
weary
track
.
"
But
this
life
's
track
would
be
to
the
bereaved
father
something
more
than
dim
and
weary
,
hereafter
.
"
Papa
,
"
said
she
,
softly
.
He
did
not
stir
.
"
Papa
!
"
she
exclaimed
,
somewhat
louder
.
He
started
up
,
half
awake
.
"
Tea
is
ready
,
is
it
?
"
and
he
yawned
.
"
No
!
papa
,
but
something
very
dreadful
—
very
sad
,
has
happened
!
"
He
was
gaping
so
loud
that
he
did
not
catch
the
words
she
uttered
,
and
did
not
see
the
expression
of
her
face
.
"
Master
Henry
is
not
come
back
,
"
said
nurse
.
Her
voice
,
heard
in
unusual
speech
to
him
,
arrested
his
attention
,
and
rubbing
his
eyes
,
he
looked
at
the
servant
.
"
Harry
!
oh
no
!
he
had
to
attend
a
meeting
of
the
masters
about
these
cursed
turn-outs
.
I
do
n't
expect
him
yet
.
What
are
you
looking
at
me
so
strangely
for
,
Sophy
?
"
"
Oh
,
papa
,
Harry
is
come
back
,
"
said
she
,
bursting
into
tears
.
"
What
do
you
mean
?
"
said
he
,
startled
into
an
impatient
consciousness
that
something
was
wrong
.
"
One
of
you
says
he
is
not
come
home
,
and
the
other
says
he
is
.
Now
that
's
nonsense
!
Tell
me
at
once
what
's
the
matter
.
Did
he
go
on
horseback
to
town
?
Is
he
thrown
?
Speak
,
child
,
ca
n't
you
?
"
"
No
!
he
's
not
been
thrown
,
papa
,
"
said
Sophy
,
sadly
.
"
But
he
's
badly
hurt
,
"
put
in
the
nurse
,
desirous
to
be
drawing
his
anxiety
to
a
point
.
"
Hurt
?
Where
?
How
?
Have
you
sent
for
a
doctor
?
"
said
he
,
hastily
rising
,
as
if
to
leave
the
room
.
"
Yes
,
papa
,
we
've
sent
for
a
doctor
—
but
I
'm
afraid
—
I
believe
it
's
of
no
use
.
"
He
looked
at
her
for
a
moment
,
and
in
her
face
he
read
the
truth
.
His
son
,
his
only
son
,
was
dead
.
He
sank
back
in
his
chair
,
and
hid
his
face
in
his
hands
,
and
bowed
his
head
upon
the
table
.
The
strong
mahogany
dining-table
shook
and
rattled
under
his
agony
.
Sophy
went
and
put
her
arms
round
his
bowed
neck
.
"
Go
!
you
are
not
Harry
,
"
said
he
;
but
the
action
roused
him
.
"
Where
is
he
?
where
is
the
—
"
said
he
,
with
his
strong
face
set
into
the
lines
of
anguish
,
by
two
minutes
of
such
intense
woe
.
"
In
the
servants
'
hall
,
"
said
nurse
.
"
Two
policemen
and
another
man
brought
him
home
.
They
would
be
glad
to
speak
to
you
when
you
are
able
,
sir
.
"
"
I
am
able
now
,
"
replied
he
.
At
first
when
he
stood
up
,
he
tottered
.
But
steadying
himself
,
he
walked
,
as
firmly
as
a
soldier
on
drill
,
to
the
door
.
Then
he
turned
back
and
poured
out
a
glass
of
wine
from
the
decanter
which
yet
remained
on
the
table
.
His
eye
caught
the
wine-glass
which
Harry
had
used
but
two
or
three
hours
before
.
He
sighed
a
long
quivering
sigh
.
And
then
mastering
himself
again
,
he
left
the
room
.
"
You
had
better
go
back
to
your
sisters
,
Miss
Sophy
,
"
said
nurse
.
Miss
Carson
went
.
She
could
not
face
death
yet
.
The
nurse
followed
Mr.
Carson
to
the
servants
'
hall
.
There
,
on
their
dinner-table
,
lay
the
poor
dead
body
.
The
men
who
had
brought
it
were
sitting
near
the
fire
,
while
several
of
the
servants
stood
round
the
table
,
gazing
at
the
remains
.
The
remains
!
One
or
two
were
crying
;
one
or
two
were
whispering
;
awed
into
a
strange
stillness
of
voice
and
action
by
the
presence
of
the
dead
.
When
Mr.
Carson
came
in
they
all
drew
back
and
looked
at
him
with
the
reverence
due
to
sorrow
.
He
went
forward
and
gazed
long
and
fondly
on
the
calm
,
dead
face
;
then
he
bent
down
and
kissed
the
lips
yet
crimson
with
life
.
