ofnearly
the
whole
neighbourhood
,
Edward
Armstrong
was
appointed
to
pay
his
first
visit
to
Millford
Park
.
During
her
almost
daily
visits
to
his
mother
,
she
had
remarked
that
,
though
he
uttered
not
a
word
in
contradiction
of
the
reasonings
,
by
which
she
sought
to
show
the
improbability
that
any
mischief
could
have
befallen
Michael
,
his
speaking
features
expressed
no
confidence
in
them
,
and
wishing
upon
this
day
of
general
riding
and
driving
,
to
remain
within
her
own
gates
,
she
determined
to
take
the
opportunity
of
conversing
with
him
alone
.
She
was
by
herself
in
her
pretty
boudoir
when
he
arrived
,
and
perceiving
that
his
pale
face
was
flushed
by
heat
and
exercise
,
she
made
him
sit
down
on
the
sofa
,
beside
her
.
There
was
something
singularly
sad
in
the
utter
indifference
with
which
his
young
eye
wandered
over
all
the
striking
and
unwonted
objects
that
surrounded
him
.
When
bad
to
sit
beside
the
young
lady
on
her
silken
couch
,
he
obeyed
without
seeming
at
all
conscious
that
the
rest
he
needed
was
now
afforded
in
more
dainty
style
than
usual
,
and
all
the
intelligence
of
his
soul
seemed
settled
in
his
eyes
as
he
looked
into
the
face
of
Miss
Brotherton
,
and
faintly
murmured
—
"
Is
there
any
news
of
him
?
"
"
No
,
Edward
,
there
is
not
,
"
replied
Marry
,
firmly
;
"
but
surely
,
my
dear
boy
,
this
delay
cannot
justify
the
look
of
misery
it
produces
on
your
countenance
.
Tell
me
,
Edward
,
what
is
it
that
you
fear
for
Michael
!
"
"
I
do
not
know
myself
,
"
replied
the
boy
.
"
And
yet
I
think
it
over
in
my
head
day
and
night
only
to
find
out
what
is
the
very
worst
possible
they
can
do
to
him
.
"
"
But
is
that
wise
,
Edward
,
or
is
it
right
,
think
you
,
while
your
poor
mother
has
only
you
left
to
comfort
her
,
that
you
should
only
strive
to
fill
your
own
head
and
hers
with
the
very
worst
thoughts
your
fancy
can
conjure
up
?
"
"
I
do
not
fill
mother
's
head
with
them
,
"
replied
Edward
.
"
I
have
never
told
her
one
single
word
of
all
my
dismal
thoughts
.
"
"
Then
you
are
a
good
boy
,
and
I
love
you
for
it
.
But
what
are
your
dismal
thoughts
,
Edward
?
You
may
tell
them
to
me
.
"
The
boy
hesitated
for
a
moment
,
and
then
said
—
"
I
think
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
is
a
wicked
,
cruel
man
;
and
I
think
that
he
would
be
more
likely
to
be
wicked
and
cruel
to
Michael
than
good
to
him
.
"
"
What
is
it
has
made
you
think
Sir
Matthew
cruel
and
wicked
,
Edward
?
"
demanded
Miss
Brotherton
.
"
Because
he
is
hard
and
unjust
to
those
who
labour
for
him
—
and
because
I
have
seen
him
laugh
and
make
sport
of
the
tears
of
little
children
.
"
There
was
something
in
the
accents
of
the
boy
that
startled
Mary
.
—
She
felt
inclined
to
exclaim
—
"
How
much
more
older
art
thou
than
thy
looks
!
"
so
thrilling
was
the
tone
,
and
so
profound
the
feeling
with
which
he
spoke
.
"
Yet
still
,
"
she
replied
,
"
it
is
difficult
to
see
that
he
could
gain
any
advantage
by
ill-using
Michael
in
any
way
bad
enough
to
make
you
look
so
miserable
,
Edward
.
"
"
If
he
keeps
him
from
me
is
not
that
enough
?
"
said
the
pale
boy
,
looking
reproachfully
at
her
.
"
But
,
Edward
,
you
knew
that
he
was
going
to
leave
you
;
and
your
mother
,
at
least
,
consented
to
it
.
"
"
Yes
,
she
did
consent
to
it
.
Poor
,
dear
mother
!
She
did
consent
to
it
.
But
had
I
been
true
,
as
I
ought
to
have
been
,
she
never
would
,
"
said
Edward
,
clasping
his
hands
and
closing
his
eyes
with
a
look
of
intense
suffering
.
"
Explain
yourself
,
my
dear
boy
,
"
said
Mary
,
kindly
.
"
In
what
have
you
been
otherwise
than
true
?
"
"
We
agreed
together
—
poor
Michael
and
me
agreed
together
,
never
to
let
mother
know
how
bad
we
were
served
at
the
mill
—
and
,
above
all
,
we
agreed
that
she
should
never
know
how
miserable
Michael
was
at
the
great
house
,
'
cause
we
was
sure
she
'd
have
him
away
,
and
so
lose
the
bit
of
comfortable
food
she
has
been
having
.
But
it
was
wrong
and
wicked
to
deceive
her
.
We
should
have
told
her
all
,
and
then
Michael
would
have
never
gone
!
"
"
You
acted
for
the
best
,
my
dear
boy
,
and
must
not
reproach
yourself
,
"
replied
Mary
;
"
and
so
far
am
I
from
thinking
it
wrong
to
keep
her
mind
easy
in
her
present
state
of
health
,
that
I
strongly
advise
her
being
still
comforted
as
much
as
possible
by
our
manner
of
talking
to
her
.
Fear
not
,
Edward
,
that
I
shall
neglect
the
safety
of
Michael
,
because
you
will
not
hear
me
talk
of
his
being
in
any
danger
.
I
will
not
rest
till
I
know
what
has
become
of
him
.
"
Mary
said
this
in
a
tone
that
left
no
doubt
of
her
sincerity
;
and
it
was
then
for
the
first
time
that
Edward
seemed
to
remember
her
greatness
.
He
stood
up
before
her
with
a
look
of
tender
reverence
inexpressibly
touching
,
and
said
solemnly
—
"
Then
God
will
bless
you
for
it
!
"
"
And
he
will
bless
you
,
my
dear
child
!
"
replied
Mary
,
with
tears
starting
to
her
eyes
.
"
He
will
bless
and
comfort
you
for
all
your
duty
and
affection
.
Keep
up
your
spirits
,
Edward
,
and
,
above
all
things
,
never
be
idle
.
It
is
for
your
mother
's
sake
as
well
as
your
own
that
I
am
so
anxious
you
should
learn
to
read
and
write
,
dear
Edward
—
and
by
degrees
we
shall
get
you
on
to
ciphering
,
and
who
knows
but
we
may
make
a
clerk
or
accountant
of
you
,
and
so
enable
you
to
get
money
,
even
if
your
health
is
not
very
good
.
"
The
boy
smiled
languidly
as
he
replied
,
"
I
should
like
it
very
much
,
if
I
was
to
live
long
enough
.
