mindproceeded
to
cook
her
supper
.
Then
followed
the
little
domestic
scenes
which
Rachel
liked
to
watch
.
As
Rachel
looked
,
she
took
a
bold
resolve
,
and
this
was
to
pay
Madame
Rose
a
visit
.
They
had
met
,
the
day
before
,
in
the
street
;
and
Madame
Rose
had
addressed
a
long
and
voluble
discourse
to
Rachel
,
in
French
,
concluding
with
an
invitation
to
visit
her
,
which
Rachel
had
understood
,
and
smilingly
accepted
.
And
now
was
the
favourable
moment
to
carry
this
project
into
effect
.
From
the
little
room
,
Rachel
heard
Mrs.
Brown
's
loud
voice
below
in
the
parlour
.
Mrs.
Gray
was
fully
engaged
,
and
not
likely
to
mind
her
daughter
's
absence
.
Unheeded
,
Rachel
slipped
out
.
A
few
minutes
brought
her
round
to
the
little
courts
and
to
the
house
inhabited
by
Madame
Rose
.
It
was
dingy
,
noisy
,
and
dirty
;
and
as
she
groped
and
stumbled
down
the
dark
staircase
,
Rachel
half
repented
haying
come
.
The
voice
of
Madame
Rose
directed
her
to
the
right
door
—
for
there
were
several
.
She
knocked
gently
;
a
shrill
"
entrez
,
"
which
she
rightly
interpreted
as
a
summons
to
enter
,
was
uttered
from
within
;
and
pushing
the
door
open
,
Rachel
found
herself
in
the
abode
and
presence
of
Madame
Rose
.
She
was
received
with
a
storm
of
enthusiasm
,
that
rather
bewildered
than
pleased
her
.
Madame
Rose
welcomed
her
in
a
torrent
of
speech
,
with
a
multiplicity
of
nods
,
and
winks
,
and
shrugs
,
and
exclamations
,
so
novel
in
the
experience
of
Rachel
Gray
,
that
she
began
to
wonder
how
much
truth
there
might
be
in
the
epithet
occasionally
bestowed
on
Madame
Rose
.
For
,
first
of
all
,
she
insisted
on
cooking
a
dish
of
onion
soup
for
her
expressly
,
a
kindness
which
Rachel
had
all
the
trouble
in
the
world
to
resist
;
and
next
,
this
point
settled
,
she
was
loud
and
unceasing
in
the
praise
of
the
poor
idiot
girl
,
who
sat
mowing
in
her
chair
.
Rachel
went
and
sat
near
her
,
and
spoke
to
her
,
but
she
only
got
an
unintelligible
murmur
for
a
reply
.
Madame
Rose
shook
her
head
,
as
much
as
to
say
that
the
attainments
of
Mimi
—
so
she
called
her
—
did
not
include
speech
.
But
Mimi
was
very
good
—
very
good
indeed
,
only
she
could
not
talk
,
which
was
"
bien
dommage
,
"
added
Madame
Rose
,
as
,
had
she
only
been
able
to
speak
,
Mimi
would
certainly
have
done
it
charmingly
.
"
You
should
see
her
eating
onion
soup
,
"
enthusiastically
added
Madame
Rose
.
"
It
is
beautiful
!
"
Then
,
seeing
that
Rachel
was
engaged
in
scrutinizing
,
with
a
pitying
glance
,
the
ragged
attire
of
her
protege
,
Madame
Rose
jealously
informed
her
that
,
as
yet
,
the
toilette
of
Mimi
had
been
a
little
neglected
,
certainly
;
but
that
,
"
with
time
,
and
the
help
of
God
,
"
added
Madame
Rose
,
"
Mimi
should
want
for
nothing
.
"
"
I
have
an
old
dress
at
home
,
that
will
just
do
for
her
,
"
timidly
said
Rachel
"
Shall
I
bring
it
to-morrow
night
?
"
Madame
Rose
coughed
dubiously
—
she
had
not
understood
;
but
a
perfect
knowledge
of
the
English
tongue
,
in
all
its
most
delicate
intricacies
,
was
one
of
her
vanities
.
So
,
bending
her
head
of
one
side
,
and
patting
her
ear
,
as
if
to
imply
that
there
lay
the
fault
,
she
evidently
requested
Rachel
to
repeat
She
did
so
;
and
this
time
,
Madame
Rose
caught
enough
of
her
meaning
to
misunderstand
her
.
"
I
understand
—
I
understand
!
"
she
exclaimed
,
triumphantly
;
and
settling
Mimi
in
her
chair
,
she
told
her
to
be
good
,
for
that
she
was
only
going
to
fetch
her
an
elegant
dress
presented
to
her
by
the
goodness
of
Mademoiselle
,
and
that
she
would
be
back
in
an
incredibly
short
space
of
time
;
after
which
exhortation
,
Madame
Rose
prepared
to
accompany
Rachel
.
In
vain
,
poor
Rachel
,
alarmed
at
the
prospect
of
her
mother
's
anger
,
endeavoured
to
explain
that
she
would
bring
the
dress
.
Madame
Rose
,
still
triumphantly
asserting
that
she
understood
,
insisted
on
going
out
with
her
guest
,
and
actually
walked
with
her
to
her
very
door
.
In
great
trepidation
,
Rachel
opened
it
,
and
unconscious
of
peril
or
offence
,
Madame
Rose
entered
,
clattering
along
the
passage
in
her
wooden
shoes
;
but
Mrs.
Brown
's
voice
was
just
then
at
the
loudest
;
the
noise
was
not
heeded
.
Rachel
took
her
up-stairs
to
the
little
back-room
,
and
left
her
there
,
whilst
she
looked
in
the
room
which
she
shared
with
her
mother
,
for
the
dress
she
wished
to
give
Mimi
;
she
soon
came
back
with
it
,
tied
in
a
parcel
,
and
now
devoutly
wished
that
she
could
see
Madame
Rose
safe
out
of
the
place
.
But
Madame
Rose
was
in
no
mood
to
go
.
She
had
recognized
the
room
and
window
where
she
so
often
saw
Rachel
;
and
she
intimated
as
much
,
by
a
lively
pantomime
;
first
taking
up
a
book
,
she
held
it
before
her
,
pretending
to
read
;
then
she
pointed
to
her
forehead
,
to
imply
that
Rachel
was
a
thinker
;
and
finally
,
to
the
horror
and
dismay
of
Rachel
,
Madame
Rose
shut
her
eyes
,
opened
her
mouth
,
and
warbled
a
sufficiently
correct
imitation
of
the
old
hundredth
.
The
window
was
open
;
and
even
Mrs.
Brown
's
voice
could
not
drown
these
strange
tones
.
They
reached
the
ear
of
Mrs.
Gray
;
and
before
Rachel
had
fairly
recovered
from
the
surprise
and
alarm
into
which
the
musical
outburst
of
Madame
Rose
had
thrown
her
,
her
step-mother
appeared
at
the
door
of
the
little
back
room
,
and
,
in
stern
and
indignant
accents
,
asked
to
know
the
meaning
of
what
she
heard
and
saw
.
But
,
before
Rachel
could
reply
,
the
French
costume
of
Madame
Rose
had
betrayed
her
.
Mrs.
Gray
was
of
Scotch
descent
,
and
she
had
some
of
the
old
puritan
spirit
,
to
which
,
in
the
course
of
a
long
life
,
she
had
added
a
plenteous
store
of
stubborn
English
prejudices
.
Madame
Rose
was
"
an
idolatrous
furriner
!
"
"
a
French
beggar
!
"
too
;
and
that
she
should
have
darkened
her
doors
!
—
that
she
should
be
familiarly
sitting
under
her
roof
—
chattering
and
singing
in
a
back
room
,
with
her
daughter
,
was
an
intolerable
insult
,
a
wrong
not
to
be
borne
.