The
policemen
had
advanced
and
stood
ready
to
be
questioned
.
But
at
first
the
old
man
's
mind
could
only
take
in
the
idea
of
death
;
slowly
,
slowly
came
the
conception
of
violence
,
of
murder
.
"
How
did
he
die
?
"
he
groaned
forth
.
The
policemen
looked
at
each
other
.
Then
one
began
,
and
stated
that
having
heard
the
report
of
a
gun
in
Turner
Street
,
he
had
turned
down
that
way
(
a
lonely
,
unfrequented
way
Mr.
Carson
knew
,
but
a
short
cut
to
his
garden-door
,
of
which
Harry
had
a
key
)
;
that
as
he
(
the
policeman
)
came
nearer
,
he
had
heard
footsteps
as
of
a
man
running
away
;
but
the
evening
was
so
dark
(
the
moon
not
having
yet
risen
)
that
he
could
see
no
one
twenty
yards
off
.
That
he
had
even
been
startled
when
close
to
the
body
by
seeing
it
lying
across
the
path
at
his
feet
.
That
he
had
sprung
his
rattle
;
and
when
another
policeman
came
up
,
by
the
light
of
the
lantern
they
had
discovered
who
it
was
that
had
been
killed
.
That
they
believed
him
to
be
dead
when
they
first
took
him
up
,
as
he
had
never
moved
,
spoken
,
or
breathed
.
That
intelligence
of
the
murder
had
been
sent
to
the
superintendent
,
who
would
probably
soon
be
here
.
That
two
or
three
policemen
were
still
about
the
place
where
the
murder
was
committed
,
seeking
out
for
some
trace
of
the
murderer
.
Having
said
this
,
they
stopped
speaking
.
Mr.
Carson
had
listened
attentively
,
never
taking
his
eyes
off
the
dead
body
.
When
they
had
ended
,
he
said
,
"
Where
was
he
shot
?
"
They
lifted
up
some
of
the
thick
chestnut
curls
,
and
showed
a
blue
spot
(
you
could
hardly
call
it
a
hole
,
the
flesh
had
closed
so
much
over
it
)
in
the
left
temple
.
A
deadly
aim
!
And
yet
it
was
so
dark
a
night
!
"
He
must
have
been
close
upon
him
,
"
said
one
policeman
.
"
And
have
had
him
between
him
and
the
sky
,
"
added
the
other
.
There
was
a
little
commotion
at
the
door
of
the
room
,
and
there
stood
poor
Mrs.
Carson
,
the
mother
.
She
had
heard
unusual
noises
in
the
house
,
and
had
sent
down
her
maid
(
much
more
a
companion
to
her
than
her
highly-educated
daughters
)
to
discover
what
was
going
on
.
But
the
maid
either
forgot
,
or
dreaded
,
to
return
;
and
with
nervous
impatience
Mrs.
Carson
came
down
herself
,
and
had
traced
the
hum
and
buzz
of
voices
to
the
servants
'
hall
.
Mr.
Carson
turned
round
.
But
he
could
not
leave
the
dead
for
any
one
living
.
"
Take
her
away
,
nurse
.
It
is
no
sight
for
her
.
Tell
Miss
Sophy
to
go
to
her
mother
.
"
His
eyes
were
again
fixed
on
the
dead
face
of
his
son
.
Presently
Mrs.
Carson
's
hysterical
cries
were
heard
all
over
the
house
.
Her
husband
shuddered
at
the
outward
expression
of
the
agony
which
was
rending
his
heart
.
Then
the
police
superintendent
came
,
and
after
him
the
doctor
.
The
latter
went
through
all
the
forms
of
ascertaining
death
,
without
uttering
a
word
,
and
when
at
the
conclusion
of
the
operation
of
opening
a
vein
,
from
which
no
blood
flowed
,
he
shook
his
head
,
all
present
understood
the
confirmation
of
their
previous
belief
.
The
superintendent
asked
to
speak
to
Mr.
Carson
in
private
.
"
It
was
just
what
I
was
going
to
request
of
you
,
"
answered
he
;
so
he
led
the
way
into
the
dining-room
,
with
the
wine-glass
still
on
the
table
.
The
door
was
carefully
shut
,
and
both
sat
down
,
each
apparently
waiting
for
the
other
to
begin
.
At
last
Mr.
Carson
spoke
.
"
You
probably
have
heard
that
I
am
a
rich
man
.
"
The
superintendent
bowed
in
assent
.
"
Well
,
sir
,
half
—
nay
,
if
necessary
,
the
whole
of
my
fortune
I
will
give
to
have
the
murderer
brought
to
the
gallows
.