"
"
You
will
get
stout
and
well
,
Edward
,
"
said
Mary
,
cheerfully
,
"
now
that
you
have
no
hard
work
to
do
.
And
you
shall
come
up
to
the
same
school
that
all
my
boys
and
girls
go
to
here
—
and
when
school
is
over
,
you
must
come
every
day
to
my
kitchen
with
a
little
basket
for
your
mother
.
You
understand
,
Edward
?
And
once
every
week
you
must
come
up
into
this
room
to
me
with
your
books
,
that
I
may
see
your
writing
and
hear
you
read
a
little
.
"
A
gleam
of
hope
and
joy
kindled
in
the
boy
's
beautiful
eyes
as
he
listened
to
her
,
and
a
bright
blush
mantled
his
pale
cheeks
;
but
it
was
like
the
flitting
sunshine
of
April
chased
by
a
heavy
cloud
almost
before
its
warmth
could
be
felt
or
its
beauty
seen
.
"
Oh
!
if
Michael
could
but
hear
that
!
"
he
exclaimed
,
while
tears
,
for
the
first
since
the
conversation
began
,
burst
from
his
eyes
.
"
That
was
what
poor
Michael
always
wanted
.
If
I
could
but
learn
,
and
so
get
my
bread
without
mill-slavery
,
Mike
always
said
he
would
not
mind
working
himself
,
'
cause
he
was
so
strong
.
But
now
that
very
thing
is
come
;
and
he
,
maybe
,
will
never
know
it
!
"
Heavy
and
fast
the
drops
fell
from
beneath
the
hand
which
he
had
raised
to
conceal
his
face
,
till
Mary
,
as
she
watched
him
,
wept
for
company
.
This
,
however
,
was
not
the
way
to
help
him
,
and
conquering
a
weakness
so
every
way
unwise
,
she
spoke
to
him
with
affectionate
but
steady
firmness
of
the
exertion
it
was
his
duty
to
make
at
time
when
his
mother
had
none
but
him
to
comfort
her
.
She
had
touched
the
right
string
—
the
little
fellow
's
nerves
seemed
braced
,
and
every
faculty
awakened
by
the
words
she
uttered
;
and
if
he
took
back
to
his
mother
no
tidings
of
poor
Michael
,
he
brought
to
her
support
a
young
spirit
strong
in
endurance
,
and
an
intellect
that
,
for
the
first
time
,
had
whispered
to
its
owner
hopes
,
promises
,
and
aspirations
,
which
seemed
to
make
the
life
he
had
often
loathed
a
new-found
treasure
to
him
.
Mary
saw
not
all
that
passed
in
the
young
mind
she
had
rescued
from
the
listless
langour
of
despair
,
yet
she
perceived
enough
to
satisfy
her
that
she
had
done
him
good
,
and
that
,
however
vain
her
hopes
of
benefiting
the
miserable
Drakes
might
be
,
there
could
be
no
doubt
that
,
in
this
case
at
least
,
her
efforts
would
not
prove
wholly
abortive
.
It
is
wonderful
what
an
energy
and
renewed
impetus
this
conviction
gave
to
her
spirits
!
No
mildew
can
blast
more
surely
,
or
bring
a
more
lamentable
feeling
of
withering
over
the
heart
,
than
that
caused
by
the
cold
and
false
philosophy
which
would
check
every
effort
to
do
good
,
lest
,
by
possibility
,
success
might
not
attend
it
.
The
remainder
of
this
day
was
by
no
means
spent
unhappily
by
the
warm-hearted
little
heiress
.
The
schoolmistress
was
made
to
expect
Edward
on
the
morrow
—
and
the
cook
was
made
to
expect
Edward
on
the
morrow
.
One
Mercury
was
despatched
to
the
town
for
a
choice
collection
of
slates
,
copies
,
spelling-books
,
and
the
like
,
and
another
to
Mary
's
tailor
in
ordinary
,
with
instructions
to
call
on
the
widow
Armstrong
,
and
take
measure
of
her
son
.
All
this
business
,
and
a
good
deal
more
tending
the
same
way
,
having
been
satisfactorily
got
through
in
the
course
of
the
day
that
kept
all
the
Ashleigh
world
safely
entangled
in
the
thickets
of
Blackberry
wood
,
Mary
Brotherton
lay
down
to
rest
,
and
slept
exceedingly
well
,
though
not
urged
thereto
by
having
shared
in
their
pleasant
fatigues
.
She
rose
the
next
morning
with
a
sort
of
pleasant
consciousness
of
increasing
power
to
walk
alone
in
this
busy
world
,
and
gaily
announced
at
breakfast
to
Mrs.
Tremlett
her
purpose
of
immediately
making
a
visit
of
speculation
to
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
in
order
to
ascertain
if
any
gossip
was
yet
afloat
respecting
the
disappearance
of
Sir
Matthew
Dowling
's
far-famed
protegé
.
The
distance
from
Miss
Brotherton
's
mansion
to
Mrs.
Gabberly
's
cottage
was
not
great
,
and
the
heiress
traversed
it
without
having
any
fear
of
officers
before
her
eyes
,
or
any
other
protection
than
her
parsol
.
She
was
,
of
course
,
received
with
expressions
of
unmitigated
astonishment
at
her
absence
from
the
gala
of
the
preceding
day
.
"
What
on
earth
,
my
dear
child
,
could
have
kept
you
away
?
"
said
the
animated
lady
.
"
Perhaps
I
was
afraid
of
taking
cold
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
.
Mrs.
Tremlett
took
care
I
should
remember
how
short
the
days
are
growing
.
"
"
Mrs.
Tremlett
!
—
Nonsense
!
—
Well
now
,
I
can
tell
you
that
you
just
lost
the
most
delightful
day
that
any
body
ever
had
.
Such
a
dinner
!
—
Game
of
all
kinds
—
almost
all
in
savoury
jelly
too
!
Think
of
that
!
So
wholesome
,
you
know
,
with
the
spice
;
and
eating
it
in
the
open
air
,
and
all
.
Depend
upon
it
,
my
dear
Miss
Brotherton
,
that
if
you
suffer
yourself
to
be
boxed
up
by
that
ignorant
old
woman
,
you
will
very
soon
lose
your
health
altogether
.
And
do
you
know
I
ca
n't
help
thinking
that
you
do
look
rather
feverish
to-day
—
your
eyes
have
that
sort
of
brightness
.
I
wish
to
goodness
you
would
let
me
feel
your
pulse
.
"
"
Nothing
will
do
my
pulse
so
much
good
,
my
dear
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
as
your
telling
me
all
the
news
you
heard
yesterday
,
"
said
the
young
lady
,
good-humouredly
shaking
the
hand
that
was
extended
to
ascertain
her
state
of
health
.
"
Well
now
,
my
dear
,
I
am
sure
I
have
no
objection
in
the
world
to
tell
you
,
and
certainly
one
does
pick
up
a
vast
deal
of
information
at
such
a
party
as
that
.
Will
you
believe
it
?
two
of
the
Simmonses
are
going
to
be
married
.
"
"
Really
!
That
's
very
good
news
,
I
suppose
.
Had
you
a
great
many
people
there
?
"
"
Oh
!
