soknowingly
that
,
do
what
she
could
,
Mary
could
not
but
laugh
.
CHAPTER
XIII
.
Mary
was
gone
;
Jane
,
had
come
in
but
to
go
up
to
her
room
.
Rachel
sat
alone
in
the
little
parlour
,
reading
by
candle-light
.
And
did
she
read
,
indeed
!
Alas
no
!
Her
will
fixed
her
eyes
on
the
page
,
but
her
mind
received
not
the
impressions
it
conveyed
.
The
sentences
were
vague
and
broken
as
images
in
a
dream
;
the
words
had
no
meaning
.
Outwardly
,
calm
as
ever
did
Rachel
seem
,
but
there
was
a
strange
sorrow
—
a
strange
tumult
in
her
heart
.
That
day
the
hope
of
years
had
been
wrecked
,
that
day
she
had
offered
herself
,
and
been
finally
rejected
.
In
vain
she
said
to
herself
:
"
I
must
submit
—
it
is
the
will
of
God
,
I
must
submit
.
"
A
voice
within
her
ever
seemed
to
say
:
"
Father
,
Father
why
hast
thou
forsaken
me
!
"
until
,
at
length
,
Rachel
felt
as
if
she
could
bear
no
more
.
Sorrows
endured
in
silence
are
ever
doubly
felt
.
The
nature
of
Rachel
Gray
was
silent
;
she
had
never
asked
for
sympathy
;
she
had
early
been
taught
to
expect
and
accept
in
its
stead
,
its
bitter
step-sister
Ridicule
.
Derided
,
laughed
at
,
she
had
learned
to
dread
that
the
look
of
a
human
being
should
catch
a
glimpse
of
her
sorrows
.
If
her
little
troubles
were
thus
treated
—
how
would
her
heavier
griefs
fare
?
And
now
no
more
than
ever
did
Rachel
trouble
any
with
her
burden
.
Why
should
she
?
Who
,
what
was
she
that
others
should
care
whether
or
not
her
father
loved
her
!
That
he
did
not
sufficiently
,
condemned
her
to
solitude
.
The
pitying
eye
of
God
might
,
indeed
,
look
down
upon
her
with
tenderness
and
love
,
but
from
her
brethren
Rachel
expected
nothing
.
And
thus
it
was
that
,
on
this
night
,
after
consoling
the
idle
sorrows
of
an
indulged
child
,
Rachel
,
sitting
in
solitude
,
found
the
weight
of
her
own
grief
almost
intolerable
.
Like
all
shy
and
nervous
persons
,
she
was
deeply
excitable
.
Anger
she
knew
not
;
but
emotions
as
vehement
,
though
more
pure
,
could
trouble
her
heart
.
And
now
she
was
moved
,
and
deeply
moved
,
by
a
sense
of
injustice
and
of
wrong
.
Her
father
wronged
her
—
perhaps
he
knew
it
not
;
but
he
wronged
her
.
"
God
Almighty
had
not
given
him
a
child
,
she
felt
,
to
treat
it
thus
,
with
mingled
dislike
and
contempt
Were
there
none
to
receive
his
slights
and
his
scorn
,
but
his
own
daughter
?
"
She
rose
,
and
walked
up
and
down
the
room
with
some
agitation
.
Then
came
calmer
and
gentler
thoughts
,
moving
her
heart
until
her
tears
flowed
freely
.
Had
she
not
failed
that
day
—
had
she
not
been
too
cold
in
her
entreaties
,
too
easily
daunted
by
the
first
rejection
?
Had
she
but
allowed
her
father
to
see
the
love
,
deep
and
fervent
,
which
burned
in
his
daughter
's
heart
—
he
would
not
,
he
could
not
so
coldly
have
repelled
and
cast
her
from
him
.
"
And
why
not
try
again
?
"
murmured
an
inner
voice
;
"
the
kingdom
of
Heaven
is
taken
by
storm
—
and
what
is
the
kingdom
of
Heaven
,
but
the
realm
of
love
?
"
At
first
,
this
seemed
a
thought
so
wild
,
that
Rachel
drew
back
from
it
in
alarm
,
as
from
an
abyss
yawning
at
her
feet
.
But
even
as
our
looks
soon
become
familiar
with
images
of
the
wildest
danger
,
so
the
thought
returned
;
and
she
shrank
not
back
from
it
.
Besides
,
what
had
she
to
lose
?
Nothing
!
With
a
sort
of
despair
,
she
resolved
to
go
and
seek
Thomas
Gray
,
and
attempt
once
more
to
move
him
.
"
If
he
rejects
me
now
,
"
she
added
,
inwardly
,
"
I
shall
submit
,
and
trouble
him
no
more
.
"
The
hour
was
not
late
;
besides
,
in
her
present
mood
,
the
timid
Rachel
felt
above
fear
.
She
was
soon
dressed
—
soon
on
her
road
.
This
time
neither
annoyance
nor
evil
befell
her
.
She
passed
like
a
shadow
through
crowds
,
and
like
a
shadow
was
unheeded
.
The
night
was
dark
and
dreary
;
a
keen
wind
whistled
along
the
streets
—
but
for
either
cold
or
darkness
Rachel
cared
not
.
Her
thoughts
flowed
full
and
free
in
her
brain
;
for
once
,
she
felt
that
she
could
speak
;
and
a
joyful
presentiment
in
her
heart
told
her
that
she
would
,
and
should
be
heard
—
and
not
in
vain
.
Absorbed
in
those
thoughts
,
Rachel
scarcely
knew
what
speed
she
had
made
,
until
,
with
the
mechanical
impulse
of
habit
,
she
found
herself
stopping
before
the
second
hand
ironmonger
's
shop
.
Wakening
as
from
a
dream
,
and
smiling
at
herself
,
she
went
on
.
Rachel
had
expected
to
find
the
shop
of
Thomas
Gray
closed
,
and
himself
absent
;
but
the
light
that
burned
from
his
dwelling
,
and
shed
its
glow
on
the
opposite
houses
,
made
her
heart
beat
with
joy
and
hope
.
Timidly
,
she
looked
in
through
the
glass
panes
;
the
shop
was
vacant
;
her
father
was
,
no
doubt
,
in
the
back
parlour
.
Rachel
entered
;
the
door-bell
rang
.
She
paused
on
the
threshold
,
expecting
to
see
him
appear
from
within
,
nerving
herself
to
bear
his
cold
look
,
and
severe
aspect
;
but
he
came
not
He
was
either
up-stairs
,
or
in
some
other
part
of
the
house
,
or
next
door
with
a
neighbour
.
There
was
a
chair
in
the
shop
;
Rachel
took
it
,
sat
down
,
and
waited
—
how
long
,
she
herself
never
knew
;
for
seconds
seemed
hours
,
and
all
true
consciousness
of
time
had
left
her
.
At
length
,
she
wondered
;
then
she
feared
—
why
was
her
father
's
house
so
silent
and
so
deserted
?
She
went
to
the
door
,
and
looked
down
the
street
.
It
was
still
and
lonely
;
every
house
was
shot
up
;
and
even
from
the
neighbouring
thoroughfare
,
all
sounds
of
motion
and
life
seemed
gone
.
Suddenly
Rachel
remembered
the
little
public-house
to
which
her
father
had
once
sent
her
.
She
had
often
seen
him
going
to
it
in
the
evening
;
perhaps
he
was
there
now
.
In
the
shadow
of
the
houses
,
she
glided
up
to
the
tavern
door
—
it
stood
half
open
—
she
cautiously
looked
in
;
and
standing
,
as
she
did
in
the
gloom
of
the
street
,
she
could
do
so
unseen
.
The
landlord
sat
dozing
in
the
bar
—
not
a
soul
was
with
him
.
Rachel
glanced
at
the
clock
above
his
head
;
it
marked
a
quarter
to
twelve
.