"
"
Every
exertion
,
you
may
be
sure
,
sir
,
shall
be
used
on
our
part
;
but
probably
offering
a
handsome
reward
might
accelerate
the
discovery
of
the
murderer
.
But
what
I
wanted
particularly
to
tell
you
,
sir
,
is
that
one
of
my
men
has
already
got
some
clue
,
and
that
another
(
who
accompanied
me
here
)
has
within
this
quarter
of
an
hour
found
a
gun
in
the
field
which
the
murderer
crossed
,
and
which
he
probably
threw
away
when
pursued
,
as
encumbering
his
flight
.
I
have
not
the
smallest
doubt
of
discovering
the
murderer
.
"
"
What
do
you
call
a
handsome
reward
?
"
said
Mr.
Carson
.
"
Well
,
sir
,
three
,
or
five
hundred
pounds
is
a
munificent
reward
:
more
than
will
probably
be
required
as
a
temptation
to
any
accomplice
.
"
"
Make
it
a
thousand
,
"
said
Mr.
Carson
,
decisively
.
"
It
's
the
doing
of
those
damned
turn-outs
.
"
"
I
imagine
not
,
"
said
the
superintendent
.
"
Some
days
ago
the
man
I
was
naming
to
you
before
,
reported
to
the
inspector
when
he
came
on
his
beat
,
that
he
had
had
to
separate
your
son
from
a
young
man
,
who
by
his
dress
he
believed
to
be
employed
in
a
foundry
;
that
the
man
had
thrown
Mr.
Carson
down
,
and
seemed
inclined
to
proceed
to
more
violence
,
when
the
policeman
came
up
and
interfered
.
Indeed
,
my
man
wished
to
give
him
in
charge
for
an
assault
,
but
Mr.
Carson
would
not
allow
that
to
be
done
.
"
"
Just
like
him
!
—
noble
fellow
!
"
murmured
the
father
.
"
But
after
your
son
had
left
,
the
man
made
use
of
some
pretty
strong
threats
.
And
it
's
rather
a
curious
coincidence
that
this
scuffle
took
place
in
the
very
same
spot
where
the
murder
was
committed
;
in
Turner
Street
.
"
There
was
some
one
knocking
at
the
door
of
the
room
.
It
was
Sophy
,
who
beckoned
her
father
out
,
and
then
asked
him
,
in
an
awe-struck
whisper
,
to
come
up-stairs
and
speak
to
her
mother
.
"
She
will
not
leave
Harry
,
and
talks
so
strangely
.
Indeed
—
indeed
—
papa
,
I
think
she
has
lost
her
senses
.
"
And
the
poor
girl
sobbed
bitterly
.
"
Where
is
she
?
"
asked
Mr.
Carson
.
"
In
his
room
.
"
They
went
up
stairs
rapidly
and
silently
.
It
was
a
large
,
comfortable
bedroom
;
too
large
to
be
well
lighted
by
the
flaring
,
flickering
kitchen-candle
which
had
been
hastily
snatched
up
,
and
now
stood
on
the
dressing-table
.
On
the
bed
,
surrounded
by
its
heavy
,
pall-like
green
curtains
,
lay
the
dead
son
.
They
had
carried
him
up
,
and
laid
him
down
,
as
tenderly
as
though
they
feared
to
waken
him
;
and
,
indeed
,
it
looked
more
like
sleep
than
death
,
so
very
calm
and
full
of
repose
was
the
face
.
You
saw
,
too
,
the
chiselled
beauty
of
the
features
much
more
perfectly
than
when
the
brilliant
colouring
of
life
had
distracted
your
attention
.
There
was
a
peace
about
him
which
told
that
death
had
come
too
instantaneously
to
give
any
previous
pain
.
In
a
chair
,
at
the
head
of
the
bed
,
sat
the
mother
,
—
smiling
.
She
held
one
of
the
hands
(
rapidly
stiffening
,
even
in
her
warm
grasp
)
,
and
gently
stroked
the
back
of
it
,
with
the
endearing
caress
she
had
used
to
all
her
children
when
young
.
"
I
am
glad
you
are
come
,
"
said
she
,
looking
up
at
her
husband
,
and
still
smiling
.
"
Harry
is
so
full
of
fun
,
he
always
has
something
new
to
amuse
us
with
;
and
now
he
pretends
he
is
asleep
,
and
that
we
ca
n't
waken
him
.
Look
!
he
is
smiling
now
;
he
hears
I
have
found
him
out
.
Look
!
"
And
,
in
truth
,
the
lips
,
in
the
rest
of
death
,
did
look
as
though
they
wore
a
smile
,
and
the
waving
light
of
the
unsnuffed
candle
almost
made
them
seem
to
move
.
"
Look
,
Amy
,
"
said
she
to
her
youngest
child
,
who
knelt
at
her
feet
,
trying
to
soothe
her
,
by
kissing
her
garments
.