Every
body
,
just
every
body
,
but
your
own
dear
self
;
and
I
can
truly
say
that
if
you
had
been
there
,
it
would
have
been
quite
perfect
!
"
"
You
are
very
kind
;
but
a
person
so
very
much
afraid
of
taking
cold
,
is
always
troublesome
on
these
al
fresco
occasions
.
Lady
Clarissa
was
there
of
course
?
"
"
Of
course
,
my
dear
.
And
such
a
flirtation
with
Sir
Matthew
!
God
knows
,
I
ai
n't
over
strict
in
any
way
:
I
despise
it
,
because
it
shows
such
ignorance
of
life
and
good
society
.
But
I
must
say
,
I
do
think
they
carry
the
thing
a
little
too
far
.
Of
course
,
a
lady
of
rank
and
title
like
Lady
Clarissa
,
is
not
to
be
judged
altogether
like
common
people
.
I
am
quite
aware
of
that
,
and
nothing
can
be
more
thoroughly
vulgar
than
forgetting
this
.
And
I
certainly
have
lived
too
much
in
really
first-rate
good
society
,
not
to
know
it
.
But
,
nevertheless
,
you
know
,
there
is
reason
in
roasting
eggs
,
and
even
an
earl
's
daughter
may
get
talked
of
.
"
"
Was
Lady
Dowling
in
presence
?
"
inquired
Miss
Brotherton
,
smiling
.
"
No
,
my
dear
,
thank
God
she
was
not
,
or
we
should
have
had
sour
looks
with
our
sweetmeats
,
I
can
tell
you
.
"
"
Did
Sir
Matthew
bring
his
little
favourite
with
him
?
The
little
boy
he
has
adopted
you
know
?
"
"
Oh
!
dear
,
have
n't
you
heard
all
that
yet
?
Well
now
,
upon
my
word
,
Mary
Brotherton
,
it
will
not
do
,
your
shutting
yourself
up
in
this
way
.
Catching
cold
,
indeed
!
As
if
I
,
the
daughter
of
my
own
poor
dear
father
,
was
n't
likely
to
know
more
than
Mrs.
Tremlett
about
catching
cold
!
Why
,
my
dear
,
the
little
boy
has
been
sent
away
I
do
n't
know
how
long
,
with
a
monstrous
premium
,
paid
by
Sir
Matthew
,
to
get
him
entered
at
one
of
the
first
commercial
houses
in
Europe
.
Dr.
Crockley
was
exceedingly
agreeable
and
attentive
to
me
all
day
yesterday
.
And
,
indeed
,
so
he
was
,
I
must
say
,
to
every
body
.
We
do
sometimes
differ
about
spinal
complaints
,
and
I
think
he
is
a
great
deal
too
speculative
.
But
it
is
impossible
to
deny
that
he
can
be
very
agreeable
when
he
chooses
it
,
and
it
was
he
that
told
me
all
about
this
last
noble
act
of
Sir
Matthew
.
To
be
sure
he
is
an
honour
to
the
country
if
ever
there
was
one
,
Sir
Matthew
,
I
mean
.
It
is
such
men
as
that
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
that
brings
wealth
and
prosperity
to
our
glorious
country
.
To
think
only
of
the
hands
he
employs
!
Fifteen
hundred
children
taking
all
his
mills
together
,
he
told
us
yesterday
,
besides
several
women
and
men
.
Oh
!
it
is
glorious
to
be
sure
!
However
,
Dr.
Crockley
did
just
whisper
to
me
,
but
I
do
n't
believe
he
meant
it
should
go
much
farther
,
he
did
certainly
hint
,
that
poor
cross
Lady
Dowling
,
did
not
like
to
have
the
little
fellow
in
the
house
,
and
that
was
one
reason
why
good
Sir
Matthew
was
in
such
a
hurry
to
place
him
.
"
"
Did
you
happen
to
hear
to
what
part
of
the
country
the
boy
had
been
sent
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
?
"
"
Why
,
no
!
my
dear
,
I
ca
n't
say
I
did
.
But
that
makes
no
difference
you
know
.
Every
body
is
aware
that
it
is
a
noble
situation
for
him
,
and
that
's
the
main
point
of
course
.
"
"
Oh
!
certainly
.
I
only
asked
from
idle
curiosity
.
And
I
suppose
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
that
it
is
because
I
am
so
idle
,
that
I
do
often
feel
curious
about
things
that
nobody
else
seems
to
care
about
.
Do
you
know
I
am
dying
to
get
into
a
factory
,
and
see
all
these
dear
little
children
at
work
.
It
must
be
so
pretty
to
see
them
all
looking
so
proud
and
so
happy
,
and
all
enjoying
themselves
so
much
!
I
really
must
get
a
peep
at
it
,
"
said
Miss
Brotherton
.
"
Law
!
my
dear
!
What
a
very
queer
notion
,
"
replied
Mrs.
Gabberly
.
"
Perhaps
it
is
,
"
said
Mary
smiling
,
"
as
nobody
else
in
the
whole
neighbourhood
ever
talks
about
it
;
but
if
I
have
such
a
fancy
,
there
can
be
no
reason
why
I
should
not
indulge
it
,
can
there
?
"
"
Why
,
good
gracious
,
my
dear
child
!
only
think
of
the
dirt
!
You
would
be
downright
poisoned
,
Mary
.
"
"
Poisoned
?
How
can
that
be
,
dear
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
when
every
body
agrees
that
it
is
such
a
blessing
to
the
country
,
to
have
brought
such
multitudes
of
children
to
work
together
in
these
factories
?
"
"
Nonsense
,
my
dear
!
"
replied
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
knitting
her
brows
.
"
This
is
some
of
Mrs.
Tremlett
's
vulgar
ignorance
,
I
am
very
sure
.
How
can
a
girl
of
your
good
understanding
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
speak
as
if
what
was
good
and
proper
for
the
working
classes
,
had
any
thing
to
do
with
such
as
you
.
Fie
!
my
dear
!
Pray
never
let
any
body
in
the
neighbourhood
hear
you
talk
in
this
strange
wild
way
,
I
do
assure
you
,
that
there
is
nothing
that
would
do
you
so
much
injury
in
the
opinion
of
all
the
first
families
hereabouts
.
And
nobody
knows
this
neighbourhood
better
than
I
do
.
"
"
I
am
quite
aware
of
that
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
"
said
the
young
lady
very
respectfully
,
"
and
that
is
one
reason
why
I
wish
to
talk
to
you
about
this
notion
of
mine
.
Is
it
really
true
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
that
none
of
the
ladies
in
the
neighbourhood
ever
go
into
the
factories
?
"
"
To
be
sure
it
is
.
Why
should
they
go
,
for
goodness
sake
?
"
"
Oh
!
I
do
n't
know
exactly
.
—
But
I
cannot
see
why
they
should
not
—
if
they
wish
it
,
"
replied
Miss
Brotherton
,
modestly
.
"
Well
now
,
but
I
do
,
my
dear
.
And
I
do
beg
and
entreat
that
you
wo
n't
talk
any
more
about
it
.