"
I
am
amazed
at
you
,
Rachel
!
"
she
said
,
her
voice
quivering
with
indignation
.
"
I
am
amazed
at
you
.
How
dare
you
do
sich
a
thing
!
"
The
tones
and
the
attitude
of
Mrs.
Gray
were
not
to
be
misunderstood
;
nor
was
little
Madame
Rose
so
dull
as
to
mistake
them
.
She
saw
that
her
presence
was
not
welcome
,
and
,
with
great
dignity
,
rose
and
took
her
leave
.
Crimson
with
pain
and
shame
,
Rachel
followed
her
out
.
She
gave
Madame
Rose
an
humble
and
imploring
glance
,
as
they
parted
at
the
door
,
as
much
,
as
to
say
,
"
You
know
I
could
not
help
it
.
"
But
the
appeal
was
not
needed
.
To
her
surprise
,
Madame
Rose
remained
very
good-humoured
.
She
even
laughed
and
shrugged
her
shoulders
,
French
fashion
,
and
indulged
in
a
variety
of
pantomimic
signs
,
closing
with
one
more
intelligible
than
the
rest
:
a
significant
tap
of
her
forefinger
on
her
brown
forehead
,
and
by
which
Madame
Rose
plainly
intimated
it
to
be
her
firm
conviction
that
the
intellect
of
Mrs.
Gray
was
unfortunately
deranged
.
Thus
they
parted
.
Violent
were
the
reproaches
with
which
Mrs.
Gray
greeted
her
daughter
's
reappearance
.
She
exacted
a
strict
and
rigid
account
of
the
rise
and
progress
of
Rachel
's
acquaintance
with
that
"
mad
French
beggar
;
"
was
horror-struck
on
learning
that
the
back-room
window
had
been
made
the
medium
;
and
not
satisfied
with
prohibiting
future
intercourse
,
took
the
most
effective
means
to
prevent
it
,
by
locking
up
the
guilty
zoom
,
and
putting
the
key
in
her
pocket
.
To
all
this
Rachel
submitted
;
though
,
when
she
saw
the
door
of
her
much-loved
retreat
closing
on
her
,
her
heart
ached
.
But
when
,
in
the
height
of
her
anger
,
Mrs.
Gray
railed
at
the
poor
little
Frenchwoman
,
as
little
better
than
an
idolater
or
an
infidel
,
Rachel
felt
as
if
it
touched
her
honour
,
not
to
suffer
this
slur
on
her
humble
friend
.
"
Mother
,
"
she
said
,
with
some
firmness
,
"
you
cannot
tell
what
she
is
;
for
you
know
nothing
of
her
,
save
by
idle
reports
.
I
have
watched
her
life
day
after
day
,
and
I
have
seen
that
it
is
holy
.
And
,
mother
,
"
added
Rachel
,
slightly
colouring
,
from
the
fervour
with
which
she
felt
and
spoke
,
"
you
know
it
as
I
do
:
all
holiness
comes
from
God
.
"
Unable
to
contradict
,
Mrs.
Gray
sniffed
indignantly
.
CHAPTER
VII
.
Hard
indeed
were
the
days
that
followed
for
Rachel
Gray
.
The
old
quarrel
had
began
anew
.
Why
was
she
not
like
every
one
?
Why
did
she
pick
up
strange
acquaintances
?
—
above
all
,
why
did
she
mope
,
and
want
to
be
in
the
little
back
room
?
It
was
strange
,
and
Mrs.
Gray
was
not
sure
that
it
was
not
wicked
.
If
so
,
it
was
a
wickedness
of
which
she
effectually
deprived
Rachel
,
by
keeping
the
back
room
locked
,
and
the
key
in
her
pocket
.
But
,
hard
as
this
was
,
it
was
not
all
.
Amongst
Rachel
's
few
treasures
,
were
little
pamphlets
,
tracts
,
old
sermons
,
scraps
of
all
sorts
,
a
little
hoard
collected
for
years
,
but
to
their
owner
priceless
.
She
did
not
read
them
daily
;
she
had
not
time
;
but
when
she
was
alone
,
she
took
them
oat
,
now
and
then
,
to
look
at
and
think
over
.
On
the
day
that
followed
the
affair
of
Madame
Rose
,
Mrs.
Gray
discovered
Rachel
's
board
.
"
More
of
Rachel
's
rubbish
!
"
she
thought
,
and
she
took
the
papers
to
the
kitchen
,
and
lit
the
fire
with
them
forthwith
.
"
Oh
,
mother
!
what
have
you
done
!
"
cried
Rachel
,
when
she
discovered
her
loss
.
"
Well
,
what
about
it
?
"
tartly
asked
Mrs.
Gray
.
A
few
silent
,
unheeded
tears
Rachel
shed
,
but
no
more
was
said
.
But
her
very
heart
ached
;
and
,
perhaps
,
because
it
did
ache
,
her
longing
to
go
and
see
her
father
returned
all
the
stronger
.
The
whole
day
,
the
thought
kept
her
in
a
dream
.
"
I
never
saw
you
so
mopish
,
"
angrily
exclaimed
Mrs.
Gray
,
"
never
!
"
Rachel
looked
up
in
her
mother
's
face
,
and
smiled
so
pleasantly
,
that
Mrs.
Gray
was
a
little
softened
,
she
herself
knew
not
why
;
but
the
smile
was
so
very
sweet
.
And
again
Rachel
sat
up
that
night
,
when
all
were
sleeping
in
the
little
house
;
again
she
burned
her
precious
candle
ends
,
and
sat
and
sewed
,
to
finish
the
last
of
the
half-dozen
of
fine
linen
shirts
,
begun
a
year
before
,
purchased
with
the
few
shillings
she
could
spare
now
and
then
from
her
earnings
,
and
sewed
by
stealth
,
in
hours
robbed
from
the
rest
of
the
night
,
after
the
fatigue
of
the
day
.
But
,
spite
of
all
her
efforts
to
keep
awake
,
she
fell
asleep
over
her
task
.
When
she
awoke
,
daylight
gleamed
through
the
chinks
of
the
shutters
;
it
was
morning
.
She
opened
the
window
in
some
alarm
;
but
felt
relieved
to
perceive
that
it
was
early
yet
.
The
street
was
silent
;
every
window
was
closed
;
the
sky
,
still
free
from
smoke
was
calm
and
pure
;
there
was
a
peace
in
this
stillness
,
which
moved
the
very
heart
of
Rachel
Gray
.
She
thought
of
the
calm
slumbers
of
the
two
millions
,
who
,
in
a
few
hours
,
would
fill
the
vast
city
,
with
noise
,
agitation
and
strife
;
and
she
half
sadly
wondered
that
for
the
few
years
man
has
to
spend
here
below
,
for
the
few
wants
and
cravings
he
derives
from
nature
,
he
should
think
it
needful
to
give
away
the
most
precious
hours
of
a
short
life
,
and
devote
to
ceaseless
toil
every
aspiration
and
desire
of
his
heart
.
It
was
too
late
to
think
of
going
to
bed
,
which
would
,
besides
,
have
exposed
her
to
discovery
.
So
,
after
uniting
her
morning
and
evening
prayers
in
one
long
and
fervent
petition
of
Hope
and
Love
,
she
went
back
to
her
work
,
finished
the
little
there
was
to
do
,
then
carefully
folded
up
the
six
shirts
,
and
tied
them
up
in
a
neat
parcel
.
When
this
was
done
,
Rachel
busied
herself
with
her
usual
tasks
about
the
house
,
until
her
mother
came
down
.
It
was
no
uncommon
thing
for
Rachel
to
get
up
early
,
and
do
the
work
,
while
her
mother
still
slept
;
and
,
accordingly
,
that
she
should
have
done
so
,
as
Mrs.