"
Oh
,
he
was
always
a
rogue
!
You
remember
,
do
n't
you
,
love
?
how
full
of
play
he
was
as
a
baby
;
hiding
his
face
under
my
arm
,
when
you
wanted
to
play
with
him
.
Always
a
rogue
,
Harry
!
"
"
We
must
get
her
away
,
sir
,
"
said
nurse
;
"
you
know
there
is
much
to
be
done
before
—
"
"
I
understand
,
nurse
,
"
said
the
father
,
hastily
interrupting
her
in
dread
of
the
distinct
words
which
would
tell
of
the
changes
of
mortality
.
"
Come
,
love
,
"
said
he
to
his
wife
.
"
I
want
you
to
come
with
me
.
I
want
to
speak
to
you
down-stairs
.
"
"
I
'm
coming
,
"
said
she
,
rising
;
"
perhaps
,
after
all
,
nurse
,
he
's
really
tired
,
and
would
be
glad
to
sleep
.
Do
n't
let
him
get
cold
,
though
,
—
he
feels
rather
chilly
,
"
continued
she
,
after
she
had
bent
down
,
and
kissed
the
pale
lips
.
Her
husband
put
his
arm
round
her
waist
,
and
they
left
the
room
.
Then
the
three
sisters
burst
into
unrestrained
wailings
.
They
were
startled
into
the
reality
of
life
and
death
.
And
yet
,
in
the
midst
of
shrieks
and
moans
,
of
shivering
,
and
chattering
of
teeth
,
Sophy
's
eye
caught
the
calm
beauty
of
the
dead
;
so
calm
amidst
such
violence
,
and
she
hushed
her
emotion
.
"
Come
,
"
said
she
to
her
sisters
,
"
nurse
wants
us
to
go
;
and
besides
,
we
ought
to
be
with
mamma
.
Papa
told
the
man
he
was
talking
to
,
when
I
went
for
him
,
to
wait
,
and
she
must
not
be
left
.
"
Meanwhile
,
the
superintendent
had
taken
a
candle
,
and
was
examining
the
engravings
that
hung
round
the
dining-room
.
It
was
so
common
to
him
to
be
acquainted
with
crime
,
that
he
was
far
from
feeling
all
his
interest
absorbed
in
the
present
case
of
violence
,
although
he
could
not
help
having
much
anxiety
to
detect
the
murderer
.
He
was
busy
looking
at
the
only
oil-painting
in
the
room
(
a
youth
of
eighteen
or
so
,
in
a
fancy
dress
)
,
and
conjecturing
its
identity
with
the
young
man
so
mysteriously
dead
,
when
the
door
opened
,
and
Mr.
Carson
returned
.
Stern
as
he
had
looked
before
leaving
the
room
,
he
looked
far
sterner
now
.
His
face
was
hardened
into
deep-purposed
wrath
.
"
I
beg
your
pardon
,
sir
,
for
leaving
you
.
"
The
superintendent
bowed
.
They
sat
down
,
and
spoke
long
together
.
One
by
one
the
policemen
were
called
in
,
and
questioned
.
All
through
the
night
there
was
bustle
and
commotion
in
the
house
.
Nobody
thought
of
going
to
bed
.
It
seemed
strange
to
Sophy
to
hear
nurse
summoned
from
her
mother
's
side
to
supper
,
in
the
middle
of
the
night
,
and
still
stranger
that
she
could
go
.
The
necessity
of
eating
and
drinking
seemed
out
of
place
in
the
house
of
death
.
When
night
was
passing
into
morning
,
the
dining-room
door
opened
,
and
two
persons
'
steps
were
heard
along
the
hall
.
The
superintendent
was
leaving
at
last
.
Mr.
Carson
stood
on
the
front
door-step
,
feeling
the
refreshment
of
the
cooler
morning
air
,
and
seeing
the
starlight
fade
away
into
dawn
.
"
You
will
not
forget
,
"
said
he
.
"
I
trust
to
you
.
"
The
policeman
bowed
.
"
Spare
no
money
.
The
only
purpose
for
which
I
now
value
wealth
is
to
have
the
murderer
arrested
,
and
brought
to
justice
.
My
hope
in
life
now
is
to
see
him
sentenced
to
death
.
Offer
any
rewards
.
Name
a
thousand
pounds
in
the
placards
.
Come
to
me
at
any
hour
,
night
or
day
,
if
that
be
required
.
All
I
ask
of
you
is
,
to
get
the
murderer
hanged
.
Next
week
,
if
possible
—
to-day
is
Friday
.
Surely
,
with
the
clues
you
already
possess
,
you
can
muster
up
evidence
sufficient
to
have
him
tried
next
week
.