Dismayed
and
alarmed
,
she
returned
to
her
father
's
house
.
It
so
chanced
,
that
as
she
walked
on
the
opposite
side
of
the
narrow
street
,
a
circumstance
that
had
before
escaped
her
notice
,
now
struck
her
.
In
the
room
above
the
shop
of
Thomas
Gray
,
there
burned
a
light
.
She
stopped
short
,
and
looked
at
it
with
a
beating
heart
.
She
felt
sure
her
father
was
there
.
Rachel
re-entered
the
shop
,
and
again
sat
down
,
resolved
to
be
patient
;
but
her
nervous
restlessness
soon
became
intolerable
.
Seized
with
an
indefinite
fear
,
she
rose
,
took
the
light
,
and
entered
the
parlour
:
it
was
vacant
.
Passing
under
a
low
door
which
she
found
ajar
,
she
went
up
a
dark
staircase
.
It
ended
with
a
narrow
landing
,
and
a
solitary
door
;
she
knocked
,
and
got
no
reply
;
she
tried
it
,
it
yielded
to
her
hand
,
and
opened
;
but
Rachel
did
not
cross
the
threshold
;
she
paused
upon
it
,
awe-struck
at
the
sight
she
saw
.
The
room
was
a
small
one
,
poorly
famished
,
with
a
low
and
narrow
bed
,
a
table
and
a
few
chairs
.
On
the
mantle-shelf
burned
a
tallow
light
,
dim
and
lurid
for
want
of
snuffing
;
its
dull
glow
fell
on
the
motionless
figure
of
Thomas
Gray
.
He
sat
straight
and
stiff
in
a
wooden
chair
,
with
a
hand
resting
on
each
arm
.
His
face
was
ghastly
pale
,
and
rigid
as
death
;
his
eyes
stared
on
the
blank
wall
before
him
,
and
seemed
void
of
sight
.
"
My
father
is
dead
,
"
thought
Rachel
.
She
entered
the
room
and
went
up
to
him
.
But
when
she
laid
her
hand
on
his
arm
,
a
slight
convulsive
motion
showed
her
that
he
still
lived
.
Ay
,
he
lived
,
of
that
living
death
,
which
is
worse
than
the
true
.
Paralysis
had
fallen
upon
him
without
warning
.
Like
a
thief
in
the
night
it
had
come
;
and
in
a
few
brief
seconds
it
had
laid
low
the
proud
man
's
strength
.
Of
that
strength
he
had
boasted
in
the
morning
;
twelve
hours
had
not
gone
round
—
where
was
it
now
?
Rachel
did
not
lose
her
presence
of
mind
.
How
she
went
out
,
found
a
doctor
,
and
brought
him
back
,
she
never
exactly
knew
;
but
she
did
it
.
The
medical
man
looked
at
Thomas
Gray
,
then
at
Rachel
.
"
You
are
his
daughter
,
"
he
said
,
kindly
.
"
Yes
,
sir
,
I
am
.
"
"
Well
,
then
,
my
poor
girl
,
I
am
very
sorry
for
you
—
very
sorry
.
Your
father
may
live
years
but
I
can
hold
out
no
prospect
of
recovery
.
"
"
None
,
sir
?
"
faltered
Rachel
,
looking
wistfully
in
his
face
.
"
Not
the
least
.
Better
I
should
tell
you
so
at
once
,
than
deceive
you
.
"
But
Rachel
would
not
—
could
not
believe
him
.
The
sentence
was
too
hard
,
too
pitiless
to
be
true
.
"
Father
,
father
!
do
you
know
me
?
"
she
cried
.
He
stared
vacantly
in
her
face
.
Did
he
know
her
?
Perhaps
he
did
.
Who
can
tell
how
far
the
spirit
lived
in
that
dead
body
?
But
if
know
her
he
did
,
gone
was
the
time
when
he
could
hold
intercourse
with
that
long
slighted
,
and
now
bitterly
avenged
daughter
.
In
vain
she
clung
weeping
around
his
neck
,
in
vain
she
called
on
him
to
reply
.
He
merely
looked
at
her
in
the
same
vacant
way
,
and
said
childishly
,
"
Never
mind
.
"
"
But
you
know
me
—
you
know
me
,
father
!
"
said
Rachel
.
Again
,
he
looked
at
her
vacantly
,
and
still
the
only
words
he
uttered
were
,
"
Never
mind
.
"
"
His
mind
is
gone
for
ever
,
"
said
the
doctor
.
Rachel
did
not
answer
.
She
clasped
her
hands
,
and
looked
with
wistful
sadness
on
the
old
man
's
blank
face
.
With
a
pang
she
felt
and
saw
that
now
,
indeed
,
her
dream
was
over
—
that
never
,
never
upon
earth
,
should
she
win
that
long
hoped-for
treasure
—
her
father
's
love
.
CHAPTER
XIV
.
In
the
grey
of
the
morning
,
Rachel
brought
her
father
to
the
humble
little
home
which
he
had
voluntarily
forsaken
years
before
.
Thomas
Gray
was
not
merely
a
paralyzed
and
helpless
old
man
,
he
was
also
destitute
.
Little
more
than
what
sufficed
to
cover
his
current
expenses
did
Rachel
find
in
his
dwelling
;
his
furniture
was
old
and
worthless
;
and
the
good-will
of
the
business
scarcely
paid
the
arrears
of
rent
.
But
the
world
rarely
gives
us
credit
for
good
motives
.
It
was
currently
reported
that
Thomas
Gray
was
a
wealthy
man
,
and
that
if
Rachel
Gray
did
not
let
him
go
to
the
workhouse
,
she
knew
why
.
"
As
if
she
could
n't
let
him
go
,
and
keep
his
money
too
,
"
indignantly
exclaimed
Jane
,
when
she
heard
this
slander
;
and
,
as
discretion
was
not
Jane
's
virtue
,
she
repeated
all
to
Rachel
Gray
.
Poor
Rachel
coloured
slightly
.
It
seemed
strange
,
and
somewhat
hard
too
,
that
her
conduct
should
be
judged
thus
.
But
the
flush
passed
from
her
pale
face
,
and
the
momentary
emotion
from
her
heart
.
"
Let
the
world
think
,
and
say
what
it
likes
,
"
she
thought
,
"
I
need
not
,
and
I
will
not
care
.
"
Not
long
after
Rachel
brought
home
her
father
,
Jane
left
her
.
The
time
of
her
apprenticeship
was
out
;
besides
,
she
was
going
to
marry
.
She
showed
more
emotion
on
their
parting
,
than
might
have
been
expected
from
her
.
"
God
bless
you
.
Miss
Gray
,
"
she
said
several
times
;
"
God
bless
you
—
you
are
a
good
one
,
whatever
the
world
may
think
.
"
The
praise
was
qualified
,
and
,
perhaps
,
Rachel
felt
it
to
be
so
,
for
she
smiled
;
but
she
took
it
as
Jane
meant
it
—
kindly
.
Amity
and
peace
marked
their
separation
.
Rachel
now
remained
alone
with
her
father
and
Mary
.
The
young
girl
was
not
observant
.
She
saw
but
a
quiet
woman
,
and
a
helpless
old
man
,
with
grey
hair
,
and
stern
features
blank
of
meaning
,
who
sat
the
whole
day
long
by
the
fire-side
,
waited
on
by
his
patient
daughter
.
Sometimes
,
indeed
,
when
Rachel
Gray
attended
on
her
father
with
more
than
usual
tenderness
,
when
she
lingered
near
his
chair
,
looking
wistfully
in
his
face
,
or
with
timid
and
tender
hand
gently
smoothed
away
his
whitened
hair
from
his
rugged
brow
,
sometimes
,
then
,
Mary
looked
and
wondered
,
and
felt
vaguely
moved
,
but
she
was
too
childish
to
know
why
.