Gray
thought
,
drew
forth
from
her
no
comment
on
this
particular
morning
.
Everything
,
indeed
,
seemed
to
favour
her
project
;
for
,
in
the
course
of
the
day
,
Mrs.
Gray
and
Jane
went
out
.
Rachel
remained
alone
with
Mary
.
"
Why
,
how
merry
you
are
to-day
,
Miss
!
"
said
Mary
,
looking
with
wonder
at
Rachel
,
as
she
busied
herself
about
the
house
,
singing
by
snatches
.
"
It
is
such
a
fine
day
,
"
replied
Rachel
;
she
opened
the
parlour
window
;
in
poured
the
joyous
sunshine
—
the
blue
sky
shone
above
the
dull
brick
street
,
and
the
tailor
's
thrush
began
to
sing
in
its
osier
cage
.
"
A
day
to
make
one
happy
,
"
continued
Rachel
;
and
she
smiled
at
her
own
thoughts
;
for
on
such
a
beautiful
day
,
how
could
she
but
prosper
?
"
Mary
,
"
she
resumed
,
after
a
pause
,
"
you
will
not
be
afraid
,
if
I
go
out
,
and
leave
you
awhile
alone
,
will
you
?
"
"
La
,
bless
you
!
no
,
Miss
Gray
,
"
said
Mary
,
smiling
.
"
Are
you
afraid
when
you
are
alone
?
"
she
added
,
with
a
look
of
superiority
;
for
she
,
too
,
seeing
every
one
else
around
her
do
it
,
unconsciously
began
to
patronize
Rachel
.
"
Oh
,
no
!
"
simply
replied
Rachel
Gray
,
too
well
disciplined
into
humility
to
feel
offended
with
the
pertness
of
a
child
,
"
I
am
never
afraid
;
but
then
,
I
am
so
much
older
than
you
.
However
,
since
you
do
not
mind
it
,
I
shall
go
out
.
Either
Jane
or
my
mother
will
soon
be
in
,
and
so
you
will
not
long
remain
alone
,
at
all
events
.
"
"
La
,
bless
you
!
I
do
n't
mind
,
"
replied
Mary
,
again
looking
superior
.
And
now
,
Rachel
is
gone
out
.
She
has
been
walking
an
hour
and
more
.
Again
,
she
goes
through
a
populous
neighbourhood
,
and
through
crowded
streets
;
but
this
time
,
in
the
broad
daylight
of
a
lazy
summer
afternoon
.
Rachel
is
neither
nervous
nor
afraid
—
not
,
at
least
,
of
anything
around
her
.
On
she
goes
,
her
heart
full
of
hope
,
her
mind
full
of
dreams
.
On
she
goes
:
street
after
street
is
passed
;
at
length
,
is
reached
the
street
where
Thomas
Gray
,
the
father
of
Rachel
,
lives
.
She
stops
at
the
second-hand
ironmonger
's
and
looks
at
the
portraits
and
the
books
,
and
feels
faint
and
hopeless
,
and
almost
wishes
that
her
father
may
not
be
within
.
Thomas
Gray
was
at
his
work
,
and
there
was
a
book
by
him
at
which
he
glanced
now
and
then
,
Tom
Paine
's
"
Rights
of
Man
.
"
There
was
an
empty
pewter
pot
too
,
and
a
dirty
public-house
paper
,
from
which
we
do
not
mean
to
have
it
inferred
that
Thomas
Gray
was
given
to
intoxication
.
He
was
essentially
a
sober
,
steady
man
,
vehement
in
nothing
,
not
even
in
politics
,
though
he
was
a
thorough
Republican
.
Thomas
Gray
was
planing
sturdily
,
enjoying
the
sunshine
,
which
fell
full
on
his
meagre
figure
.
It
was
hot
;
but
as
he
grew
old
he
grew
chilly
,
when
,
suddenly
,
a
dark
shadow
came
between
him
and
the
light
.
He
looked
up
,
and
saw
a
woman
standing
on
the
threshold
of
his
shop
.
She
was
young
and
simply
clad
,
tall
and
slender
,
not
handsome
,
and
very
timid
looking
.
"
Walk
in
ma'am
,
"
he
said
,
civilly
enough
.
The
stranger
entered
;
he
looked
at
her
,
and
she
looked
at
him
.
"
Want
anything
?
"
he
asked
,
at
length
.
She
took
courage
and
spoke
.
"
My
name
is
Rachel
,
"
she
said
.
He
said
nothing
.
"
Rachel
Gray
,
"
she
resumed
.
He
looked
at
her
steadily
,
but
he
was
still
silent
.
"
I
am
your
daughter
,
"
she
continued
,
in
faltering
accents
.
"
Well
!
I
never
said
you
was
not
;
"
he
answered
rather
drily
.
"
Come
,
you
need
not
shake
so
;
there
's
a
chair
there
.
Take
it
and
at
down
.
"
Rachel
obeyed
;
but
she
was
so
agitated
that
she
could
not
utter
one
word
.
Her
father
looked
at
her
for
awhile
,
then
resumed
his
work
.
Rachel
did
not
speak
—
she
literally
could
not
.
Words
would
have
choked
her
;
so
it
was
Thomas
Gray
who
opened
the
conversation
.
"
Well
,
and
how
's
the
old
lady
?
"
he
asked
.
"
My
mother
is
quite
well
,
thank
you
.
Sir
,
"
replied
Rachel
The
name
of
father
was
too
strange
to
be
used
thus
at
first
.
"
And
you
—
how
do
you
get
on
?
You
'
re
a
milliner
,
stay-maker
—
ai
n't
you
?
"
"
I
am
a
dress-maker
;
but
I
can
do
other
work
,
"
said
Rachel
,
thinking
this
,
poor
girl
!
a
favourable
opening
for
her
present
.
"
I
have
made
these
for
you
,
"
she
added
,
opening
and
untying
her
parcel
;
and
displaying
the
shirts
to
her
father
's
view
,
and
as
she
did
so
,
she
gazed
very
wistfully
in
his
face
.
He
gave
them
a
careless
look
.
"
Why
,
my
good
girl
,
"
he
said
,
"
I
have
dozens
of
shirts
—
dozens
!
"
And
he
returned
to
his
work
,
a
moment
interrupted
.
Tears
stood
in
Rachel
's
eyes
.
"
I
am
sorry
,
"
she
began
,
"
but
—
but
I
did
not
know
;
and
then
I
thought
—
I
thought
you
might
like
them
.
"
"
'
Taint
of
much
consequence
,
"
he
philosophically
replied
,
"
thank
you
all
the
same
.
Jim
,
"
he
added
,
hailing
a
lad
who
was
passing
by
,
"
just
tell
them
at
the
'
Rose
'
to
send
down
a
pint
of
half-and-half
,
will
you
?
I
dare
say
you
'll
have
something
before
you
go
,
"
he
continued
,
addressing
his
daughter
.
"
If
you
'll
just
look
in
there
,
"
he
added
,
jerking
his
head
towards
the
back
parlour
,
"
you
'll
find
some
bread
and
cheese
on
the
table
,
there
's
a
plate
too
.
"
Rachel
rose
and
eagerly
availed
herself
of
this
invitation
,
cold
though
it
was
;
she
felt
curious
too
,
to
inspect
,
her
father
's
domestic
arrangements
.
She
was
almost
disappointed
to
find
everything
so
much
more
tidy
than
she
could
have
imagined
.
She
had
hoped
that
her
services
as
house-keeper
might
be
more
required
,
either
then
,
or
at
some
future
period
of
time
.
She
sat
down
,
but
she
could
not
eat
.
"
Here
's
the
half-and-half
,
"
said
her
father
from
the
shop
.
Rachel
went
and
took
it
;
she
poured
out
some
in
a
glass
,
but
she
could
not
drink
;
her
heart
was
too
full
.