"
"
He
may
easily
request
an
adjournment
of
his
trial
,
on
the
ground
of
the
shortness
of
the
notice
,
"
said
the
superintendent
.
"
Oppose
it
,
if
possible
.
I
will
see
that
the
first
lawyers
are
employed
.
I
shall
know
no
rest
while
he
lives
.
"
"
Every
thing
shall
be
done
,
sir
.
"
"
You
will
arrange
with
the
coroner
.
Ten
o'clock
,
if
convenient
.
"
The
superintendent
took
leave
.
Mr.
Carson
stood
on
the
step
,
dreading
to
shut
out
the
light
and
air
,
and
return
into
the
haunted
,
gloomy
house
.
"
My
son
!
my
son
!
"
he
said
,
at
last
.
"
But
you
shall
be
avenged
,
my
poor
murdered
boy
.
"
Ay
!
to
avenge
his
wrongs
the
murderer
had
singled
out
his
victim
,
and
with
one
fell
action
had
taken
away
the
life
that
God
had
given
.
To
avenge
his
child
's
death
,
the
old
man
lived
on
;
with
the
single
purpose
in
his
heart
of
vengeance
on
the
murderer
.
True
,
his
vengeance
was
sanctioned
by
law
,
but
was
it
the
less
revenge
?
Are
we
worshippers
of
Christ
?
or
of
Alecto
?
Oh
!
Orestes
!
you
would
have
made
a
very
tolerable
Christian
of
the
nineteenth
century
!
CHAPTER
XIX
.
JEM
WILSON
ARRESTED
ON
SUSPICION
.
"
Deeds
to
be
hid
which
were
not
hid
,
Which
,
all
confused
,
I
could
not
know
,
Whether
I
suffered
or
I
did
,
For
all
seemed
guilt
,
remorse
,
or
woe
.
"
Coleridge
.
I
left
Mary
,
on
that
same
Thursday
night
which
left
its
burden
of
woe
at
Mr.
Carson
's
threshold
,
haunted
with
depressing
thoughts
.
All
through
the
night
she
tossed
restlessly
about
,
trying
to
get
quit
of
the
ideas
that
harassed
her
,
and
longing
for
the
light
when
she
could
rise
,
and
find
some
employment
.
But
just
as
dawn
began
to
appear
,
she
became
more
quiet
,
and
fell
into
a
sound
heavy
sleep
,
which
lasted
till
she
was
sure
it
was
late
in
the
morning
by
the
full
light
that
shone
in
.
She
dressed
hastily
,
and
heard
the
neighbouring
church-clock
strike
eight
.
It
was
far
too
late
to
do
as
she
had
planned
(
after
inquiring
how
Alice
was
,
to
return
and
tell
Margaret
)
,
and
she
accordingly
went
in
to
inform
the
latter
of
her
change
of
purpose
,
and
the
cause
of
it
;
but
on
entering
the
house
she
found
Job
sitting
alone
,
looking
sad
enough
.
She
told
him
what
she
came
for
.
"
Margaret
,
wench
!
why
she
's
been
gone
to
Wilson
's
these
two
hours
.
Ay
!
sure
,
you
did
say
last
night
you
would
go
;
but
she
could
na
rest
in
her
bed
,
so
was
off
betimes
this
morning
.
"
Mary
could
do
nothing
but
feel
guilty
of
her
long
morning
nap
,
and
hasten
to
follow
Margaret
's
steps
;
for
late
as
it
was
,
she
felt
she
could
not
settle
well
to
her
work
,
unless
she
learnt
how
kind
good
Alice
Wilson
was
going
on
.
So
,
eating
her
crust-of-bread
breakfast
,
she
passed
rapidly
along
the
streets
.
She
remembered
afterwards
the
little
groups
of
people
she
had
seen
,
eagerly
hearing
,
and
imparting
news
;
but
at
the
time
her
only
care
was
to
hasten
on
her
way
,
in
dread
of
a
reprimand
from
Miss
Simmonds
.
She
went
into
the
house
at
Jane
Wilson
's
,
her
heart
at
the
instant
giving
a
strange
knock
,
and
sending
the
rosy
flush
into
her
face
,
at
the
thought
that
Jem
might
possibly
be
inside
the
door
.
But
I
do
assure
you
,
she
had
not
thought
of
it
before
.
Impatient
and
loving
as
she
was
,
her
solicitude
about
Alice
on
that
hurried
morning
had
not
been
mingled
with
any
thought
of
him
.
Her
heart
need
not
have
leaped
,
her
colour
need
not
have
rushed
so
painfully
to
her
cheeks
,
for
he
was
not
there
.