And
,
indeed
,
the
story
of
Rachel
's
life
at
this
time
cannot
be
told
.
It
was
beautiful
;
but
its
beauty
was
not
of
earth
,
and
to
earthly
glance
cannot
be
revealed
.
It
lay
,
a
divine
secret
,
between
her
heart
and
God
.
This
peace
was
not
destined
to
last
Rachel
and
her
father
sat
alone
one
morning
in
the
parlour
,
when
Mrs.
Brown
,
who
had
found
the
street
door
ajar
,
burst
in
without
preliminary
warning
.
She
was
scarlet
,
and
looked
in
a
towering
passion
.
"
You
audacious
creatur
,
"
she
screamed
;
"
you
audacious
hussey
,
how
dare
you
bring
that
man
in
this
house
—
in
my
house
!
How
dare
you
?
"
"
He
is
my
father
,
"
said
Rachel
,
confounded
,
both
at
the
accusation
,
and
at
the
unexpected
appearance
of
Mrs.
Brown
.
The
reply
exasperated
Mrs.
Brown
.
She
had
never
felt
any
extraordinary
friendship
or
affection
for
her
deceased
cousin
;
but
she
had
always
entertained
a
very
acute
sense
of
her
cousin
's
wrongs
,
and
had
accordingly
honoured
Thomas
Gray
with
no
small
share
of
hatred
and
vituperation
,
and
that
Rachel
should
not
feel
as
she
did
on
the
subject
,
or
should
presume
to
remember
that
the
sinner
was
her
father
,
was
,
in
Mrs.
Brown
's
eyes
,
an
offence
of
the
deepest
dye
.
She
gave
her
feelings
free
vent
.
She
was
a
vulgar
woman
,
and
had
a
flow
of
vulgar
eloquence
at
her
command
.
She
overwhelmed
Rachel
and
Thomas
Gray
with
sarcasm
,
scorn
and
abuse
,
and
Rachel
answered
not
one
word
,
but
heard
her
out
,
still
as
a
statue
,
and
pale
as
death
.
Mrs.
Brown
,
too
,
was
pale
,
but
it
was
with
wrath
.
"
Do
you
know
,
"
she
added
,
trembling
from
head
to
foot
with
that
passion
,
"
do
you
know
that
I
could
turn
you
out
on
the
streets
,
you
and
your
beggarly
father
—
do
you
know
that
?
"
Rachel
did
know
it
,
and
groaned
inwardly
.
Mrs.
Brown
saw
her
agony
,
and
triumphed
in
the
consciousness
of
her
own
power
.
But
the
very
violence
of
her
anger
had
by
this
time
exhausted
it
;
she
felt
much
calmer
,
and
took
a
more
rational
view
of
things
.
"
I
am
a
fool
to
mind
what
a
simpleton
like
you
does
,
"
observed
Mrs.
Brown
,
with
that
disregard
of
politeness
which
was
one
of
her
attributes
;
"
for
,
being
a
simpleton
,
how
can
you
but
do
the
acts
of
a
simpleton
?
As
to
bringing
your
father
here
,
you
must
have
been
mad
to
think
of
it
;
for
,
if
you
ca
n't
support
yourself
,
how
can
you
support
him
?
However
,
it
's
lucky
I
'm
come
in
time
to
set
all
to
rights
.
What
's
his
parish
?
Marylebone
,
ai
n't
it
?
I
shall
see
the
overseer
this
very
day
,
and
manage
that
for
you
;
and
it
's
just
as
well
,
"
added
Mrs.
Brown
,
divesting
herself
of
bonnet
and
shawl
,
and
proceeding
to
make
herself
at
home
,
"
that
you
did
n't
meddle
,
in
it
—
a
pretty
mess
you
'd
have
made
of
it
,
I
'll
be
bound
.
Well
!
and
what
do
you
stand
dreaming
there
for
?
Make
me
a
cup
of
tea
—
will
you
?
I
am
just
ready
to
drop
with
it
all
.
"
As
a
proof
of
her
assertion
,
she
sank
on
the
chair
next
her
,
took
out
her
pocket-handkerchief
,
and
began
fanning
herself
.
But
,
instead
of
complying
with
Mrs.
Brown
's
orders
,
Rachel
Gray
stood
before
that
lady
motionless
and
pale
.
She
looked
her
in
the
face
steadily
,
and
in
a
firm
,
clear
voice
,
she
deliberately
said
:
"
Mrs.
Brown
,
my
father
shall
never
,
whilst
I
live
,
go
to
a
workhouse
.
"
"
What
!
"
screamed
Mrs.
Brown
.
"
I
say
,
"
repeated
Rachel
,
"
that
my
father
shall
never
,
whilst
God
gives
his
daughter
life
,
go
to
a
workhouse
.
"
Mrs.
Brown
was
confounded
—
then
she
laughed
derisively
.
"
Nonsense
,
Rachel
,
"
she
said
,
"
nonsense
.
Why
,
I
can
turn
you
out
,
this
very
instant
.
"
But
the
threat
fell
harmless
,
Rachel
was
strong
in
that
hour
;
her
cheek
had
colour
,
her
eye
had
light
,
her
heart
had
courage
.
She
looked
at
the
helpless
old
man
,
who
had
drawn
this
storm
on
her
head
,
then
at
Mrs.
Brown
,
and
calmly
laying
her
hand
on
the
shoulder
of
Thomas
Gray
,
she
again
looked
in
Mrs.
Brown
's
face
,
and
silently
smiled
.
Her
choice
was
made
—
her
resolve
was
taken
.
"
Will
you
send
him
to
the
workhouse
,
or
not
?
"
imperatively
cried
Mrs.
Brown
.
"
No
,
"
deliberately
replied
Rachel
.
"
Oh
!
very
well
,
ma'am
,
very
well
,
"
echoed
Mrs.
Brown
,
laughing
bitterly
;
"
please
yourself
—
pray
please
yourself
.
So
,
that
is
my
reward
for
saving
you
from
beggary
,
is
it
?
Very
well
,
ma'am
;
you
and
your
father
may
pack
off
together
—
that
's
all
.
"
"
Be
it
so
,
"
rather
solemnly
replied
Rachel
,
"
be
it
so
.
What
I
leave
in
this
house
will
,
I
trust
,
cancel
the
debt
I
owe
you
.
Father
,
"
she
added
,
stooping
towards
him
,
"
lean
on
my
shoulder
,
and
get
up
.
We
must
go
.
"
With
apathy
Thomas
Gray
had
heard
all
that
had
passed
,
and
with
apathy
,
he
trembling
rose
,
and
complied
with
Rachel
's
intimation
,
and
looking
in
her
face
,
he
uttered
his
usual
childish
:
"
Never
mind
.
"
But
before
they
reached
the
door
,
Mrs.
Brown
,
to
the
surprise
and
dismay
of
Rachel
,
went
into
violent
hysterics
.
She
was
an
over-bearing
and
ill-tempered
woman
,
but
her
heart
was
not
wholly
unkind
;
and
on
seeing
that
Rachel
so
readily
took
her
at
her
word
,
she
was
overwhelmed
with
mingled
rage
and
shame
.
Hastily
making
her
father
sit
down
on
the
nearest
chair
,
Rachel
ran
to
Mrs.
Brown
's
assistance
.
A
fit
of
weeping
and
bitter
reproaches
followed
the
hysterics
;
and
Rachel
was
convicted
of
being
the
most
ungrateful
creature
on
the
face
of
the
earth
.
In
vain
Rachel
attempted
a
justification
;
Mrs.
Brown
drowned
her
in
a
torrent
of
speech
,
and
remained
the
most
injured
of
women
.
The
scene
ended
as
such
scenes
ever
end
.