I
am
quite
sure
,
Mary
,
that
somebody
or
other
has
been
talking
nonsense
to
you
,
about
all
this
.
If
you
had
got
any
friends
or
connexions
towards
Fairly
now
,
I
should
think
they
had
been
telling
you
all
the
romantic
stuff
that
has
been
hatching
there
about
factory
children
,
and
God
knows
what
beside
.
But
I
do
n't
believe
you
have
ever
gone
visiting
that
way
,
have
you
,
my
dear
?
"
"
And
who
is
there
at
Fairly
,
dear
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
who
would
be
likely
to
talk
to
me
on
such
a
subject
?
"
said
Marry
,
colouring
to
the
temples
,
with
eagerness
to
hear
the
answer
.
"
Good
gracious
!
my
dear
,
did
you
never
hear
tell
of
that
poor
wrong-headed
clergyman
,
George
Bell
?
Such
a
difference
to
be
sure
between
one
man
and
another
.
My
dear
good
Mr.
Gabberly
never
in
his
life
breathed
a
word
that
could
hurt
the
feelings
of
his
neighbours
.
He
visited
them
every
one
,
and
was
on
the
best
and
most
friendly
terms
with
them
all
,
which
is
what
I
call
living
in
the
true
spirit
of
Christian
charity
.
Whereas
this
tiresome
,
troublesome
,
Mr.
Bell
,
has
taken
it
into
his
head
to
find
out
wrong
,
where
every
body
else
sees
nothing
but
right
;
and
God
forbid
,
my
dear
,
that
you
should
take
it
into
your
dear
innocent
head
to
follow
any
of
his
mischievous
fancies
;
I
wonder
what
he
'll
get
by
it
?
Great
goose
he
must
be
,
to
be
sure
,
not
to
see
that
he
is
going
exactly
the
way
to
set
every
body
that
can
be
of
the
least
use
to
him
smack
against
him
in
all
things
!
"
"
What
is
it
he
does
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
that
is
so
very
wrong
?
"
demanded
Miss
Brotherton
.
"
What
is
it
he
does
?
Why
just
every
thing
he
ought
not
to
do
,
my
dear
,
that
's
all
.
You
would
hardly
believe
,
perhaps
,
that
a
clergyman
should
actually
encourage
the
poor
to
complain
of
the
very
labour
by
which
they
live
?
And
yet
I
give
you
my
word
and
honour
that
is
exactly
what
he
has
been
doing
.
It
's
incredible
,
is
n't
it
,
almost
?
He
positively
says
,
loud
enough
for
all
the
country
to
hear
him
,
that
the
labour
in
the
factories
—
such
a
blessing
as
it
is
to
the
poor
—
he
actually
says
that
it
is
bad
for
the
children
's
health
.
Such
stuff
,
you
know
,
my
dear
,
as
if
the
medical
men
did
not
know
best
;
and
there
's
numbers
of
'
em
that
declare
that
it
's
quite
impossible
to
tell
in
any
way
satisfactory
that
it
can
do
'
em
any
harm
at
all
.
And
,
upon
my
word
,
I
do
n't
know
what
poor
people
will
come
to
!
It
's
quite
out
of
the
question
to
attempt
pleasing
'
em
.
If
they
've
got
no
work
they
are
perfectly
outrageous
about
that
,
and
ready
to
tear
people
to
pieces
just
to
get
it
;
and
no
sooner
is
there
enough
to
do
,
than
away
they
go
bawling
again
,
swearing
that
the
children
are
over-worked
;
is
n't
it
provoking
my
dear
?
"
"
Mr.
George
Bell
,
"
said
Mary
,
very
distinctly
.
"
Yes
,
my
dear
,
that
's
the
name
of
the
foolish
man
who
seems
to
take
a
pleasure
in
making
people
fancy
they
are
not
well
enough
off
,
when
I
'm
sure
,
by
all
I
can
hear
and
understand
,
these
very
identical
people
may
consider
themselves
first
and
foremost
of
the
whole
world
for
prosperity
,
"
replied
Mrs.
Gabberly
.
"
Fairly
?
"
rejoined
Miss
Brotherton
,
interrogatively
.
"
Yes
my
dear
,
Farily
's
where
he
lives
,
if
I
do
n't
mistake
.
"
"
Good
morning
,
Mrs.
Gabberly
,
"
said
the
young
lady
,
rising
somewhat
abruptly
;
"
I
am
very
glad
you
had
such
a
pleasant
day
yesterday
.
Good
bye
.
"
And
without
permitting
the
stream
of
Mrs.
Gabberly
's
eloquence
to
well
forth
upon
her
afresh
,
the
heiress
slipped
through
the
parlour
door
,
and
escaped
.
CHAPTER
XIX
.
A
VOYAGE
OF
DISCOVERY
—
A
PLAIN
STATEMENT
,
LEADING
TO
THE
CONVICTION
THAT
EVEN
WHERE
IGNORANCE
IS
NOT
BLISS
,
KNOWLEDGE
IS
NOT
ALWAYS
HAPPINESS
—
A
HASTY
FRIENDSHIP
THAT
MAY
NEVERTHELESS
PROVE
LASTING
.
To
order
the
carriage
,
and
to
give
Mrs.
Tremlett
notice
that
she
wished
her
to
make
all
speed
in
preparing
to
accompany
her
in
it
,
was
to
Miss
Brotherton
the
work
of
a
moment
.
As
the
business
she
was
upon
might
,
however
,
take
some
hours
,
she
urged
her
old
friend
to
eat
luncheon
as
if
certain
of
having
no
dinner
;
and
having
given
time
for
this
,
and
interrogated
her
coachman
concerning
distance
and
so
forth
,
the
hopeful
,
animated
girl
,
sprung
into
her
carriage
as
the
clock
struck
two
,
determined
not
o
re-enter
her
mansion
till
she
had
lost
some
portion
of
the
ignorance
which
had
of
late
so
cruelly
tormented
her
.
The
roads
were
good
,
and
by
the
help
of
a
short
bait
,
Miss
Brotherton
and
her
companion
reached
Fairly
turnpike
a
little
after
four
.
Here
she
made
inquiries
for
the
residence
of
Mr.
Bell
,
and
having
learned
in
what
direction
she
should
find
it
,
repeated
the
instructions
to
her
coachman
and
bade
him
drive
on
.
"
Are
the
horses
to
be
put
up
there
,
ma'am
?
"
demanded
the
coachman
.
"
Yes
—
no
,
James
,
not
there
I
suppose
—
that
is
,
not
at
the
clergyman
's
house
;
but
of
course
you
will
be
able
to
find
some
place
quite
near
,
you
know
;
and
William
must
wait
—
no
,
not
wait
,
but
come
back
as
soon
as
he
knows
where
you
put
up
,
that
I
may
send
for
you
when
I
am
ready
.
"
To
these
,
not
over-clear
,
instructions
James
answered
"
Yes
ma'am
,
"
and
drove
off
.
In
obedience
to
the
directions
received
at
the
tollbar
,
the
carriage
soon
left
the
high-road
,
and
proceeded
down
a
grassy
lane
,
which
harvest
carts
for
the
time
and
rolled
into
smoothness
.