There
was
the
round
table
,
with
a
cup
and
saucer
,
which
had
evidently
been
used
,
and
there
was
Jane
Wilson
sitting
on
the
other
side
,
crying
quietly
,
while
she
ate
her
breakfast
with
a
sort
of
unconscious
appetite
.
And
there
was
Mrs.
Davenport
washing
away
at
a
night-cap
or
so
,
which
,
by
their
simple
,
old-world
make
,
Mary
knew
at
a
glance
were
Alice
's
.
But
nothing
—
no
one
else
.
Alice
was
much
the
same
,
or
rather
better
of
the
two
,
they
told
her
;
at
any
rate
she
could
speak
,
though
it
was
sad
rambling
talk
.
Would
Mary
like
to
see
her
?
Of
course
she
would
.
Many
are
interested
by
seeing
their
friends
under
the
new
aspect
of
illness
;
and
among
the
poor
there
is
no
wholesome
fear
of
injury
or
excitement
to
restrain
this
wish
.
So
Mary
went
up-stairs
,
accompanied
by
Mrs.
Davenport
,
wringing
the
suds
off
her
hands
,
and
speaking
in
a
loud
whisper
far
more
audible
than
her
usual
voice
.
"
I
mun
be
hastening
home
,
but
I
'll
come
again
to-night
,
time
enough
to
iron
her
cap
;
'
twould
be
a
sin
and
a
shame
if
we
let
her
go
dirty
now
she
's
ill
,
when
she
's
been
so
rare
and
clean
all
her
life-long
.
But
she
's
sadly
forsaken
,
poor
thing
!
She
'll
not
know
you
,
Mary
;
she
knows
none
on
us
.
"
The
room
up-stairs
held
two
beds
,
one
superior
in
the
grandeur
of
four
posts
and
checked
curtains
to
the
other
,
which
had
been
occupied
by
the
twins
in
their
brief
life-time
.
The
smaller
had
been
Alice
's
bed
since
she
had
lived
there
;
but
with
the
natural
reverence
to
one
"
stricken
of
God
and
afflicted
,
"
she
had
been
installed
since
her
paralytic
stroke
the
evening
before
in
the
larger
and
grander
bed
,
while
Jane
Wilson
had
taken
her
short
broken
rest
on
the
little
pallet
.
Margaret
came
forwards
to
meet
her
friend
,
whom
she
half
expected
,
and
whose
step
she
knew
.
Mrs.
Davenport
returned
to
her
washing
.
The
two
girls
did
not
speak
;
the
presence
of
Alice
awed
them
into
silence
.
There
she
lay
with
the
rosy
colour
,
absent
from
her
face
since
the
days
of
childhood
,
flushed
once
more
into
it
by
her
sickness
nigh
unto
death
.
She
lay
on
the
affected
side
,
and
with
her
other
arm
she
was
constantly
sawing
the
air
,
not
exactly
in
a
restless
manner
,
but
in
a
monotonous
,
incessant
way
,
very
trying
to
a
watcher
.
She
was
talking
away
,
too
,
almost
as
constantly
,
in
a
low
,
indistinct
tone
.
But
her
face
,
her
profiled
countenance
,
looked
calm
and
smiling
,
even
interested
by
the
ideas
that
were
passing
through
her
clouded
mind
.
"
Listen
!
"
said
Margaret
,
as
she
stooped
her
head
down
to
catch
the
muttered
words
more
distinctly
.
"
What
will
mother
say
?
The
bees
are
turning
homeward
for
th
'
last
time
,
and
we
've
a
terrible
long
bit
to
go
yet
.
See
!
here
's
a
linnet
's
nest
in
this
gorse-bush
.
Th
'
hen-bird
is
on
it
.
Look
at
her
bright
eyes
,
she
wo
n't
stir
!
Ay
!
we
mun
hurry
home
.
Wo
n't
mother
be
pleased
with
the
bonny
lot
of
heather
we
've
got
!
Make
haste
,
Sally
,
may
be
we
shall
have
cockles
for
supper
.
I
saw
th
'
cockle-man
's
donkey
turn
up
our
way
fra
'
Arnside
.
"
Margaret
touched
Mary
's
hand
,
and
the
pressure
in
return
told
her
that
they
understood
each
other
;
that
they
knew
how
in
this
illness
to
the
old
,
world-weary
woman
,
God
had
sent
her
a
veiled
blessing
:
she
was
once
more
in
the
scenes
of
her
childhood
,
unchanged
and
bright
as
in
those
long
departed
days
;
once
more
with
the
sister
of
her
youth
,
the
playmate
of
fifty
years
ago
,
who
had
for
nearly
as
many
years
slept
in
a
grassy
grave
in
the
little
church-yard
beyond
Burton
.
Alice
's
face
changed
;
she
looked
sorrowful
,
almost
penitent
.