There
was
a
compromise
;
the
victim
made
every
concession
,
and
the
triumphant
tyrant
gained
more
than
her
point
.
In
short
,
that
her
father
might
not
want
the
shelter
of
a
roof
,
Rachel
agreed
to
remain
in
the
house
,
and
Mrs.
Brown
kindly
agreed
to
come
and
live
in
it
,
and
use
Rachel
as
her
servant
and
domestic
slave
,
by
which
Mrs.
Brown
,
besides
keeping
her
firm
hold
on
Rachel
—
no
slight
consideration
with
one
who
loved
power
beyond
everything
else
—
effected
a
considerable
saving
in
her
income
.
"
Oh
!
my
father
—
my
father
!
"
thought
Rachel
,
as
she
bent
over
his
chair
that
night
,
and
tears
,
which
he
felt
not
,
dropped
on
his
gray
hair
,
"
little
do
you
know
what
I
shall
have
to
bear
for
your
sake
.
"
She
did
not
speak
aloud
,
yet
he
seemed
vaguely
conscious
that
something
lay
on
her
mind
;
for
he
shook
his
head
,
and
uttered
his
eternal
"
Never
mind
—
never
mind
!
"
"
And
I
will
not
mind
—
so
help
me
God
!
"
fervently
answered
Rachel
aloud
.
And
she
did
not
mind
;
but
,
alas
!
what
now
was
her
fate
?
Ask
it
not
.
She
had
made
her
sacrifice
in
the
spirit
of
utter
abnegation
,
and
none
need
count
the
cost
which
she
never
reckoned
.
CHAPTER
XV
.
The
same
cloud
of
trouble
and
sorrow
that
now
darkened
the
daily
life
of
Rachel
Gray
,
soon
gathered
over
her
neighbours
and
friends
.
With
boding
and
pain
,
she
watched
the
coming
of
a
calamity
,
to
them
still
invisible
.
Mr.
Jones
got
up
one
morning
,
and
felt
exactly
as
usual
.
He
took
down
his
shutters
,
and
no
presentiment
warned
him
of
the
sight
that
was
going
to
greet
his
eyes
.
The
Teapot
stood
at
the
corner
of
a
street
which
had
naturally
another
corner
facing
it
;
that
corner
—
let
it
be
angle
,
if
you
like
,
critical
reader
—
had
,
from
time
immemorial
,
been
in
the
possession
of
a
brown
,
tottering
,
untenanted
house
,
whose
broken
parlour
windows
Mr.
Jones
had
always
seen
filled
with
,
blank
oak
shutters
,
strong
enough
for
security
and
closing
within
.
But
now
,
to
his
dismay
,
he
saw
half-a-dozen
workmen
pulling
down
the
bottom
of
the
house
,
and
leaving
the
top
untouched
.
His
heart
gave
a
great
thump
in
his
bosom
.
"
I
'm
a
lost
man
,
"
he
thought
,
"
they
're
making
a
shop
of
it
.
"
And
so
they
were
,
but
what
sort
of
a
shop
was
it
to
be
?
That
was
the
question
.
Jones
lost
no
time
;
he
put
down
his
shutter
,
thrust
his
hands
in
his
pocket
—
his
usual
resource
when
he
wanted
to
look
unconcerned
—
sauntered
awhile
down
the
street
,
talked
to
some
children
,
and
finally
came
back
to
the
workmen
.
"
Pulling
it
down
,
"
he
said
,
after
looking
at
them
for
awhile
,
"
an
old
rubbishing
concern
—
ai
n't
it
?
"
"
Pulling
it
down
!
"
echoed
one
of
the
workmen
,
giving
him
a
contemptuous
look
,
"
much
you
know
about
it
.
"
"
Well
,
but
what
is
it
to
be
?
"
asked
Jones
,
looking
as
simple
as
he
could
,
"
stables
?
"
"
Stables
!
a
shop
,
stupid
!
"
"
Oh
!
a
shop
!
Ah
!
it
's
to
be
a
shop
,
is
it
?
And
what
sort
of
a
shop
—
public-house
?
We
want
one
.
"
"
Better
ask
Mr.
Smithson
;
the
house
is
his
.
"
"
Oh
!
it
's
Mr.
Smithson
's
,
is
it
?
"
Jones
walked
away
much
relieved
.
Mr.
Smithson
had
long
talked
of
removing
himself
and
his
earthenware
to
some
larger
tenement
than
that
which
he
now
occupied
;
a
pleasant
neighbour
he
was
not
;
but
anything
was
better
than
the
fear
which
had
for
a
moment
seized
the
heart
of
Richard
Jones
.
The
workmen
did
not
linger
over
their
task
,
indeed
,
Mr.
Smithson
took
care
that
they
should
not
.
Night
and
morning
,
the
whole
day
long
,
Jones
saw
him
after
them
;
he
watched
him
through
the
pots
of
Scotch
marmelade
that
decorated
the
front
of
his
shop
window
,
and
internally
admired
the
indefatigable
zeal
Mr.
Smithson
displayed
.
Humbly
,
too
,
he
contrasted
it
with
his
own
deficiencies
in
that
respect
"
I
ai
n't
got
no
spirit
;
that
's
the
fact
of
it
,
"
confessed
Mr.
Jones
in
his
own
heart
.
In
a
comparatively
short
space
of
time
,
the
bricklayers
had
done
their
task
;
they
were
succeeded
by
the
carpenters
,
who
proved
as
zealous
and
as
active
.
And
now
fear
and
trembling
once
more
seized
the
heart
of
Richard
Jones
.
What
were
those
busy
carpenters
about
?
why
were
they
fabricating
shelves
and
drawers
?
drawers
of
every
size
,
some
small
,
some
large
,
just
such
drawers
as
he
had
in
his
shop
?
He
questioned
one
of
their
body
:
what
was
to
be
sold
in
that
shop
—
did
he
know
?
The
man
could
not
tell
,
but
rather
fancied
it
was
to
be
an
oil
and
colour
shop
.
Then
it
was
not
to
be
Mr.
Smithson
's
own
?
Oh
,
no
,
certainly
!
Jones
walked
away
,
a
prey
to
the
most
tormenting
anxiety
.
Was
the
man
right
—
was
he
wrong
?
had
he
spoken
the
truth
?
had
he
deceived
him
?
Was
he
,
Jones
,
now
that
his
business
was
really
improving
,
was
he
threatened
with
a
rival
?
Or
was
this
but
a
false
alarm
,
the
phantom
of
his
fears
?
what
would
he
not
have
given
to
think
so
!
His
ease
was
the
more
distressing
,
that
he
dared
unburthen
his
mind
to
none
,
to
Mary
least
of
any
.
She
,
poor
little
thing
,
far
from
sharing
her
father
's
fears
,
rejoiced
in
the
prospect
of
a
new
shop
.
"
It
'll
make
the
street
quite
gay
,
"
she
said
to
her
father
,
"
especially
if
it
's
a
linen-draper
's
.
I
wonder
if
they
'll
have
pretty
bonnets
.
"
She
tried
to
obtain
information
on
this
interesting
point
,
but
failed
completely
.
Suspense
is
worse
than
the
worst
reality
.
Richard
Jones
lost
appetite
and
sleep
.
Slumber
,
when
it
came
,
was
accompanied
by
such
fearful
nightmare
,
that
waking
thoughts
,
though
bitter
,
were
not
,
at
least
,
so
terrible
.
He
could
not
forget
the
opposite
shop
;
in
the
first
place
,
because
he
saw
it
every
morning
with
his
bodily
eyes
;
in
the
second
,
because
it
ever
haunted
that
inward
eye
called
by
Wordsworth
'
the
bliss
of
solitude
.
'
How
far
it
proved
a
bliss
to
Richard
Jones
,
the
reader
may
imagine
.