Less
than
a
quarter
of
a
mile
of
this
,
brought
the
wanderers
to
another
turning
,
that
in
five
minutes
placed
them
before
the
gates
of
an
edifice
the
aspect
of
which
made
Mary
pull
the
check-string
.
"
That
looks
like
a
parsonage-house
!
Does
it
not
?
"
said
Miss
Brotherton
.
And
before
Mrs.
Tremlett
could
answer
,
William
had
already
opened
the
door
,
and
let
down
the
steps
.
It
was
very
easy
to
get
out
,
and
very
easy
to
inquire
if
Mr.
Bell
were
at
home
;
but
when
answered
in
the
affirmative
,
Miss
Brotherton
felt
that
it
was
not
very
easy
to
decide
in
what
manner
to
explain
the
cause
of
her
visit
to
the
object
of
it
.
She
had
by
no
means
settled
this
point
to
her
satisfaction
,
when
the
door
of
a
small
parlour
,
lined
with
books
,
was
opened
to
her
,
and
she
found
herself
in
the
presence
of
the
gentleman
she
had
so
unceremoniously
come
to
visit
.
There
was
much
in
the
countenance
of
Mr.
Bell
to
reassure
a
more
timid
spirit
than
that
of
Mary
Brotherton
;
nevertheless
she
stood
before
him
for
a
minute
or
two
in
some
embarrassment
,
not
so
much
from
fear
of
him
,
as
of
herself
.
Did
she
fail
to
make
him
at
once
understand
the
motive
of
her
inquiries
,
he
could
not
avoid
thinking
both
them
and
herself
impertinent
,
and
this
consciousness
caused
a
much
brighter
glow
than
usual
to
mantle
her
cheeks
,
as
the
stood
before
him
,
with
her
eyes
fixed
timidly
,
and
almost
beseechingly
,
on
his
face
.
Although
Miss
Brotherton
had
not
quite
the
easy
and
(
tant
soit
peu
)
assured
air
of
a
woman
of
fashion
,
there
was
enough
in
her
appearance
to
indicate
her
claim
to
observance
,
as
well
as
admiration
,
and
Mr.
Bell
opened
the
conversation
by
earnestly
requesting
that
she
would
sit
down
.
His
aspect
had
done
much
towards
giving
her
courage
,
and
his
voice
did
more
.
"
You
are
very
kind
sir
,
"
said
she
,
"
to
receive
so
courteously
a
stranger
,
who
has
in
truth
no
excuse
whatever
to
offer
for
thus
intruding
on
you
.
Nevertheless
,
I
am
greatly
tempted
to
hope
,
that
if
I
can
succeed
in
making
you
understand
the
object
of
my
visit
,
you
will
forgive
the
freedom
of
it
.
"
"
And
I
,
"
returned
Mr.
Bell
,
smiling
,
"
am
greatly
tempted
to
believe
that
let
the
object
of
this
visit
be
what
it
may
,
I
must
always
feel
grateful
to
it
.
Is
there
any
thing
,
my
dear
young
lady
,
that
I
can
do
to
serve
you
?
"
"
There
is
indeed
,
Mr.
Bell
!
"
she
replied
,
with
great
earnestness
of
voice
and
manner
.
"
I
am
come
to
you
for
instruction
.
Though
you
do
not
know
me
,
you
probably
may
know
the
place
at
which
I
live
.
My
name
is
Mary
Brotherton
,
and
my
house
is
called
Millford
Park
.
"
"
Certainly
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
both
your
name
,
and
that
of
your
residence
are
know
to
me
—
on
what
subject
can
I
give
you
any
information
that
may
be
useful
?
"
"
Circumstances
,
Mr.
Bell
,
have
lately
directed
my
attention
to
a
subject
which
my
own
situation
in
life
,
as
well
as
the
neighbourhood
in
which
I
live
ought
to
have
long
ago
made
thoroughly
familiar
to
me
—
such
is
not
the
case
,
however
;
I
am
profoundly
,
and
I
fear
shamefully
ignorant
respecting
the
large
and
very
important
class
of
our
population
employed
in
the
factories
.
I
am
in
possession
of
a
large
fortune
wholly
amassed
from
the
profits
obtained
by
my
father
from
this
species
of
labour
,
and
I
cannot
but
feel
great
interest
in
the
welfare
and
prosperity
of
the
people
employed
in
it
—
especially
as
I
understand
a
very
large
proportion
of
them
are
young
children
—
and
moreover
,
that
from
some
cause
or
other
,
which
I
can
by
no
means
understand
,
the
whole
class
of
'
the
factory
people
,
'
as
I
hear
them
called
,
are
spoken
of
with
less
kindness
and
respect
by
those
who
have
grown
rich
upon
their
industry
,
than
any
other
description
of
human
beings
whatever
.
I
am
told
,
sir
,
that
it
would
be
unsafe
,
improper
,
and
altogether
wrong
were
I
to
attempt
making
myself
personally
acquainted
with
them
,
as
I
would
wish
to
do
—
and
having
accidentally
,
Mr.
Bell
,
heard
your
name
mentioned
as
a
person
who
took
an
interest
in
their
concerns
,
I
have
come
to
you
thus
unceremoniously
,
in
the
hope
that
you
would
have
the
kindness
to
give
me
more
accurate
information
on
the
subject
,
than
I
have
found
it
possible
to
obtain
elsewhere
.
"
Mr.
Bell
,
who
had
placed
himself
immediately
opposite
to
her
,
looked
in
her
young
face
,
and
listened
to
her
earnest
voice
as
she
spoke
,
with
the
deepest
attention
.
It
soon
became
sufficiently
clear
that
he
considered
not
this
intrusion
as
requiring
apology
,
but
that
on
the
contrary
his
very
heart
and
soul
were
moved
by
her
words
.
He
paused
for
a
moment
after
she
had
ceased
speaking
,
as
if
unwilling
to
interrupt
her
by
his
reply
;
but
when
he
found
that
she
remained
silent
,
he
said
,
"
The
subject
on
which
you
are
come
to
converse
with
me
,
my
dear
Miss
Brotherton
,
is
assuredly
the
very
last
I
should
have
expected
to
hear
named
by
a
young
lady
in
your
position
—
for
it
is
one
from
which
the
rich
and
great
of
our
district
turn
away
with
loathing
and
contempt
.
Yet
is
it
the
one
of
all
others
to
which
I
would
if
possible
direct
their
best
attention
,
involving
as
it
does
both
their
interest
and
their
duty
beyond
any
other
.
But
I
fear
I
cannot
enter
upon
it
without
wounding
many
prejudices
which
of
necessity
you
must
have
imbibed
,
and
proving
to
you
that
much
which
doubtless
you
have
been
educated
to
consider
right
,
is
on
the
contrary
most
lamentably
wrong
.
Can
you
bear
this
my
dear
young
lady
?
"
"
I
hope
I
could
,
in
a
search
after
truth
,
Mr.
Bell
,
even
if
my
mind
were
in
the
condition
you
suppose
,
"
replied
Mary
.
"
But
this
is
not
the
case
.