"
Oh
,
Sally
!
I
wish
we
'd
told
her
.
She
thinks
we
were
in
church
all
morning
,
and
we
've
gone
on
deceiving
her
.
If
we
'd
told
her
at
first
how
it
was
—
how
sweet
th
'
hawthorn
smelt
through
the
open
church-door
,
and
how
we
were
on
th
'
last
bench
in
the
aisle
,
and
how
it
were
the
first
butterfly
we
'd
seen
this
spring
,
and
how
it
flew
into
th
'
very
church
itself
;
oh
!
mother
is
so
gentle
,
I
wish
we
'd
told
her
.
I
'll
go
to
her
next
time
she
comes
in
sight
,
and
say
,
'
Mother
,
we
were
naughty
last
Sabbath
.
'
"
She
stopped
,
and
a
few
tears
came
stealing
down
the
old
withered
cheek
,
at
the
thought
of
the
temptation
and
deceit
of
her
childhood
.
Surely
,
many
sins
could
not
have
darkened
that
innocent
child-like
spirit
since
.
Mary
found
a
red-spotted
pocket-handkerchief
,
and
put
it
into
the
hand
which
sought
about
for
something
to
wipe
away
the
trickling
tears
.
She
took
it
with
a
gentle
murmur
.
"
Thank
you
,
mother
.
"
Mary
pulled
Margaret
away
from
the
bed
.
"
Do
n't
you
think
she
's
happy
,
Margaret
?
"
"
Ay
!
that
I
do
,
bless
her
.
She
feels
no
pain
,
and
knows
nought
of
her
present
state
.
Oh
!
that
I
could
see
,
Mary
!
I
try
and
be
patient
with
her
afore
me
,
but
I
'd
give
aught
I
have
to
see
her
,
and
see
what
she
wants
.
I
am
so
useless
!
I
mean
to
stay
here
as
long
as
Jane
Wilson
is
alone
;
and
I
would
fain
be
here
all
to-night
,
but
—
"
"
I
'll
come
,
"
said
Mary
,
decidedly
.
"
Mrs.
Davenport
said
she
'd
come
again
,
but
she
's
hard-worked
all
day
—
"
"
I
'll
come
,
"
repeated
Mary
.
"
Do
!
"
said
Margaret
,
"
and
I
'll
be
here
till
you
come
.
May
be
,
Jem
and
you
could
take
th
'
night
between
you
,
and
Jane
Wilson
might
get
a
bit
of
sound
sleep
in
his
bed
;
for
she
were
up
and
down
the
better
part
of
last
night
,
and
just
when
she
were
in
a
sound
sleep
this
morning
,
between
two
and
three
,
Jem
came
home
,
and
th
'
sound
o
'
his
voice
roused
her
in
a
minute
.
"
"
Where
had
he
been
till
that
time
o
'
night
?
"
asked
Mary
.
"
Nay
!
it
were
none
of
my
business
;
and
,
indeed
,
I
never
saw
him
till
he
came
in
here
to
see
Alice
.
He
were
in
again
this
morning
,
and
seemed
sadly
downcast
.
But
you
'll
,
may
be
,
manage
to
comfort
him
to-night
,
Mary
,
"
said
Margaret
,
smiling
,
while
a
ray
of
hope
glimmered
in
Mary
's
heart
,
and
she
almost
felt
glad
,
for
an
instant
,
of
the
occasion
which
would
at
last
bring
them
together
.
Oh
!
happy
night
!
when
would
it
come
?
Many
hours
had
yet
to
pass
.
Then
she
saw
Alice
,
and
repented
,
with
a
bitter
self-reproach
.
But
she
could
not
help
having
gladness
in
the
depths
of
her
heart
,
blame
herself
as
she
would
.
So
she
tried
not
to
think
,
as
she
hurried
along
to
Miss
Simmonds
'
,
with
a
dancing
step
of
lightness
.
She
was
late
—
that
she
knew
she
should
be
.
Miss
Simmonds
was
vexed
and
cross
.
That
also
she
had
anticipated
,
but
she
had
intended
to
smooth
her
raven
down
by
extraordinary
diligence
and
attention
.
But
there
was
something
about
the
girls
she
did
not
understand
—
had
not
anticipated
.
They
stopped
talking
when
she
came
in
;
or
rather
,
I
should
say
,
stopped
listening
,
for
Sally
Leadbitter
was
the
talker
to
whom
they
were
hearkening
with
intense
attention
.
At
first
they
eyed
Mary
,
as
if
she
had
acquired
some
new
interest
to
them
,
since
the
day
before
.
Then
they
began
to
whisper
;
and
,
absorbed
as
Mary
had
been
in
her
own
thoughts
,
she
could
not
help
becoming
aware
that
it
was
of
her
they
spoke
.