All
this
time
the
shop
had
been
progressing
,
and
now
bricklayer
,
carpenter
,
glazier
,
and
decorator
haying
done
their
work
,
it
was
completed
and
ready
for
its
tenant
,
who
,
however
,
seemed
in
no
hurry
to
appear
.
This
proved
the
worst
time
for
Richard
Jones
.
To
look
at
that
shop
all
the
day
long
,
and
not
to
be
able
to
make
anything
of
it
;
to
wonder
whether
it
were
a
friend
or
an
enemy
;
whether
it
would
give
new
lustre
to
the
street
on
which
he
had
cast
his
fortunes
,
or
blast
those
fortunes
in
their
very
birth
,
was
surely
no
ordinary
trial
.
Well
might
he
grow
thin
,
haggard
,
and
worn
.
At
length
,
the
crisis
came
.
At
the
close
of
November
,
a
dread
rumour
reached
his
ears
.
The
shop
was
to
be
a
grocer
's
shop
,
and
it
was
to
open
a
week
before
Christmas
.
That
same
evening
,
Mary
came
home
crying
,
and
much
agitated
.
Mrs.
Brown
,
with
her
usual
kindness
,
had
given
information
.
"
Oh
,
father
!
"
she
exclaimed
,
"
Mrs.
Brown
says
it
's
to
be
a
grocer
's
shop
.
"
"
So
I
have
heard
to-day
,
"
he
replied
,
a
little
gloomily
.
"
Never
mind
,
child
,
"
he
added
,
attempting
to
cheer
up
,
and
a
rueful
attempt
it
turned
out
,
"
never
mind
,
I
dare-say
there
's
room
for
two
.
"
He
said
it
,
but
he
knew
it
was
not
true
;
he
knew
there
was
room
but
for
one
,
and
that
if
two
came
,
why
,
either
both
must
perish
after
a
fierce
contest
,
or
one
survive
and
triumph
over
the
ruin
of
the
other
's
all
.
He
knew
it
,
and
groaned
at
the
thought
.
"
I
wish
you
would
n't
father
,
"
said
Mary
,
again
beginning
to
cry
.
"
Mary
,
my
pet
,
I
ca
n't
help
it
,
"
said
Jones
,
fairly
giving
way
to
feelings
too
long
repressed
;
"
there
aint
room
for
two
,
that
's
the
plain
truth
of
it
,
and
if
another
grocer
comes
,
why
,
he
must
ruin
me
,
or
I
must
ruin
him
;
and
that
aint
pleasant
to
think
of
,
is
it
?
"
Mary
was
not
without
spirit
.
"
Father
,
"
she
cried
resolutely
,
"
if
it
's
to
be
,
why
,
it
's
to
be
,
and
it
ca
n't
be
helped
;
but
I
would
n't
give
in
without
trying
to
get
the
upper
hand
,
that
I
would
n't
.
"
Her
father
shook
his
head
disconsolately
.
"
Child
,
"
he
said
,
"
it
's
like
setting
an
old
horse
against
a
mettlesome
young
one
.
That
new
fellow
has
got
every
advantage
.
Look
at
his
shop
,
then
look
at
mine
;
why
,
his
is
twice
as
big
again
.
Look
at
his
front
—
all
plate
glass
;
look
at
his
counters
—
all
polished
oak
!
"
"
Well
,
and
ca
n't
you
get
the
shop
—
our
shop
—
done
up
too
?
"
ambitiously
asked
Mary
.
"
There
's
time
yet
.
"
"
Why
yes
,
there
is
—
but
the
money
,
Mary
dear
!
"
"
Never
mind
the
money
.
"
"
No
more
I
would
,
my
pet
,
if
I
had
got
it
;
but
you
see
,
the
one
pound
ten
a
week
has
n't
kept
up
;
and
those
things
cost
a
precious
deal
.
"
Mary
reflected
a
while
.
"
S'pose
,
"
she
suggested
,
"
you
got
in
a
fresh
stock
of
jams
in
glass
jars
,
for
the
front
window
.
"
"
And
what
shall
we
do
with
the
old
?
"
"
Eat
them
.
And
s'pose
you
add
a
few
pots
of
pickles
?
"
"
Pickles
!
"
echoed
Jones
,
looking
doubtful
.
"
And
s'pose
,
"
continued
Mary
,
"
you
add
macaroni
,
and
sauces
,
and
set
up
as
a
superior
grocer
.
"
Jones
scratched
his
head
.
"
Law
,
child
!
"
he
said
,
"
this
aint
a
stylish
neighbourhood
—
and
who
'll
buy
my
macaroni
and
my
sauces
?
"
"
Why
no
one
,
of
course
,
"
superciliously
replied
Mary
.
"
It
's
not
to
sell
them
,
you
want
them
;
it
's
for
the
look
of
the
thing
—
to
be
a
superior
grocer
,
you
know
.
"
The
words
"
superior
grocer
,
"
gently
tickled
secret
ambition
.
Mr.
Richard
Jones
seriously
promised
his
daughter
to
think
about
it
.
Mary
had
other
thoughts
,
which
she
did
not
communicate
to
her
father
;
and
of
these
thoughts
,
the
chief
was
to
find
out
what
had
become
of
Mr.
Saunders
,
and
return
to
the
old
plan
of
enticing
him
into
partnership
.
She
was
so
full
of
this
project
,
that
,
partly
to
get
assistance
,
partly
to
take
a
little
consequence
on
herself
,
she
imparted
it
,
under
the
strictest
secrecy
,
to
Rachel
Gray
;
and
at
the
close
,
she
pretty
clearly
hinted
,
that
if
Mr.
Joseph
Saunders
behaved
well
,
he
might
,
in
time
,
aspire
to
the
honour
of
her
hand
.
Rachel
heard
her
silently
,
and
looked
very
uncomfortable
.
"
My
dear
,
"
she
said
,
hesitatingly
,
"
you
must
not
think
of
anything
of
the
kind
;
indeed
you
must
not
.
"
"
And
why
should
n't
I
?
"
tartly
asked
Mary
,
with
a
saucy
toss
of
the
head
.
"
Because
,
my
dear
,
"
said
Rachel
,
gently
and
sadly
,
"
Jane
is
going
to
marry
that
Mr.
Saunders
,
who
ifs
cousin
to
Mr.
Smithson
,
who
is
putting
him
in
the
new
grocer
's
shop
.
"
For
a
moment
,
Mary
remained
stunned
;
then
she
burst
into
tears
.
"
He
's
a
mean
,
sneaking
fellow
!
that
's
what
he
is
!
"
she
cried
.
"
Oh
,
my
dear
—
my
dear
!
"
gently
said
Rachel
,
"
will
you
not
take
something
from
the
hand
of
God
!
We
have
all
our
lot
to
bear
,
"
she
added
,
with
a
half
sigh
.
But
gently
though
Rachel
spoke
,
Mary
looked
more
rebellious
than
submissive
.
"
He
's
a
mean
—
"
she
began
again
;
the
entrance
of
Mrs.
Brown
interrupted
her
.
Mrs.
Brown
was
in
a
very
ill
humour
.
At
first
,
she
had
behaved
pretty
decently
to
Rachel
and
her
father
;
but
of
late
,
she
had
given
free
vent
to
her
natural
disposition
;
and
it
was
not
,
we
have
no
need
to
say
,
an
amiable
one
.
On
the
present
occasion
,
she
had
,
moreover
,
additional
cause
for
dissatisfaction
.
"
And
so
,
"
she
exclaimed
,
slamming
the
door
,
and
irefully
addressing
Rachel
,
"
and
so
your
beggarly
father
has
been
and
broke
my
china
cup
!
Eh
,
ma'am
!
"
Rachel
turned
pale
,
on
hearing
of
this
new
disaster
.
"
Indeed
,
Mrs.
Brown
—
"
she
began
.
"
Do
n't
Mrs.