"
You
'd
better
,
"
said
her
father
,
who
had
now
joined
her
.
"
I
cannot
,
"
replied
Rachel
,
feeling
ready
to
cry
,
"
I
am
neither
hungry
nor
thirsty
,
thank
you
.
"
"
Oh
!
aint
you
?
"
said
her
father
,
"
yet
you
have
a
long
walk
home
,
you
know
.
"
It
was
the
second
time
he
said
so
.
Rachel
looked
up
into
his
face
;
she
sought
for
something
there
,
not
for
love
,
not
for
fondness
,
but
for
the
shadow
of
kindness
,
for
that
which
might
one
day
become
affection
—
she
saw
nothing
but
cold
,
hard
,
rooted
indifference
.
The
head
of
Rachel
sank
on
her
bosom
,
"
The
will
of
God
be
done
,
"
she
thought
.
With
a
sigh
she
rose
,
and
looked
up
in
her
father
's
face
.
"
Good
bye
,
father
,
"
she
said
,
for
her
father
she
would
call
him
once
at
least
.
"
Good
bye
,
Rachel
,
"
he
replied
.
She
held
out
her
hand
;
he
took
it
with
the
same
hard
indifference
he
had
shown
from
the
beginning
.
He
did
not
seek
to
detain
her
;
he
did
not
ask
her
to
come
again
.
His
farewell
was
as
cold
as
had
been
his
greeting
.
Rachel
left
him
with
a
heart
full
to
bursting
.
She
had
not
gone
ten
steps
when
he
called
her
.
She
hastened
back
;
he
stood
on
the
threshold
of
his
shop
,
a
newspaper
in
his
hand
.
"
Just
take
that
paper
,
and
leave
it
at
the
'
Rose
,
'
will
you
?
You
ca
n't
miss
the
'
Rose
'
—
it
's
the
public-house
round
the
left-hand
corner
.
"
"
Yes
,
father
,
"
meekly
said
Rachel
.
She
took
the
paper
from
his
hand
,
turned
away
,
and
did
as
she
was
bid
.
Her
errand
fulfilled
,
Rachel
walked
home
.
There
were
no
tears
on
her
cheek
,
but
there
was
a
dull
pain
at
her
heart
;
an
aching
sorrow
that
dwelt
there
,
and
that
—
do
what
she
would
—
would
not
depart
.
In
vain
she
said
to
herself
—
"
It
was
just
what
I
expected
;
of
course
,
I
could
not
think
it
would
come
all
in
a
day
.
Besides
,
if
it
be
the
will
of
God
,
must
I
not
submit
?
"
still
disappointment
murmured
:
"
Oh
!
but
it
is
hard
!
not
one
word
,
not
one
look
,
not
one
wish
to
see
me
again
;
nothing
—
nothing
.
"
It
was
late
when
Rachel
reached
home
.
Mrs.
Gray
,
confounded
at
her
step-daughter
's
audacity
in
thus
again
absenting
herself
without
leave
,
had
,
during
the
whole
day
,
amassed
a
store
of
resentment
,
which
now
burst
forth
on
Rachel
's
head
.
The
irritable
old
lady
scolded
herself
into
a
violent
passion
.
Rachel
received
her
reproaches
with
more
of
apathy
than
of
her
usual
resignation
.
They
were
alone
;
Jane
and
Mary
had
retired
to
their
room
.
Rachel
sat
by
the
table
where
the
supper
things
were
laid
,
her
head
supported
by
her
hand
.
At
the
other
end
of
the
table
sat
Mrs.
Gray
erect
,
sharp
,
bitter
;
scolding
and
railing
by
turns
,
and
between
both
burned
a
yellow
tallow
candle
unsnuffed
,
dreary
looking
,
and
but
half
lighting
the
gloomy
little
parlour
.
"
And
so
you
wo
n't
say
where
you
have
been
,
you
good-for-nothing
creature
,
"
at
length
cried
Mrs.
Gray
,
exasperated
by
her
daughter
's
long
silence
.
Rachel
looked
up
in
her
step-mother
's
face
.
"
You
did
not
ask
me
where
I
had
been
,
"
she
said
deliberately
.
"
I
have
been
to
see
my
father
.
"
Not
one
word
could
Mrs.
Gray
utter
.
The
face
of
Rachel
,
pale
,
desolate
,
and
sorrow-stricken
,
told
the
whole
story
.
Rachel
added
nothing
.
She
,
lit
another
candle
,
and
merely
saying
,
in
her
gentle
voice
—
"
Good
night
,
mother
,
"
she
left
the
room
.
As
Rachel
passed
by
the
little
room
of
the
apprentices
,
she
saw
a
streak
of
light
gliding
out
on
the
landing
,
through
the
half-open
door
.
She
pushed
it
,
and
entered
.
Jane
sat
reading
by
the
little
table
;
Mary
lay
in
bed
,
but
awake
.
"
I
did
not
know
you
were
up
,
"
said
Rachel
to
Jane
,
"
and
seeing
a
light
,
I
felt
afraid
of
fire
.
"
"
Not
much
fear
of
fire
,
"
drily
answered
Jane
.
Rachel
did
not
heed
her
—
she
was
bending
over
Mary
.
"
How
are
you
to-night
,
Mary
?
"
she
asked
.
"
Oh
!
I
am
quite
well
,
"
pettishly
answered
Mary
.
Rachel
smoothed
the
young
girl
's
hair
away
from
her
cheek
.
She
remembered
how
dearly
,
how
fondly
loved
was
that
peevish
child
;
and
she
may
be
forgiven
if
she
involuntarily
thought
the
contrast
between
that
love
,
and
her
own
portion
of
indifference
,
bitter
.
"
Mary
,
"
she
softly
whispered
,
"
did
you
say
your
prayers
to-night
?
"
"
Why
,
of
course
I
did
.
"
"
And
,
Mary
,
did
you
pray
for
your
father
?
"
"
I
wish
you
would
let
me
sleep
,
"
crossly
said
the
young
girl
.
"
Oh
!
Mary
—
Mary
!
"
exclaimed
Rachel
,
and
there
was
tenderness
and
pathos
in
her
voice
;
"
Mary
,
I
hope
you
love
your
father
—
I
hope
you
love
him
.
"
"
Who
said
I
did
n't
?
"
"
Ah
!
but
I
fear
you
do
not
love
him
as
much
as
he
loves
you
.
"
"
To
be
sure
I
do
n't
,
"
replied
Mary
,
who
had
grown
up
in
the
firm
conviction
that
children
were
domestic
idols
,
of
which
fathers
were
the
born
worshippers
.
"
But
you
must
try
—
but
you
must
try
,
"
very
earnestly
said
Rachel
.
"
Promise
me
that
you
will
try
,
Mary
.
"
She
spoke
in
a
soft
,
low
voice
;
but
Mary
,
wearied
with
the
discourse
,
turned
her
head
away
.
"
I
ca
n't
talk
,
my
back
aches
,
"
she
said
peevishly
.
"
Mary
's
back
always
aches
when
she
do
n't
want
to
speak
,
"
ironically
observed
Jane
.
"
You
mind
your
own
business
,
will
you
!
"
cried
Mary
,
reddening
,
and
speaking
very
fast
.
"
I
do
n't
want
your
opinion
,
at
all
events
;
and
if
I
did
—
"
"
I
thought
you
could
n't
talk
,
your
back
ached
so
,
"
quietly
put
in
Jane
.
Mary
burst
into
peevish
tears
.
Jane
laughed
triumphantly
.
Rachel
looked
at
them
both
with
mild
reproach
.
"
Jane
,
"
she
said
,
"
it
is
wrong
—
very
wrong
—
to
provoke
another
.
Mary
,
God
did
not
give
us
tears
—
and
they
are
a
great
gift
of
his
mercy
—
to
shed
them
so
for
a
trifle
.