At
last
Sally
Leadbitter
asked
Mary
if
she
had
heard
the
news
?
"
No
!
What
news
?
"
answered
she
.
The
girls
looked
at
each
other
with
gloomy
mystery
.
Sally
went
on
.
"
Have
you
not
heard
that
young
Mr.
Carson
was
murdered
last
night
?
"
Mary
's
lips
could
not
utter
a
negative
,
but
no
one
who
looked
at
her
pale
and
terror-stricken
face
could
have
doubted
that
she
had
not
heard
before
of
the
fearful
occurrence
.
Oh
,
it
is
terrible
,
that
sudden
information
,
that
one
you
have
known
has
met
with
a
bloody
death
!
You
seem
to
shrink
from
the
world
where
such
deeds
can
be
committed
,
and
to
grow
sick
with
the
idea
of
the
violent
and
wicked
men
of
earth
.
Much
as
Mary
had
learned
to
dread
him
lately
,
now
he
was
dead
(
and
dead
in
such
a
manner
)
her
feeling
was
that
of
oppressive
sorrow
for
him
.
The
room
went
round
and
round
,
and
she
felt
as
though
she
should
faint
;
but
Miss
Simmonds
came
in
,
bringing
a
waft
of
fresher
air
as
she
opened
the
door
,
to
refresh
the
body
,
and
the
certainty
of
a
scolding
for
inattention
to
brace
the
sinking
mind
.
She
,
too
,
was
full
of
the
morning
's
news
.
"
Have
you
heard
any
more
of
this
horrid
affair
,
Miss
Barton
?
"
asked
she
,
as
she
settled
to
her
work
.
Mary
tried
to
speak
;
at
first
she
could
not
,
and
when
she
succeeded
in
uttering
a
sentence
,
it
seemed
as
though
it
were
not
her
own
voice
that
spoke
.
"
No
,
ma'am
,
I
never
heard
of
it
till
this
minute
.
"
"
Dear
!
that
's
strange
,
for
every
one
is
up
about
it
.
I
hope
the
murderer
will
be
found
out
,
that
I
do
.
Such
a
handsome
young
man
to
be
killed
as
he
was
.
I
hope
the
wretch
that
did
it
may
be
hanged
as
high
as
Haman
.
"
One
of
the
girls
reminded
them
that
the
assizes
came
on
next
week
.
"
Ay
,
"
replied
Miss
Simmonds
,
"
and
the
milk-man
told
me
they
will
catch
the
wretch
,
and
have
him
tried
and
hung
in
less
than
a
week
.
Serve
him
right
,
whoever
he
is
.
Such
a
handsome
young
man
as
he
was
.
"
Then
each
began
to
communicate
to
Miss
Simmonds
the
various
reports
they
had
heard
.
Suddenly
she
burst
out
—
"
Miss
Barton
!
as
I
live
,
dropping
tears
on
that
new
silk
gown
of
Mrs.
Hawkes
'
!
Do
n't
you
know
they
will
stain
,
and
make
it
shabby
for
ever
?
Crying
like
a
baby
,
because
a
handsome
young
man
meets
with
an
untimely
end
.
For
shame
of
yourself
,
miss.
Mind
your
character
and
your
work
if
you
please
.
Or
,
if
you
must
cry
"
(
seeing
her
scolding
rather
increased
the
flow
of
Mary
's
tears
,
than
otherwise
)
,
"
take
this
print
to
cry
over
.
That
wo
n't
be
marked
like
this
beautiful
silk
,
"
rubbing
it
,
as
if
she
loved
it
,
with
a
clean
pocket-handkerchief
,
in
order
to
soften
the
edges
of
the
hard
round
drops
.
Mary
took
the
print
,
and
naturally
enough
,
having
had
leave
given
her
to
cry
over
it
,
rather
checked
the
inclination
to
weep
.
Every
body
was
full
of
the
one
subject
.
The
girl
sent
out
to
match
silk
,
came
back
with
the
account
gathered
at
the
shop
,
of
the
coroner
's
inquest
then
sitting
;
the
ladies
who
called
to
speak
about
gowns
first
began
about
the
murder
,
and
mingled
details
of
that
,
with
directions
for
their
dresses
.
Mary
felt
as
though
the
haunting
horror
were
a
nightmare
,
a
fearful
dream
,
from
which
awakening
would
relieve
her
.
The
picture
of
the
murdered
body
,
far
more
ghastly
than
the
reality
,
seemed
to
swim
in
the
air
before
her
eyes
.
Sally
Leadbitter
looked
and
spoke
of
her
,
almost
accusingly
,
and
made
no
secret
now
of
Mary
's
conduct
,
more
blameable
to
her
fellow-workwomen
for
its
latter