Brown
me
,
"
was
the
indignant
rejoinder
.
"
I
tell
you
,
I
have
never
had
a
moment
's
peace
,
ease
,
and
quiet
,
and
never
shall
have
—
since
you
and
your
beggarly
father
entered
this
house
.
"
For
,
by
a
strange
perversion
of
ideas
,
Mrs.
Brown
persisted
in
asserting
and
thinking
that
it
was
Rachel
and
her
father
who
had
entered
the
house
,
and
not
she
.
And
this
,
Rachel
might
have
said
;
and
she
might
have
added
that
to
bear
daily
reproaches
and
insults
,
formed
no
part
of
her
agreement
with
Mrs.
Brown
.
She
might
—
but
where
would
the
use
have
been
?
She
was
free
to
depart
any
day
she
liked
;
and
since
she
preferred
to
stay
,
why
not
bear
it
all
patiently
?
And
so
she
remained
silent
,
whilst
Mrs.
Brown
scolded
and
railed
;
for
,
as
she
had
said
to
Mary
,
"
we
have
all
our
lot
to
bear
.
"
The
lesson
was
lost
on
the
young
girl
.
No
sooner
was
Mrs.
Brown
's
back
turned
,
than
again
Mary
abused
Mr.
Saunders
,
Jane
,
Mr.
Smithson
and
the
new
shop
collectively
,
until
she
could
go
home
to
her
father
's
.
He
already
knew
all
,
and
gloomily
exclaimed
,
"
that
it
was
no
more
than
he
expected
;
that
it
was
all
of
a
piece
;
and
that
there
was
neither
honesty
,
gratitude
,
nor
goodness
left
in
this
wicked
world
.
"
From
which
comprehensive
remark
we
can
clearly
see
that
Mr.
Jones
is
turning
misanthropic
.
And
yet
the
matter
was
very
simple
—
an
everyday
occurrence
.
Smithson
had
seen
that
he
might
find
it
profitable
to
cut
the
ground
under
Jones
's
feet
.
Why
should
he
not
do
it
?
Is
not
profit
the
abject
of
commerce
?
and
is
not
competition
the
fairest
way
of
securing
profit
?
CHAPTER
XVI
.
The
reader
may
easily
imagine
Jane
and
Joseph
Saunders
married
.
It
was
an
old
engagement
Imagine
them
,
too
,
retained
from
their
wedding
tour
to
Gravesend
.
It
is
evening
;
and
on
the
next
morning
,
"
The
two
Teapots
"
is
to
open
.
Richard
Jones
spent
a
sleepless
night
,
and
took
down
his
shutters
as
soon
as
a
gray
,
dull
light
entered
the
street
.
It
availed
little
;
only
a
dirty
child
came
in
for
a
pennyworth
of
brown
sugar
.
It
was
half-past
eight
when
Saunders
opened
his
shop
;
and
just
about
that
time
a
chill
,
drizzling
rain
began
to
fall
.
The
morning
was
miserable
,
and
only
a
few
wretched
figures
flitted
about
the
wet
street
.
No
one
entered
the
"
Teapot
;
"
but
then
not
a
soul
either
crossed
the
threshold
of
the
rival
shop
.
And
thus
the
dull
morning
wore
on
until
the
church
clock
struck
ten
.
A
sprinkling
of
customers
then
entered
the
shop
of
Richard
Jones
.
They
were
one
and
all
mightily
indignant
at
the
impudence
of
the
opposite
shop
in
coming
there
—
a
lady
in
a
large
,
black
,
shabby
straw
bonnet
in
particular
.
"
Ay
,
ay
,
you
may
flare
away
—
you
may
flare
away
,
"
she
added
,
knowingly
wagging
her
head
at
it
,
"
you
'll
have
none
of
my
custom
,
I
can
tell
you
.
An
ounce
of
your
four
shilling
best
,
Mr.
Jones
,
if
you
please
?
"
"
Coming
,
ma'am
,
di-rectly
,
"
was
the
prompt
reply
.
.
"
I
never
heard
anythink
like
it
—
never
,
"
observed
another
lady
,
with
solemn
indignation
.
"
Did
the
low
fellow
think
we
wanted
his
shop
!
"
An
indignant
"
no
,
"
was
chorused
around
.
Richard
Jones
's
heart
swelled
,
and
his
throat
too
.
He
was
much
moved
.
"
Gentlemen
,
"
he
began
,
"
no
,
ladies
,
I
mean
—
ladies
,
I
have
always
done
my
duty
since
I
was
a
boy
,
and
,
with
the
help
of
God
,
I
mean
to
do
my
duty
till
I
die
.
"
Pause
and
approving
murmur
.
"
And
,
ladies
,
I
am
no
speech-maker
—
all
I
say
is
this
:
God
forgive
that
villain
opposite
!
You
know
the
story
.
I
'll
not
trouble
you
with
repeating
it
.
All
I
say
is
this
:
ladies
,
if
my
customers
'll
stand
by
me
,
I
'll
stand
by
my
customers
—
I
'll
stand
by
my
customers
!
"
he
repeated
,
looking
round
the
shop
with
a
triumphant
eye
,
and
giving
the
counter
a
hearty
thump
with
his
fist
;
and
,
poor
fellow
,
you
may
be
sure
that
he
did
mean
to
stand
by
his
customers
.
The
oration
proved
very
successful
;
altogether
,
the
day
was
successful
.
The
two
Teapots
remained
vacant
;
the
Teapot
was
thronged
.
All
Jones
's
liege
subjects
were
anxious
to
prove
their
loyalty
;
and
though
,
when
the
gas
was
lit
,
Jones
could
discern
a
few
dark
figures
within
his
rival
's
shop
,
Jones
did
not
care
.
He
felt
certain
they
were
but
some
of
the
low
creatures
from
the
alley
,
and
be
did
not
care
.
The
second
day
resembled
the
first
,
and
the
third
resembled
the
second
.
Jones
felt
quite
satisfied
"
that
it
was
all
right
,
"
until
he
cast
up
his
accounts
at
the
end
of
the
week
.
To
his
surprise
,
he
found
that
his
expenditure
was
barely
covered
,
and
that
,
somehow
or
other
,
his
gains
had
considerably
lessened
.
He
reckoned
over
and
over
,
and
still
he
came
to
the
same
result
.
"
Well
,
'
taint
of
much
consequence
for
one
week
,
"
he
thought
,
a
little
impatiently
,
and
he
put
the
books
by
.
"
What
's
the
matter
,
father
?
"
asked
Mary
,
looking
up
into
his
overcast
face
.
"
What
's
the
matter
!
"
he
echoed
cheerfully
;
"
why
,
the
matter
is
,
that
you
are
a
saucy
puss
—
that
's
what
's
the
matter
,
"
and
he
chucked
her
chin
,
and
Mary
laughed
.
But
the
next
week
's
examination
revealed
a
still
deeper
gap
.
Jones
scratched
his
head
,
and
pulled
a
long
face
.
It
was
not
that
he
minded
the
loss
,
for
it
was
a
trifling
one
after
all
;
but
be
had
a
secret
dread
,
and
it
stood
in
the
background
of
his
thoughts
,
like
a
ghost
in
a
dark
room
,
haunting
him
.
Could
it
be
—
was
it
possible
—
that
his
customers
were
playing
him
false
—
that
they
were
deserting
him
—
and
he
began
to
think
and
think
,
and
to
remember
,
how
many
pennyworths
of
this
,
and
of
that
,
he
had
sold
to
the
children
,
and
how
few
shillings
worth
he
had
sold
to
the
mothers
.
"
Well
,
father
,
and
how
's
this
week
?
"
asked
Mary
.
Jones
rubbed
his
chin
,
and
looked
at
her
fairly
perplexed
—
his
wit
was
none
of
the
brightest
—
as
to
how
he
might
best
elude
the
question
.