Do
it
no
more
.
"
The
two
girls
remained
abashed
.
Rachel
quietly
left
the
room
.
She
went
to
her
own
.
She
had
prayed
long
that
morning
,
but
still
longer
did
she
pray
that
night
.
For
alas
!
—
who
knows
it
not
—
the
wings
of
Hope
would
of
themselves
raise
us
to
Heaven
;
but
hard
it
is
for
poor
resignation
to
look
up
from
this
sad
earth
.
CHAPTER
VIII
.
We
were
made
to
endure
.
A
Heathen
philosopher
held
the
eight
of
the
just
man
's
suffering
,
worthy
of
the
Gods
,
and
Christianity
knows
nothing
more
beautiful
,
more
holy
,
than
the
calm
resignation
of
the
pure
and
the
lowly
,
to
the
will
of
their
Divine
Father
.
It
was
the
will
of
Heaven
that
Rachel
should
not
be
beloved
of
her
earthly
father
.
She
bore
her
lot
—
not
without
sorrow
;
but
,
at
least
,
without
repining
.
Perhaps
,
she
was
more
silent
,
more
thoughtful
,
than
before
;
but
she
was
not
less
cheerful
,
and
in
one
sense
she
was
certainly
not
less
happy
.
Affliction
patiently
borne
for
the
love
of
the
hand
that
inflicts
it
,
loses
half
its
sting
.
The
cup
is
always
bitter
—
and
doubly
bitter
shall
it
seem
to
us
,
if
we
drink
it
reluctantly
;
but
if
we
courageously
dram
it
,
we
shall
find
that
the
last
drop
is
not
like
the
rest
It
is
fraught
with
a
Divine
sweetness
—
it
is
a
precious
balsam
,
and
can
heal
the
deepest
and
most
envenomed
wound
.
This
pure
drop
Rachel
found
in
her
cup
.
It
strengthened
and
upheld
her
through
her
trial
.
"
It
is
the
will
of
God
,
"
she
repeated
to
herself
—
"
It
is
the
will
of
God
;
"
and
those
simple
words
,
which
held
a
meaning
so
deep
,
were
to
Rachel
fortitude
and
consolation
.
And
in
the
meanwhile
,
the
little
world
around
her
,
unconscious
of
her
sufferings
and
her
trials
—
for
even
her
mother
could
not
wholly
divine
them
—
went
on
its
ways
.
Mrs.
Gray
grumbled
,
Jane
was
grim
,
Mary
was
peevish
,
and
Mrs.
Brown
occasionally
dropped
in
"
to
keep
them
going
,
"
as
she
said
herself
.
As
to
Richard
Jones
,
we
will
not
attempt
to
describe
the
uneasiness
of
mind
he
endured
in
endeavouring
to
follow
out
Rachel
's
advice
.
He
did
not
understand
its
spirit
,
which
,
indeed
,
she
could
not
have
explained
.
They
who
make
the
will
of
God
their
daily
law
,
are
guided
,
even
in
apparently
worldly
matters
,
—
not
indeed
,
so
as
never
to
commit
mistakes
,
which
were
being
beyond
humanity
,
but
so
,
at
least
,
as
to
err
as
little
as
possible
concerning
their
true
motives
of
action
.
Our
passions
are
our
curse
,
spiritual
and
temporal
;
and
the
mere
habit
of
subduing
them
gives
prudence
and
humility
in
all
things
:
—
wisdom
thus
becomes
one
of
the
rewards
which
God
grants
to
the
faithful
servant
.
But
of
this
,
what
did
Richard
Jones
—
the
most
unspiritual
of
good
men
,
know
?
After
three
days
spent
in
a
state
of
distracting
doubt
,
he
came
to
the
conclusion
that
it
was
,
and
must
be
the
will
of
Heaven
that
he
should
have
a
shop
.
Poor
fellow
!
if
he
took
his
own
will
for
that
of
the
Almighty
,
did
he
fall
into
a
very
uncommon
mistake
?
Once
,
his
mind
was
made
up
,
he
turned
desperate
,
went
and
secured
the
shop
.
He
had
all
the
time
been
in
a
perfect
fever
,
lest
some
other
should
forestall
him
,
after
which
he
became
calm
.
"
Did
not
much
care
about
Miss
Gray
's
opinion
—
did
not
see
why
he
should
care
about
any
one
's
opinion
,
"
and
in
this
lofty
mood
it
was
that
Richard
Jones
went
and
gave
a
loud
,
clear
,
and
distinct
knock
at
Mrs.
Gray
's
door
.
Dinner
was
over
—
the
apprentices
were
working
—
Rachel
was
dreaming
,
rather
sadly
,
poor
girl
!
for
she
thought
of
what
was
,
and
of
what
might
have
been
.
Mrs.
Gray
was
reading
the
newspaper
,
when
the
entrance
of
Richard
Jones
,
admitted
by
his
daughter
,
disturbed
the
quiet
little
household
.
At
once
Mrs.
Gray
flew
into
politics
.
"
Well
,
Mr.
Jones
,
"
she
cried
,
"
and
how
are
you
?
I
suppose
you
know
they
are
raising
the
taxes
—
and
then
such
rates
as
we
have
,
Mr.
Jones
—
such
rates
!
"
Mrs.
Gray
was
habitually
a
Tory
,
and
not
a
mild
one
;
but
on
the
subject
of
taxes
and
rates
,
Mrs.
Gray
was
,
we
are
sorry
to
say
,
a
violent
radical
.
"
She
could
n't
abide
them
,
"
she
declared
.
"
And
so
they
axe
raising
the
taxes
,
are
they
!
"
echoed
Mr.
Jones
,
chuckling
.
"
Eh
!
but
that
wo
n't
do
for
me
,
Mrs.
Gray
.
I
'm
turning
householder
—
and
hard
by
here
too
!
"
he
added
,
winking
.
Mrs.
Gray
did
not
understand
at
all
.
She
coughed
,
and
looked
puzzled
.
Mr.
Jones
saw
that
Rachel
had
not
spoken
to
her
.
He
continued
winking
,
chuckling
,
and
rubbing
his
hands
as
he
spoke
.
"
I
am
going
into
business
,
Mrs.
Gray
.
"
Mrs.
Gray
was
profoundly
astonished
;
Mary
's
work
dropped
on
her
lap
as
she
stared
with
open
mouth
and
eyes
at
her
father
,
who
chucked
her
chin
for
her
.
"
Yes
,
"
he
resumed
,
addressing
Mrs.
Gray
;
"
I
had
always
a
turn
that
way
.
"
"
Oh
,
you
had
!
"
"
Always
,
Mrs.
Gray
;
but
I
had
n't
got
no
capital
;
and
for
a
man
to
go
into
business
without
capital
,
why
,
ma'am
,
it
's
like
a
body
that
aint
got
no
soul
.
"
"
Do
n't
talk
so
,
Mr.
Jones
,
"
said
Mrs.
Gray
,
to
whom
the
latter
proposition
sounded
atheistical
,
"
do
n't
!
"
"
Well
,
but
what
's
a
man
without
capital
?
"
asked
Mr.
Jones
,
unconscious
of
his
offence
,
"
why
,
nothink
,
Mrs.
Gray
,
nothink
!
Well
,
but
that
's
not
the
question
—
I
've
got
capital
now
,
you
see
,
and
so
I
am
going
to
set
up
a
grocery
business
in
the
rag
and
bottle
shop
round
the
corner
;
and
I
hare
called
to
secure
your
custom
—
that
's
all
,
Mrs.
Gray
.
"
He
winked
and
chuckled
again
.
Rachel
could
not
help
smiling
.
Mrs.
Gray
was
grave
and
courteous
,
like
any
foreign
potentate
congratulating
his
dear
brother
,
Monsieur
mon
frere
,
on
some
fortunate
event
of
his
reign
.