You
will
not
have
to
remove
many
false
impressions
I
think
.
—
It
is
the
total
absence
of
all
knowledge
on
the
subject
,
which
I
am
bold
enough
to
ask
you
to
remedy
.
"
"
And
most
willingly
will
I
endeavour
to
do
so
,
to
the
very
best
of
my
ability
,
"
replied
Mr.
Bell
.
—
"
But
to
me
it
is
a
beguiling
subject
,
and
if
I
detain
you
too
long
,
you
must
tell
me
so
.
"
"
Fear
not
,
"
replied
Mary
,
smiling
.
"
I
shall
be
more
willing
to
hear
,
than
you
to
speak
.
"
"
You
are
of
course
aware
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
"
resumed
the
clergyman
,
"
that
the
large
proportion
of
young
labourers
to
whom
you
have
just
alluded
,
are
calculated
to
amount
,
in
Yorkshire
and
Lancashire
alone
to
upwards
of
two
hundred
thousand
.
"
"
Is
it
possible
?
"
exclaimed
Mary
.
"
Alas
!
Mr.
Bell
you
must
not
think
that
'
of
course
'
I
know
any
thing
—
had
you
named
two
thousand
as
the
number
,
my
surprise
would
have
been
less
.
"
"
But
so
it
is
,
Miss
Brotherton
.
Above
two
hundred
thousand
young
creatures
,
including
infants
among
them
,
counting
only
five
years
of
life
,
are
thus
employed
in
the
counties
I
have
named
;
and
they
surely
form
a
class
,
which
both
from
their
numbers
,
and
their
helplessness
are
entitled
to
English
sympathy
and
protection
?
"
"
Unquestionably
!
"
cried
Mary
,
eagerly
,
"
I
always
feel
that
the
labouring
poor
have
great
and
unceasing
claims
upon
the
sympathy
and
assistance
of
the
rich
.
—
But
this
claim
must
be
equally
great
I
should
suppose
amongst
all
the
labouring
classes
.
Is
it
not
,
Mr.
Bell
?
"
"
I
feel
it
difficult
to
answer
your
question
by
a
negative
,
"
he
replied
,
"
because
,
taken
in
its
broadest
sense
,
it
most
assuredly
demands
an
affirmative
.
Nevertheless
it
is
unquestionably
true
that
at
this
moment
there
is
no
race
of
human
beings
in
any
portion
of
the
known
world
—
the
most
wretched
of
negro
slaves
not
excepted
,
Miss
Brotherton
—
who
require
the
protection
and
assistance
of
their
happier
fellow-creatures
,
in
the
same
degree
as
the
young
creatures
employed
in
our
factories
.
"
Miss
Brotherton
looked
at
him
,
not
doubtingly
,
but
with
considerable
surprise
,
and
timidly
replied
,
"
But
the
negro
slave
,
Mr.
Bell
,
has
no
choice
left
him
—
he
is
the
property
of
his
master
.
"
"
Neither
has
the
factory
child
a
choice
,
Miss
Brotherton
.
He
too
is
a
property
;
nor
is
it
the
least
horrible
part
of
the
evil
which
noiselessly
has
grown
out
of
this
tremendous
system
,
that
the
beings
whom
nature
has
ordained
throughout
creation
to
keep
watch
and
ward
over
the
helpless
weakness
of
infant
life
,
are
driven
by
it
to
struggle
with
,
and
trample
down
the
holiest
and
dearest
of
human
ties
—
even
the
love
of
a
parent
for
its
offspring
.
Picture
to
yourself
a
bleak
winter
's
morning
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
when
the
mother
of
factory
children
must
be
up
hours
and
hours
before
the
sun
to
rouse
her
half-rested
little
ones
;
and
nervously
watching
her
rude
clock
till
the
dreaded
moment
comes
,
must
shake
the
little
creatures
,
whose
slumber
the
very
beast
of
the
field
might
teach
her
to
watch
over
and
guard
,
till
they
awake
,
and
starting
in
terror
from
their
short
sleep
,
ask
if
the
hour
be
come
?
The
wretched
mother
,
and
the
wretched
child
then
vie
with
each
other
in
their
trembling
haste
to
seize
the
tattered
mill-clothes
,
and
to
put
them
on
.
The
mother
dreads
the
fine
of
one
quarter
of
the
infant
's
daily
wages
,
which
would
be
levied
,
should
it
arrive
but
a
minute
too
late
,
and
the
poor
child
dreads
the
strap
,
which
,
in
addition
,
is
as
surely
the
punishment
for
delay
.
Miss
Brotherton
,
I
have
seen
with
my
own
eyes
the
assembling
of
some
hundreds
of
factory
children
before
the
still
unopened
doors
of
their
prison-house
,
while
the
lingering
darkness
of
a
winter
's
night
had
yet
to
last
three
hours
.
I
shall
never
forget
one
bitter
morning
,
last
January
twelvemonth
!
The
last
piteous
summons
from
a
dying
parishioner
had
left
me
no
choice
but
to
exchange
my
pillow
for
the
bitter
biting
blast
of
Howley-common
,
and
the
path
across
it
leading
me
within
a
hundred
yards
of
a
large
cotton-factory
,
I
witnessed
a
spectacle
,
which
to
my
dying
day
I
shall
never
recall
without
a
shudder
!
There
was
just
moon
enough
to
show
me
all
the
dreary
sternness
of
the
scene
.
—
The
ground
was
covered
deep
with
snow
,
and
a
cutting
wind
blew
whistling
through
the
long
line
of
old
Scotch
firs
which
bordered
an
enclosure
beside
the
road
.
As
I
scudded
on
beneath
them
,
my
eye
caught
the
little
figures
of
a
multitude
of
children
,
made
distinctly
visible
,
even
by
that
dim
light
,
by
the
strong
relief
in
which
their
dark
garments
showed
themselves
against
the
snow
.
A
few
steps
further
brought
me
in
full
view
of
the
factory
gates
,
and
then
I
perceived
considerably
above
two
hundred
of
these
miserable
little
victims
to
avarice
all
huddled
together
on
the
ground
and
seemingly
half
buried
in
the
drift
that
was
blown
against
them
.
I
stood
still
and
gazed
upon
them
—
I
knew
full
well
what
,
and
how
great
was
the
terror
which
had
brought
them
there
too
soon
,
and
in
my
heart
of
hearts
I
cursed
the
boasted
manufacturing
wealth
of
England
,
which
running
,
in
this
direction
at
least
,
in
a
most
darkened
narrow
channel
,
gives
power
,
lawless
and
irresistible
to
overwhelm
and
crush
the
land
it
pretends
to
fructify
.
While
still
spell-bound
by
this
appalling
picture
,
I
was
startled
by
the
sound
of
a
low
moaning
from
the
other
side
of
the
road
,
at
a
short
distance
from
me
,
and
turning
towards
it
perceived
a
woman
bending
over
a
little
girl
who
appeared
sinking
to
the
ground
.