"
How
's
this
week
,
"
he
echoed
;
"
well
,
this
week
is
like
last
week
to
be
sure
.
I
wonder
how
that
fellow
Saunders
is
a
getting
on
.
"
"
Law
!
father
,
do
n't
mind
him
,
"
said
Mary
.
"
He
's
low
,
that
's
what
he
is
—
he
's
low
.
"
Impossible
for
us
to
translate
the
scorn
with
which
Miss
Mary
Jones
spoke
.
It
impressed
her
father
.
"
Spirited
little
thing
,
"
he
thought
,
and
he
drew
her
fondly
towards
him
,
and
kissed
her
,
and
Mary
fortunately
forgot
her
question
.
Week
after
week
passed
,
and
what
had
been
a
speck
on
the
horizon
,
became
a
dark
and
threatening
cloud
.
Richard
Jones
could
not
shut
his
eyes
to
the
truth
that
his
customers
were
deserting
him
.
Even
Mary
perceived
it
,
and
spoke
uneasily
on
the
subject
,
of
which
her
father
at
once
made
light
.
"
It
's
business
,
child
,
"
he
said
,
"
and
business
is
all
ups
and
downs
;
I
have
had
the
ups
,
and
the
downs
I
must
have
.
"
Spite
this
philosophic
reflection
,
Mr.
Jones
could
not
help
thinking
he
had
rather
more
than
his
share
of
the
downs
.
He
was
embittered
,
too
,
by
daily
perceiving
the
defection
of
some
staunch
customer
.
That
lady
in
the
large
,
shabby
,
black
straw
bonnet
,
who
had
so
spiritedly
told
"
The
two
Teapots
"
to
flare
away
on
the
day
of
its
opening
,
was
one
of
the
first
who
forsook
the
"
Teapot
"
for
its
rival
.
Many
followed
her
perfidious
example
;
but
Mr.
Jones
did
not
feel
fairly
cut
up
,
until
he
one
evening
distinctly
saw
Rachel
Gray
walk
out
of
the
opposite
shop
.
The
stab
of
Brutus
was
nothing
to
Caesar
in
comparison
with
this
blow
to
Richard
Jones
.
And
he
was
thinking
it
over
the
next
morning
,
and
stood
behind
his
counter
breaking
sugar
rather
gloomily
,
when
Rachel
herself
appeared
.
Mr.
Jones
received
her
very
coldly
.
She
asked
for
a
pound
of
sugar
.
"
And
no
tea
?
"
he
said
,
pointedly
.
"
None
to-day
,
"
quietly
replied
Rachel
;
but
she
saw
that
he
knew
all
,
and
she
was
too
sincere
to
feign
ignorance
.
"
Mr.
Jones
,
"
she
said
,
somewhat
sadly
,
"
I
must
go
where
I
am
told
,
and
do
as
I
am
bid
;
but
,
indeed
,
why
do
you
not
keep
better
tea
?
"
"
Better
tea
!
better
tea
!
"
echoed
Mr.
Jones
,
in
some
indignation
.
"
Yes
,
"
quietly
said
Rachel
,
"
better
tea
.
"
Mr.
Jones
smiled
an
injured
smile
,
and
rather
sarcastically
replied
:
"
Miss
Gray
,
if
you
prefer
that
feller
's
tea
to
mine
,
you
're
welcome
to
leave
your
money
to
him
,
and
not
to
me
.
'
Tai
n't
because
my
daughter
is
prenticed
to
you
that
I
expect
nothink
from
you
,
Miss.
All
I
say
is
this
:
do
n't
go
there
at
night
,
Miss
Gray
,
and
buy
your
tea
,
and
then
come
here
in
the
morning
and
buy
your
sugar
.
That
's
not
giving
a
man
your
custom
,
you
know
it
ai
n't
.
Do
n't
do
it
;
no
offence
meant
,
but
I
'm
like
you
,
Miss
Gray
,
plain
spoken
,
you
see
.
"
And
he
resumed
the
breaking
of
his
sugar
.
"
I
prefer
!
"
sadly
said
Rachel
,
"
when
you
know
,
Mr.
Jones
,
that
I
am
no
one
now
,
but
must
go
by
the
will
of
another
—
indeed
,
you
wrong
me
!
"
Jones
knew
he
did
;
but
misfortune
makes
men
wilfully
unjust
.
"
Do
n't
mention
it
,
"
he
interrupted
,
"
ladies
like
new
faces
,
and
he
's
a
young
fellow
,
and
I
am
an
old
one
,
and
so
there
's
an
end
of
it
.
"
Poor
Rachel
looked
much
pained
.
To
be
blamed
by
every
one
seemed
her
lot
.
"
Indeed
,
Mr.
Jones
,
"
she
said
,
"
I
must
do
as
Mrs.
Brown
bids
me
,
and
she
says
your
four
shilling
black
is
not
equal
to
his
four
,
and
,
indeed
,
Mr.
Jones
,
I
am
sorry
to
say
,
that
others
say
so
too
.
"
Mr.
Jones
did
not
reply
one
word
;
he
fell
into
a
brown
study
;
at
the
close
of
it
he
sighed
,
and
looking
up
,
said
earnestly
:
"
Miss
Gray
,
let
me
have
some
of
that
tea
,
will
you
?
and
I
'll
see
myself
what
it
's
like
.
"
"
Of
course
you
will
,
"
said
Rachel
,
brightening
,
"
you
shall
have
it
directly
—
directly
,
Mr.
Jones
.
"
And
without
loss
of
time
she
hastened
home
,
and
almost
immediately
appeared
again
,
bringing
him
the
tea
herself
,
and
earnestly
declaring
that
she
was
sure
he
had
only
to
taste
it
,
to
set
all
right
,
to
which
Jones
answered
not
a
word
,
but
rather
gloomily
thanked
her
for
the
trouble
she
had
taken
.
When
he
was
once
more
alone
,
he
smelt
the
tea
,
shook
his
head
and
frowned
;
then
he
put
it
away
until
evening
came
round
,
when
he
gave
it
to
Mary
,
and
without
further
explanation
,
simply
told
her
that
was
the
tea
they
were
going
to
have
this
evening
.
Unconscious
Mary
made
the
tea
.
"
La
!
Father
,
"
she
exclaimed
,
as
she
poured
the
boiling
water
upon
it
,
"
what
beautiful
tea
you
've
got
;
it
's
quite
fragrant
.
"
"
Is
it
?
"
he
echoed
,
faintly
,
"
Why
,
of
course
it
is
,
"
she
said
,
pettishly
,
"
I
am
sure
that
fellow
opposite
ai
n't
got
nothink
like
it
.
"
Richard
Jones
leaned
his
brow
on
his
hand
,
and
checked
a
groan
.
But
when
the
tea
was
drawn
,
when
it
was
poured
out
,
when
he
raised
the
cup
to
his
lips
and
tasted
it
,
the
man
's
courage
forsook
him
;
he
put
down
the
cup
,
and
cried
like
a
child
.
"
Father
!
father
!
"
exclaimed
Mary
,
frightened
and
bewildered
.
"
Oh
!
my
darling
!
"
he
cried
,
"
we
're
ruined
—
we
're
lost
!
—
that
tea
is
Joseph
Saunders
's
tea
;
and
he
gives
it
for
four
shillings
,
and
it
's
better
than
my
five
.
And
I
ca
n't
give
it
,
nor
I
ca
n't
get
it
neither
,
"
he
added
,
despairingly
;
"
for
I
have
not
got
credit
,
and
little
cash
;
and
I
buy
dear
,
and
dear
I
must
sell
,
or
starve
!
"
Of
this
speech
,
all
Mary
understood
,
was
that
the
tea
she
had
been
making
was
tea
from
Mr.
Saunders
's
shop
.