"
I
called
to
tell
you
that
,
Mrs.
Gray
,
"
resumed
Jones
;
"
and
,
also
,
to
ask
a
favour
of
Miss
Gray
.
I
should
be
so
much
obliged
to
'
her
,
if
she
could
spare
my
little
Mary
for
half
an
hour
or
so
,
just
to
look
over
the
house
with
me
.
"
"
Of
course
she
can
,
"
replied
Mrs.
Gray
for
her
meek
daughter
.
"
Go
and
put
on
your
bonnet
,
Mary
.
'
"
Mary
,
whom
the
tidings
of
the
grocer
's
shop
had
most
agreeably
excited
,
rose
with
great
alacrity
to
obey
,
and
promptly
returned
,
with
her
bonnet
on
.
It
was
Rachel
who
let
them
out
.
"
You
need
not
be
in
a
hurry
to
come
back
,
dear
,
"
she
whispered
;
"
there
's
not
more
work
than
Jane
and
I
can
well
manage
.
"
Mary
's
only
reply
to
this
kind
speech
,
was
a
saucy
toss
of
the
head
.
The
little
thing
already
felt
an
heiress
.
"
How
much
money
have
you
got
,
father
?
"
she
promptly
asked
,
as
they
went
down
the
street
,
"
Sixty
pounds
,
my
dear
.
"
"
Law
!
that
ai
n't
much
,
"
said
Mary
,
as
if
she
had
rolled
in
guineas
all
her
life
.
"
Well
,
it
is
n't
,
"
he
replied
candidly
,
and
exactly
in
the
same
spirit
;
for
if
there
is
a
thing
people
promptly
get
used
to
,
it
is
money
.
Mary
had
always
been
her
father
's
confidante
;
he
now
opened
his
whole
heart
to
her
,
and
was
thereby
much
relieved
.
To
his
great
satisfaction
,
Mary
condescended
to
approve
almost
without
restriction
,
all
he
had
done
.
She
accompanied
him
over
the
house
and
shop
—
thought
"
the
whole
concern
rather
dirty
,
"
but
kindly
added
,
"
that
when
it
was
cleaned
up
a
bit
,
it
would
do
;
"
and
finally
gave
it
as
her
opinion
,
"
that
there
was
n't
a
better
position
in
the
whole
neighbourhood
.
"
"
Of
course
there
ai
n't
,
"
said
Mr.
Jones
,
sitting
down
on
the
counter
.
"
The
goodwives
must
either
buy
from
me
,
or
walk
a
mile
.
Now
it
stands
to
reason
that
,
rather
than
walk
a
mile
,
with
babies
crying
at
home
,
and
husbands
growling
—
it
stands
to
reason
,
I
say
,
that
they
'll
buy
from
me
.
Do
n't
it
,
Mary
?
"
"
Of
course
it
does
.
"
"
Well
,
that
ai
n't
all
.
You
see
I
know
something
of
business
.
The
interest
of
capital
in
business
ranges
from
ten
to
a
hundred
per
cent
according
to
luck
;
now
I
am
lucky
being
alone
,
so
we
'll
say
fifty
per
cent
,
which
is
moderate
,
ai
n't
it
,
Mary
?
"
"
Of
course
it
is
,
"
replied
that
infallible
authority
.
"
Well
then
:
capital
,
sixty
pounds
;
interest
,
fifty
per
cent
.
Why
,
in
no
time
,
like
,
I
shall
double
my
capital
;
and
when
it
's
doubled
,
I
shall
double
it
again
—
and
so
I
'll
go
on
doubling
and
doubling
until
I
'm
tired
—
and
then
we
'll
stop
.
Wo
n't
we
,
Mary
?
"
The
little
thing
laughed
;
her
father
gave
her
a
kiss
;
got
up
from
the
counter
,
and
with
the
golden
vision
of
endless
doubling
of
capital
before
him
,
walked
out
of
the
shop
.
CHAPTER
IX
.
What
airs
little
Mary
took
;
how
Jane
taunted
and
twitted
her
,
how
Rachel
had
to
interfere
;
how
even
Mrs.
Brown
chose
to
comment
on
the
startling
fact
of
a
new
grocer
's
shop
,
and
what
predictions
she
made
,
we
leave
to
the
imagination
of
the
reader
.
We
deal
with
the
great
day
,
or
rather
with
the
eve
of
the
great
day
.
It
was
come
.
Rachel
,
her
mother
,
Mary
,
and
Mr.
Jones
were
all
busy
giving
the
shop
its
last
finishing
touch
;
on
the
next
morning
the
Teapot
was
to
open
.
"
Well
,
Miss
Gray
,
'
tai
n't
amiss
,
is
it
?
"
said
Jones
,
looking
around
him
with
innocent
satisfaction
.
He
was
,
as
we
have
said
before
,
a
sort
of
Jack-of-all-trades
,
and
to
him
the
Teapot
doubly
owed
its
existence
.
He
had
painted
the
walls
;
he
had
fixed
up
the
shelves
in
their
places
;
the
drawers
and
boxes
his
own
hands
had
fashioned
.
We
will
not
aver
that
a
professional
glazier
and
carpenter
might
not
have
done
all
this
infinitely
better
than
Richard
Jones
,
but
who
could
have
worked
so
cheap
or
pleased
Richard
Jones
so
well
?
And
thus
with
harmless
pleasure
he
could
look
around
him
and
repeat
:
"
Well
,
Miss
Gray
,
'
tai
n't
amiss
,
is
it
?
"
"
Amiss
!
"
put
in
Mrs.
Gray
,
before
her
daughter
could
speak
,
"
I
should
think
not
.
You
're
a
clever
man
,
Mr.
Jones
,
to
have
done
all
that
with
your
own
hands
,
out
of
your
own
head
.
"
Mr.
Jones
rubbed
his
forehead
,
and
passed
his
hand
through
his
stubby
hair
.
"
Well
,
Ma'am
,
'
tai
n't
amiss
,
though
I
say
it
that
should
n't
,
and
though
'
tai
n't
much
.
"
"
Not
much
,
father
!
"
zealously
cried
Mary
,
not
relishing
so
much
modesty
,
"
why
,
did
n't
you
nail
them
shelves
with
your
own
hands
?
"
"
Well
,
child
,
"
candidly
replied
her
father
,
"
I
think
I
may
say
I
did
.
"
"
And
did
n't
you
make
all
them
square
boxes
,
a
whole
dozen
of
them
?
"
"
Hold
your
tongue
you
little
chit
,
and
help
Miss
Gray
there
to
put
up
the
jams
and
marmalades
.
"
"
And
did
n't
you
paint
the
walls
?
"
triumphantly
exclaimed
Mary
,
without
heeding
his
orders
.
"
Who
else
did
,
I
should
like
to
know
?
"
"
And
the
counter
!
who
made
the
counter
?
"
"
Not
I
,
Mary
.
I
only
polished
it
up
.
"
"
Well
,
but
what
was
it
before
you
polished
it
up
,
father
?
"
asked
the
pertinacious
daughter
.
"
Not
much
to
speak
of
;
that
's
the
truth
.
Why
,
bless
you
,
Mrs.
Gray
,
"
he
added
,
turning
confidentially
towards
her
,
"
you
never
saw
such
a
poor
object
as
that
counter
was
in
all
your
born
days
.
It
caught
my
eye
at
the
corner
of
one
of
them
second-hand
shops
in
the
New
Cut
.
The
man
was
standing
at
the
door
,
whistling
,
with
his
hands
in
his
pockets
.
'
That
's
fire-wood
,
'
says
I
to
him
.
'
No
'
tai
n't
,
it
's
as
good
a
counter
as
ever
a
sovereign
was
changed
on
.
'
'
My
good
man
,
'
says
I
,
'
it
's
firewood
,
and
I
'll
give
you
five
shillings
for
it
.