A
few
rapid
steps
brought
me
close
to
them
,
and
I
found
on
examination
that
the
child
was
so
benumbed
and
exhausted
as
to
be
totally
incapable
of
pursuing
her
way
—
it
was
her
mother
who
was
urging
her
forward
,
and
who
even
then
seemed
more
intent
upon
saving
a
fine
,
than
on
the
obvious
sufferings
of
her
sinking
child
.
I
know
,
poor
wretch
,
that
little
choice
was
left
her
,
and
that
the
inevitable
consequence
of
saving
her
from
the
factory
,
and
leading
her
gently
home
to
such
shelter
as
her
father
's
roof
could
give
,
would
be
to
watch
her
perish
there
for
want
of
food
.
"
"
Alas
!
alas
!
is
it
thus
my
wealth
has
been
accumulated
?
"
exclaimed
Miss
Brotherton
,
shuddering
.
"
Is
there
no
power
in
England
,
sir
,
righteous
and
strong
enough
to
stay
this
plague
?
"
"
Miss
Brotherton
!
"
returned
the
clergyman
,
"
such
power
,
and
such
righteousness
,
MUST
be
found
,
or
this
plague
,
as
you
well
call
it
,
will
poison
the
very
life
blood
of
our
political
existence
;
and
long
ere
any
serious
danger
is
likely
to
be
dreamed
of
by
our
heedless
rulers
,
the
bloated
wealth
with
which
this
pernicious
system
has
enriched
a
few
,
will
prove
a
source
of
utter
destruction
to
the
many
.
Never
,
my
dear
young
lady
,
did
the
avarice
of
man
conceive
a
system
so
horribly
destructive
of
every
touch
of
human
feeling
,
as
that
by
which
the
low-priced
agony
of
labourine
infants
is
made
to
eke
out
and
supply
all
that
is
wanting
to
enable
the
giant
engines
of
our
factories
to
out-spin
all
the
world
!
But
you
must
see
it
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
you
must
watch
it
with
you
own
eyes
,
you
must
follow
the
hateful
operations
of
this
atrocious
system
into
the
thousands
of
sordid
and
forgotten
huts
which
cover
its
miserable
victims
,
ere
you
can
possibly
understand
its
moral
mischief
.
There
is
no
strength
,
no
power
in
words
to
paint
it
.
"
"
Its
moral
mischief
,
"
said
Mary
,
eagerly
;
"
explain
that
to
me
,
Mr.
Bell
,
for
it
is
the
point
I
find
most
puzzling
—
why
is
it
that
these
poor
factory-people
,
because
they
labour
more
unremittingly
,
as
it
should
seem
,
than
all
the
world
beside
,
why
,
for
this
reason
,
instead
of
being
honoured
for
their
industry
,
are
they
invariably
spoken
of
with
contempt
and
obliquy
?
"
"
Your
question
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
involves
by
far
the
most
terrible
portion
of
this
frightful
commercial
mystery
,
"
he
replied
;
"
but
,
as
I
have
told
you
,
nothing
except
personal
investigation
can
enable
the
inquirer
to
arrive
at
the
whole
truth
respecting
it
.
Were
a
patient
,
accurate
,
and
laborious
detail
of
all
the
enormities
committed
,
and
all
the
sufferings
endured
,
under
the
factory
system
,
to
be
presented
to
the
public
,
it
would
be
thrown
aside
by
some
,
as
greatly
too
tedious
for
examination
,
and
by
others
as
a
statement
too
atrocious
to
merit
belief
.
Yet
,
England
MUST
listen
to
it
,
and
that
soon
,
or
she
may
mourn
her
negligence
when
it
is
too
late
to
repair
it
.
That
marvellous
machinery
of
which
we
make
our
boast
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
is
not
more
perfect
in
its
power
of
drawing
out
the
delicately
attenuated
thread
which
it
is
our
glory
to
produce
,
then
the
system
for
reducing
the
human
labour
necessary
for
its
production
to
the
lowest
possible
price
is
,
for
degrading
the
moral
nature
of
the
helpless
slaves
engaged
in
it
.
"
"
That
the
system
has
such
a
tendency
I
cannot
doubt
,
after
the
repeated
assurances
which
have
reached
me
,
that
so
it
is
,
"
replied
Mary
.
"
Nevertheless
,
I
am
still
unable
to
comprehend
why
it
should
be
so
.
"
"
You
have
only
to
take
advantage
of
your
residence
near
Ashleigh
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
the
dense
population
of
which
subsists
almost
wholly
by
factory
labour
,
in
order
to
understand
,
but
too
well
,
why
this
terrible
result
is
inevitable
.
You
are
as
yet
too
young
a
lady
for
me
to
expect
that
you
should
have
very
deeply
studied
the
nature
of
the
human
mind
,
or
made
yourself
fully
aware
how
greatly
the
habits
and
character
of
all
human
beings
depend
upon
education
,
and
the
circumstances
in
which
they
are
placed
.
Nevertheless
,
if
you
turn
your
attention
to
the
subject
,
you
will
not
,
young
as
you
are
,
be
long
incapable
of
detecting
the
dangers
which
beset
the
hearts
and
souls
of
those
whose
unhappy
destiny
have
made
them
factory
labourers
.
The
dark
little
circle
in
which
they
move
from
birth
to
death
,
from
father
to
son
,
from
mother
to
daughter
,
is
so
uniform
,
that
almost
any
average
individual
case
may
fairly
serve
as
a
specimen
of
the
whole
class
.
Boys
and
girls
,
with
few
exceptions
,
labour
indiscriminately
altogether
in
the
factories
.
While
still
almost
children
,
they
form
connexions
,
and
are
married
.
Having
worked
in
the
mills
,
probably
from
five
years
old
to
the
hour
of
their
unweighed
and
thoughtless
union
,
the
boy
assumes
the
duties
of
a
husband
with
little
more
knowledge
of
moral
or
religious
responsibility
than
the
brute
animal
that
labours
with
a
thousand
times
less
degradation
in
the
fields
;
while
the
childish
wife
comes
to
her
important
task
ignorant
of
every
earthly
usefulness
,
save
what
belongs
to
the
mechanical
drudgery
in
which
throughout
the
whole
of
her
short
,
sad
life
,
she
has
been
made
to
follow
the
uniform
and
ceaseless
movements
of
machinery
.
She
cannot
sew
,
she
cannot
cook
,
she
cannot
iron
,
she
cannot
wash.
Her
mind
is
yet
more
untaught
and
undisciplined
than
her
hands
.
She
is
conscious
of
no
responsibility
,
she
knows
no
law
by
which
to
steer
her
actions
,
or
regulate
her
spirit
,
and
becomes
a
mother
as
she
became
a
wife
,
without
one
single
thought
of
duty
mixing
itself
with
her
increasing
cares
.
By
degrees
,
both
the
husband
and
the
wife
find
employment
in
the
factory
less
certain
.
It
is
for
children
,
children
,
children
,
that
the
unwearied
engine
calls
,
and
keenly
does
the
hungry
father
,
and
the
mother
too
,
watch
the
growth
of
the
little
creatures
to
whom
they
have
given
birth
,
till
the
slight
limbs
have
firmness
enough
to
stand
,
and
the
delicate
joints
are
sufficiently
under
the
command
of
the
frightened
will
to
tie
threads
together
under
the
potent
inspiration
of
the
overlooker
's
strap
.