She
deliberately
rose
,
poured
the
contents
of
the
teapot
on
the
ashes
in
the
hearth
;
the
contents
of
her
own
teacup
,
then
of
her
father
's
quickly
followed
;
then
she
sat
down
,
folded
her
arms
,
and
uttered
a
grim
:
"
There
!
I
only
wish
I
could
serve
him
so
,
"
she
added
after
a
pause
.
But
what
Mary
meant
by
this
wish
—
to
pour
out
Joseph
Saunders
like
his
own
tea
,
seems
rather
a
fantastic
image
,
even
for
hate
—
the
present
writer
does
not
venture
to
determine
.
"
It
's
all
over
!
"
sadly
said
Jones
;
"
we
ca
n't
compete
with
him
.
I
'll
shut
up
shop
,
and
we
'll
go
to
some
other
neighbourhood
,
and
live
in
our
old
way
.
After
all
,
I
'll
not
be
a
richer
nor
a
poorer
man
than
before
my
cousin
left
me
the
sixty
pound
.
"
"
You
ai
n't
got
no
spirit
!
"
cried
Mary
,
turning
scarlet
with
anger
.
"
Give
in
to
that
fellow
!
—
I
'd
have
more
spirit
than
that
,
"
she
added
with
mighty
scorn
.
Her
father
attempted
to
remonstrate
;
but
the
wilful
little
thing
would
not
listen
to
facts
or
to
reason
.
She
was
sure
Saunders
could
not
keep
up
much
longer
—
that
she
was
.
They
had
only
to
wait
,
and
wear
him
out
.
Alas
!
it
is
very
hard
to
tear
out
ambition
and
pride
from
the
heart
of
man
,
rich
or
poor
.
In
an
evil
hour
,
Richard
Jones
yielded
.
CHAPTER
XVII
.
And
now
,
alas
!
fairly
began
the
Teapot
's
downward
course
.
Every
effort
of
Richard
Jones
to
rise
,
only
made
him
sink
the
deeper
.
To
use
a
worn
out
,
though
expressive
phrase
,
he
stirred
heaven
and
earth
to
get
better
tea
;
but
the
spell
to
conjure
it
forth
was
wanting
.
Jones
had
very
correctly
stated
the
case
to
his
daughter
—
he
had
not
credit
;
he
had
little
or
no
cash
;
what
he
purchased
in
small
quantities
,
he
bought
dear
;
and
he
sold
as
he
bought
.
And
thus
,
unable
to
compete
with
superior
,
capital
and
energy
,
he
declined
day
by
day
.
But
if
he
fell
,
it
was
not
without
a
struggle
.
He
turned
desperate
,
and
resorted
to
a
desperate
expedient
;
he
sold
his
goods
at
prime
cost
,
and
left
himself
without
profit
.
But
Jones
did
not
care
;
all
he
wanted
was
to
crush
his
opponent
—
that
object
accomplished
,
and
he
once
more
sole
master
of
the
field
,
he
could
make
his
own
price
,
and
gradually
retrieve
lost
time
,
and
heal
the
wounds
received
in
the
battle
.
Business
requires
a
cool
head
;
competition
has
its
limits
,
beyond
which
yawns
the
bottomless
pit
of
ruin
.
Jones
lost
his
temper
,
and
with
it
his
judgment
.
Not
satisfied
with
the
faint
change
for
the
better
,
produced
by
the
first
measure
,
he
impatiently
resolved
"
to
settle
that
Saunders
,
"
by
a
second
and
still
bolder
stroke
.
He
filled
his
shop-windows
with
placards
,
on
which
prices
were
marked
,
with
notes
of
admiration
.
He
pressed
into
his
service
a
dozen
of
little
boys
,
whose
sole
business
was
to
slip
bills
under
doors
,
and
to
throw
them
down
areas
,
or
to
force
them
into
the
hands
of
unconscious
passengers
;
and
he
crowned
an
these
arts
by
selling
under
prime
cost
.
The
customers
could
not
resist
this
tender
appeal
to
their
feelings
;
they
came
back
one
and
all
—
the
Teapot
once
more
was
full
—
the
two
Teapots
was
deserted
;
and
Richard
Jones
was
triumphant
.
We
profess
no
particular
regard
for
Joseph
Saunders
;
but
we
cannot
deny
that
he
played
his
cruel
game
skilfully
and
well
.
He
did
not
bring
down
his
prices
one
farthing
.
Without
emotion
he
saw
his
shop
forsaken
—
he
knew
his
own
strength
;
he
knew
,
too
,
the
weakness
of
his
enemy
.
"
Oh
!
It
's
that
dodge
you
are
after
,
"
he
thought
,
thrusting
his
tongue
in
his
cheek
.
"
Well
,
then
,
it
has
beggared
many
a
man
before
you
;
and
we
shall
see
how
long
you
'll
keep
it
up
—
that
's
all
.
"
And
to
whosoever
liked
to
hear
,
Saunders
declared
that
Mr.
Jones
was
selling
at
loss
,
and
that
he
(
Saunders
)
could
not
afford
to
do
so
;
and
was
sorry
the
old
man
would
be
so
obstinate
.
"
Where
was
the
use
,
when
he
could
not
go
on
?
"
Nothing
did
Jones
more
harm
than
this
assertion
,
and
the
knowledge
that
it
was
a
literal
truth
;
for
though
people
worship
cheapness
,
that
goddess
of
modern
commerce
,
it
is
only
on
condition
that
she
shall
be
a
reality
,
not
a
fiction
;
that
she
shall
rest
on
the
solid
basis
of
gains
,
howsoever
small
;
not
on
the
sand
foundation
of
loss
,
that
certain
forerunner
of
failure
.
Jones
could
not
,
of
course
,
long
keep
up
the
plan
of
selling
under
cost
;
he
was
obliged
to
give
it
up
.
With
it
,
ceased
his
fallacious
and
momentary
prosperity
.
"
I
thought
so
,
"
soliloquized
Saunders
.
Reader
,
if
you
think
that
we
mean
to
cast
a
stone
at
the
great
shop
,
you
are
mistaken
.
We
deal
not
with
pitiless
political
economy
,
with
its
laws
,
with
their
workings
.
The
great
shop
must
prosper
;
'
tis
in
the
nature
of
things
;
and
the
little
shop
must
perish
—
'
tis
in
their
nature
too
.
We
but
lament
this
sad
truth
,
that
on
God
's
earth
,
which
God
made
for
all
,
there
should
be
so
little
room
for
the
poor
man
;
for
his
pride
,
his
ambition
,
his
desires
,
which
he
has
in
common
with
the
rich
man
;
we
but
deplore
what
all
,
alas
!
know
too
well
;
that
the
crown
of
creation
,
a
soul
,
a
man
by
God
's
Almighty
mind
,
fashioned
and
called
forth
into
being
,
by
Christ
's
priceless
blood
purchased
and
redeemed
to
Heaven
,
should
be
a
thing
of
so
little
worth
—
ay
,
so
much
,
so
very
much
less
worth
than
some
money
,
in
this
strange
world
of
ours
.
Few
pitied
Richard
Jones
in
his
fall
.
His
little
ambition
was
remembered
as
a
crime
;
for
success
had
not
crowned
it
.
His
little
vanities
were
so
many
deadly
sins
;
for
gold
did
not
hide
or
excuse
them
.
To
the
dregs
,
the
unhappy
man
drank
the
latter
draught
which
rises
to
the
lips
of
the
fallen
,
when
they
see
the
world
deserting
them
to
worship
a
rival
.
A
usurper
had
invaded
his
narrow
realm
,
and
crushed
him
;
his
little
story
was
a
true
page
from
that
great
book
of
History
,
which
we
need
not
read
to
know
how
power
decays
,
or
to
learn
of
man
's
fickleness
,
and
fortune
's
frowns