'
Law
,
but
you
should
have
seen
how
he
looked
at
me
.
Well
,
to
cut
a
long
story
short
,
he
swore
it
was
a
counter
,
and
I
swore
it
was
firewood
,
and
so
,
at
length
,
I
give
him
ten
shillings
for
it
,
and
brought
it
home
and
cleaned
it
down
,
and
scraped
the
dirt
,
inch
thick
,
off
,
and
washed
it
,
and
painted
it
,
and
polished
it
,
and
look
at
it
now
,
Mrs.
Gray
,
look
at
it
now
!
"
"
It
's
just
like
mahogany
!
"
enthusiastically
cried
Mary
,
"
ai
n't
it
.
Miss
Gray
?
"
"
Not
quite
,
dear
,
"
mildly
said
Rachel
,
who
was
truth
itself
,
"
but
it
looks
very
nice
.
But
,
Mr.
Jones
,
"
she
added
,
in
a
low
timid
voice
,
"
why
did
you
tell
the
man
it
was
firewood
,
when
you
meant
it
as
a
counter
?
"
Jones
wagged
his
head
,
winked
,
and
touching
his
nose
with
his
right
hand
forefinger
,
he
whispered
knowingly
:
"
That
was
business
,
Miss
Gray
,
and
in
business
,
you
know
—
hem
!
"
"
But
the
Teapot
,
father
,
"
cried
Mary
,
"
where
's
the
Teapot
?
"
"
Why
,
here
's
the
Tea-pot
,
"
exclaimed
Jones
,
suddenly
producing
this
masterpiece
of
art
,
and
holding
it
up
aloft
to
the
gaze
of
the
beholders
.
Such
a
Teapot
had
never
been
seen
before
,
and
,
most
probably
,
will
never
be
seen
again
,
to
the
end
of
time
.
Its
shape
we
will
not
,
because
we
cannot
describe
.
It
confounded
Rachel
,
and
startled
even
Mrs.
Gray
.
She
coughed
,
and
looked
at
it
dubiously
.
"
Where
's
the
lid
?
"
she
said
.
"
Why
,
here
's
the
lid
;
but
it
do
n't
take
off
,
you
know
.
"
"
Oh
!
I
see
.
And
that
's
the
handle
.
"
"
The
handle
!
bless
you
,
Mrs.
Gray
,
it
's
the
spout
.
"
"
Well
,
but
where
's
the
handle
,
then
?
"
"
Why
,
here
's
the
handle
,
to
be
sure
,
"
replied
Jones
,
rather
nettled
,
"
do
n't
you
see
?
"
Mrs.
Gray
said
she
did
;
but
we
are
inclined
to
believe
she
did
not
.
However
,
Jones
was
satisfied
;
and
,
setting
down
the
wooden
Teapot
—
we
forgot
to
say
that
it
was
flaming
red
—
on
the
counter
,
he
surveyed
it
complacently
.
"
I
spent
a
week
on
that
Teapot
,
"
he
said
"
did
n't
I
,
Mary
?
"
"
Ten
days
,
father
.
"
"
Well
,
one
must
not
grudge
time
or
trouble
,
must
one
,
Mrs.
Gray
?
And
now
,
ladies
,
we
'll
put
away
the
Teapot
,
and
step
into
the
parlour
,
and
have
a
cup
of
tea
,
eh
?
"
With
the
cup
of
tea
,
came
a
discussion
of
the
morrow
's
prospects
,
and
of
the
ultimate
destinies
of
the
Teapot
—
the
upshot
of
which
was
,
that
Mr.
Jones
was
an
enterprising
public
man
,
and
destined
to
effect
a
salutary
revolution
in
the
whole
neighbourhood
.
Such
,
at
least
,
was
the
opinion
of
Mrs.
Gray
,
warmly
supported
by
Mary
.
Mr.
Jones
was
silent
,
through
modesty
;
Rachel
,
because
she
was
already
thinking
of
other
things
.
They
parted
late
,
though
the
Teapot
was
to
open
early
.
There
is
a
report
that
it
opened
with
dawn
,
Mr.
Jones
not
having
been
able
to
shut
his
eyes
all
night
for
excitement
.
But
it
is
more
important
to
record
that
,
until
its
close
,
late
on
the
following
evening
,
the
Teapot
was
not
one
moment
empty
.
Mary
had
remained
at
home
,
to
assist
her
father
;
and
she
went
through
the
day
with
perfect
composure
;
but
Mr.
Jones
was
fairly
overpowered
:
the
cup
of
his
honours
was
too
full
;
the
sum
of
his
joy
was
too
great
.
He
blundered
,
he
stammered
,
he
was
excited
,
and
looked
foolish
.
Altogether
,
he
did
not
feel
happy
,
until
the
shop
was
shut
,
and
all
was
fairly
over
.
He
then
sat
down
,
wiped
his
forehead
,
and
declared
,
that
since
he
was
married
to
his
dear
little
Mary
's
blessed
mother
,
he
had
never
gone
through
such
a
trying
day
—
never
.
"
It
's
a
fine
thing
Mr.
Jones
has
undertaken
,
"
gravely
observed
Mrs.
Gray
to
Mrs.
Brown
.
But
Mrs.
Brown
was
inclined
to
look
at
the
shady
side
of
the
Tea-pot
.
"
La
bless
you
!
"
she
kindly
said
,
"
it
'll
never
do
.
I
said
so
from
the
first
,
and
I
say
so
the
last
,
it
'll
never
do
!
"
"
Oh
,
yes
it
will
!
"
grimly
observed
Jane
;
"
it
will
do
for
Mr.
Jones
,
Mrs.
Brown
.
"
"
I
hope
not
,
Jane
,
"
said
Rachel
,
gravely
;
"
and
I
would
rather
,
"
she
added
,
with
some
firmness
,
and
venturing
for
once
on
a
reproof
,
"
I
would
rather
you
did
not
think
so
much
of
what
evil
may
happen
to
others
.
Sufficient
to
any
of
us
is
it
to
look
forward
to
our
own
share
of
evil
days
.
"
She
raised
her
voice
as
she
began
;
but
it
sank
low
ere
she
concluded
.
Surprised
at
herself
for
having
said
so
much
,
she
did
not
look
round
,
but
resumed
her
work
,
a
moment
interrupted
.
The
room
remained
deeply
silent
Jane
was
crimson
.
For
once
,
Mrs.
Gray
thought
her
daughter
had
spoken
sensibly
;
and
for
once
,
Mrs.
Brown
found
nothing
to
say
.
CHAPTER
X
.
A
week
had
passed
over
the
Teapot
,
and
,
sitting
in
the
back-parlour
with
Mary
,
who
was
busy
sewing
,
Richard
Jones
dived
deep
into
his
books
,
and
cast
up
his
accounts
.
He
allowed
for
rent
,
for
expenditure
,
for
household
,
for
extras
,
then
his
face
,
brimful
of
ill-disguised
exultation
,
he
said
to
his
daughter
:
"
Well
,
Mary
,
dear
,
'
taint
much
to
boast
of
,
but
for
a
first
week
,
you
see
,
'
taint
amiss
,
either
.
I
find
,
all
expenses
covered
,
one
pound
ten
net
profit
.
Now
,
you
know
,
that
makes
,
first
,
fifty-two
pound
a-year
;
then
half
of
fifty-two
,
twenty-six
;
add
twenty-six
to
fifty-two
,
seventy-eight
—
seventy-eight
pound
a-year
,
net-profit
.
Well
,
it
stands
to
reason
and
common
sense
,
that
as
I
go
on
,
my
business
will
go
on
improving
too
;
in
short
,
put
it
at
the
lowest
—
I
hate
exaggeration
—
well
put
it
at
the
lowest
,
and
I
may
say
that
by
next
Michaelmas
,
we
shall
have
a
neat
hundred
.
"
"
Law
!
father
,
ca
n't
you
say
a
hundred
and
fifty
at
once
,
"
peevishly
interrupted
Mary
.
Mary
's
will
was
law
.
"
Well
,
I
really
think
I
can
say
a
hundred
and
fifty
,
"
ingenuously
replied
Richard
Jones
,
"
now
,
with
a
hundred
and
fifty
pound
for
the
first
year
,
and
just
five
per
cent
,
as
increase
of
profit
for
the
second
.
"
"
I
'm
sure
it
'll
be
ten
per
cent
,
"
again
interrupted
Mary
,
who
,
from
hearing
her
father
,
had
caught
up
some
of
the
money
terms
of
this
money-making
world
.
"
Well
,
I
should
not
wonder
if
it
would
not
,
"
replied
her
docile
papa
.
"
We
'll
suppose
it
,
at
least
;
well
that
'd
be
fifteen
pound
to
add
to
the
hundred
and
fifty
,
or
,
rather
,
to
the
three
hundred
,
and
then
for
the
next
year
it
would
be
—
let
me
see
!
Ah
!
"
and
he
scratched
his
head
.
"
I
think
I
am
getting
into
what
they
call
compound
interest
,
and
,
to
say
the
truth
,
I
never
was
a
very
quick
arithmetician
.
At
all
events
,
it
is
pretty
clear
that
at
the
end
of
ten
years
,
we
shall
stand
at
the
head
of
something
like
fifteen
hundred
pound
,
and
a
flourishing
house
of
business
,
"
he
added
,
glancing
towards
the
shop
—
"
a
flourishing
house
of
business
,
"
he
continued
,
complacently
passing
his
Angers
through
his
hair
.
Awhile
he
mused
,
then
suddenly
he
observed
:
"
Mary
,
my
dear
,
had
n't
you
better
go
to
bed
?
"
Mary
now
slept
at
home
.
"
You
have
to
get
up
early
,
you
know
.
"
"
Yes
;
but
I
ai
n't
going
to
,
"
she
tartly
replied
.
"
It
gives
me
a
pain
in
my
side
,
"
she
added
.
"
Then
you
shall
not
get
up
early
,
"
authoritatively
said
Mr.
Jones
.
"
I
'll
not
allow
my
daughter
to
work
herself
to
death
for
no
Miss
Grays
.
"
"
I
do
n't
think
I
shall
go
at
all
to-morrow
,
"
composedly
resumed
Mary
.
"
I
do
n't
like
dress-making
—
it
do
n't
agree
with
me
.
"
Mr.
Jones
had
at
first
looked
startled
,
but
this
settled
the
question
.
"
If
dress-making
do
n't
agree
with
you
,
not
another
stitch
shall
you
put
in
,
"
he
said
,
half
angrily
.
"
I
think
myself
you
do
n't
look
half
so
well
as
you
used
to
,
and
though
Miss
Gray
is
as
nice
a
person
as
one
need
wish
to
meet
,
I
think
she
might
have
perceived
it
before
this
;
but
interest
blinds
us
all
—
every
one
of
us
,
"
he
added
,
with
a
philosophic
sigh
over
the
weaknesses
of
humanity
.
"
I
know
what
Jane
will
be
sure
to
say
,
"
observed
Mary
;
"
but
I
do
n't
care
.
"
"
I
should
think
not
!
Law
!
bless
you
,
child
,
I
have
got
quite
beyond
troubling
my
poor
brains
with
what
other
people
thinks
;
and
if
I
choose
to
keep
my
daughter
at
home
now
that
I
can
afford
to
do
so
,
why
should
n't
I
?
It
's
a
hard
case
,
if
,
when
a
man
's
well
off
and
comfortable
,
and
getting
on
better
and
better
every
day
—
it
's
a
hard
case
,
indeed
,
if
he
ca
n't
keep
his
only
child
with
him
.
"
This
matter
decided
,
Mary
went
up
to
her
room
;
her
father
remained
by
the
fireside
,
looking
at
the
glowing
coals
,
and
dreaming
to
his
heart
's
content
.
"
If
I
go
on
prospering
so
,
"
he
thought
,
"
why
should
I
not
take
—
in
time
,
of
course
—
some
smart
young
fellow
to
help
me
in
the
shop
?
It
stands
to
reason
that
customers
like
to
be
served
quickly
.
Law
,
bless
you
!
they
hate
waiting
,
"
he
added
,
thoughtfully
,
addressing
the
fire
,
and
giving
it
a
poke
,
by
way
of
comment
,
"
the
ladies
always
hate
it
.
But
,
as
I
was
saying
,
why
should
n't
I
take
some
smart
young
man
,
and
he
,
of
course
—
why
,
I
know
what
he
'd
do
—
why
,
he
'd
fall
in
love
with
Mary
,
of
course
—
and
why
should
n't
he
?
"
inquired
Jones
,
warming
with
his
subject
"
Was
I
not
a
poor
fellow
once
,
and
did
I
not
marry
my
master
's
daughter
?
"
Mr.
Jones
gave
the
fire
another
poke
.
In
the
burning
coals
he
saw
a
pleasing
vision
rise
.
He
saw
his
shop
full
of
customers
;
he
served
with
slow
dignity
,
assisted
by
a
"
tight
,
brisk
young
fellow
,
"
busy
as
a
bee
,
active
as
a
deer
,
for
it
was
Saturday
night
,
and
the
fair
maids
and
matrons
of
the
vicinity
were
all
impatient
.
Then
from
Saturday
it
was
Sunday
;
the
shop
was
closed
,
the
street
was
silent
.
Young
Thomson
was
brushing
his
coat
in
the
yard
and
whistling
;
Mary
was
upstairs
dressing
;
another
five
minutes
,
and
she
comes
down
in
straw
bonnet
lined
with
pink
,
clean
printed
muslin
frock
,
mousseline-de-laine
shawl
,
brown
boots
and
blue
parasol
.
The
happy
father
saw
them
going
off
together
with
delighted
eyes
and
brimful
heart
Then
other
visions
follow
;
one
of
a
wedding
breakfast
at
which
Mr.
Jones
sings
a
song
,
and
another
of
half
a
dozen
grandchildren
,
all
tugging
at
his
skirts
,
whilst
he
solemnly
rocks
the
baby
,
and
as
solemnly
informs
the
infant
:
"
that
he
had
done
as
much
for
its
mother
once
.
"
Peace
be
with
such
dreams
whenever
they
come
to
the
poor
man
's
hearth
!
A
little
surprised
at
not
seeing
Mary
as
usual
on
the
following
morning
,
and
thinking
she
might
be
unwell
,
Rachel
Gray
sent
Jane
to
enquire
.
Jane
soon
returned
,
her
face
brimful
of
news
.
"
Well
,
"
said
Rachel
,
"
how
is
Mary
?
"
"
Law
bless
you
Miss
,
Mary
's
well
enough
.
"
"
Why
did
she
not
come
then
?
"
"
She
does
not
like
dress-making
no
more
.
"
And
Jane
sat
down
,
and
took
up
her
work
,
and
became
deeply
absorbed
in
a
sleeve
trimming
.
Rachel
reddened
and
looked
pained
.
She
liked
Mary
;
the
pale
,
sickly
child
reminded
her
strongly
of
her
own
lost
sister
,
and
though
she
could
allow
for
the
natural
tartness
with
which
Jane
had
no
doubt
fulfilled
her
errand
,
yet
she
knew
that
Jane
was
true
,
and
that
as
she
represented
it
,
the
matter
must
be
.
For
a
while
she
suspended
her
work
,
sadly
wondering
at
the
causeless
ingratitude
of
a
child
whom
she
had
treated
with
uniform
kindness
and
indulgence
,
then
she
tried
to
dismiss
the
matter
from
her