Then
comes
a
state
of
deeper
degradation
still
.
The
father
is
idle
,
for
often
he
can
get
no
work
,
and
it
is
to
the
labour
of
his
little
ones
that
he
looks
for
bread
.
Nature
recoils
from
the
spectacle
of
their
unnatural
o'erlaboured
aspect
as
they
return
from
their
thirteen
,
fourteen
,
fifteen
,
hours
of
toil
.
He
has
not
nerve
to
look
upon
it
,
and
creeps
to
the
gin-shops
till
they
are
hid
in
bed
.
The
mother
sees
it
all
,
and
sternly
screws
her
courage
to
the
task
of
lifting
their
bruised
and
weary
limbs
upon
their
bed
of
straw
putting
into
their
mouths
the
food
she
has
prepared
,
their
weary
eyes
being
already
closed
in
sleep
,
and
preparing
herself
to
wake
before
the
sun
on
the
morrow
,
that
with
unrelenting
hand
she
may
drag
them
from
their
unfinished
slumber
,
and
drive
them
forth
again
to
get
her
food
.
This
is
no
varnished
tale
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
but
the
bare
,
naked
,
hideous
truth
.
And
can
you
wonder
that
beings
thus
reared
and
ripened
should
form
a
degraded
class
?
Can
you
wonder
that
all
others
should
turn
from
them
,
as
from
a
race
with
whom
they
have
nothing
in
common
?
If
some
sad
accident
,
preceding
birth
,
distrubs
the
beautiful
process
by
which
nature
prepares
the
noble
being
she
has
made
to
be
lord
of
all
,
and
an
abortive
creature
comes
to
life
,
curtailed
of
all
its
fair
proportions
,
both
of
mind
and
body
,
all
within
reach
of
the
hapless
prodigy
shudder
as
they
mourn
,
and
the
best
and
wisest
among
them
pray
to
God
that
its
span
of
life
be
short
.
But
believe
me
when
I
tell
you
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
that
the
effect
which
the
factories
of
this
district
is
producing
upon
above
two
hundred
thousand
of
its
population
,
is
beyond
all
calculation
more
deplorable
,
and
many
a
child
is
born
amongst
them
whose
destiny
,
if
fairly
weighed
against
that
of
such
a
one
as
I
have
described
,
would
appear
incomparably
more
terrible
.
"
"
Can
such
things
be
,
and
the
rulers
of
the
land
sit
idly
by
to
witness
it
?
"
cried
Mary
shuddering
.
"
It
seems
as
if
the
rulers
of
the
land
knew
little
,
and
cared
less
about
it
,
"
replied
Mr.
Bell
.
"
The
profoundly
ignorant
opinion
that
there
is
some
connexion
between
our
national
prosperity
,
and
the
enormous
fortunes
amassed
by
some
score
of
North-country
manufacturers
has
,
I
believe
,
produced
much
of
the
lamentable
non-interference
of
which
the
disinterested
few
complain
,
who
are
near
enough
to
look
upon
the
frightful
game
.
Some
individual
voices
have
been
most
gloriously
raised
on
this
tremendous
theme
,
and
if
they
will
be
steadfast
and
enduring
,
they
must
and
will
prevail
—
for
human
nature
,
with
all
its
vices
,
is
not
framed
to
look
coldly
on
such
horrors
,
and
permit
them
.
But
the
remedial
process
is
so
slow
—
it
is
so
difficult
to
arouse
the
attention
,
and
awaken
the
feelings
of
busy
men
concerning
things
at
a
distance
,
whose
connexion
with
all
that
they
deem
important
they
are
too
ignorant
of
,
or
too
preoccupied
to
trace
,
that
the
keenest
observers
,
and
those
who
would
the
most
deeply
deprecate
any
remedy
but
a
legal
one
,
begin
to
fear
that
mercy
will
be
clamoured
for
with
very
dangerous
rudeness
,
before
the
parliament
of
England
shall
have
roused
up
it
wisdom
to
the
task
of
affording
it
.
"
And
in
what
way
,
Mr.
Bell
,
is
it
wished
,
or
hoped
,
that
the
legislature
should
step
forward
to
cure
this
dreadful
evil
?
Is
it
proposed
to
abolish
the
use
of
machinery
?
"
Mr.
Bell
smiled
,
and
shook
his
head
.
"
You
perhaps
think
,
"
said
he
,
"
that
there
is
a
great
disproportion
between
my
strong
sense
of
the
vice
and
suffering
produced
by
the
factory
system
,
and
the
measure
for
its
mitigation
to
which
I
now
limit
almost
my
wishes
.
But
it
would
be
vain
to
look
back
to
the
time
when
steam
engines
were
not
,
and
there
would
indeed
be
little
wisdom
in
addressing
our
lamentations
to
their
introduction
.
It
is
not
the
acquisition
of
any
natural
power
,
principle
,
or
faculty
,
that
we
should
deplore
;
all
such
,
on
the
contrary
,
should
be
hailed
as
part
and
parcel
of
our
magnificent
birthright
,
and
each
new
use
we
learn
to
make
of
the
still
much-unknown
creation
around
us
,
ought
to
be
welcomed
with
a
shout
of
praise
,
as
a
fresh
fulfilment
of
the
supreme
command
'
replenish
the
earth
and
subdue
it
.
'
It
is
not
from
increased
,
or
increasing
science
that
we
have
any
thing
to
dread
,
it
is
only
from
a
fearfully
culpable
neglect
of
the
moral
power
that
should
rule
and
regulate
its
uses
,
that
it
can
be
other
than
one
of
God
's
best
gifts
.
"
"
But
how
,
"
demanded
Mary
,
"
how
,
if
machinery
continues
to
be
used
,
can
any
Act
of
Parliament
prevent
the
necessity
of
employing
children
to
wait
upon
its
operations
,
instead
of
requiring
the
strength
of
men
,
as
heretofore
,
to
perform
what
the
steam-engine
does
in
their
place
?
"
"
No
Act
of
Parliament
can
be
conceived
capable
of
inducing
a
manufacturer
to
employ
the
weaker
,
and
at
the
same
time
the
more
costly
agent
,
in
preference
to
a
more
powerful
and
cheaper
one
,
"
replied
Mr.
Bell
.
"
No
reasonable
man
would
ask
this
,
no
reasonable
man
would
desire
it
,
and
assuredly
no
reasonable
man
would
attempt
to
enforce
such
an
absurdity
by
law
.
No
,
Miss
Brotherton
,
this
mighty
power
,
as
surely
given
for
our
use
as
is
the
innocent
air
that
fans
the
woodbine
yonder
,
has
at
length
,
after
some
few
thousand
years
of
careless
overlooking
on
our
part
,
been
revealed
to
us
.
But
let
us
not
fly
in
the
face
of
benignant
nature
,
and
say
like
Caliban
,
"
You
taught
me
language
;
and
my
profit
o
n't
Is
,
I
know
how
to
curse
.
"
"
If
used
aright
the
recannot
be
a
doubt
that
this
magnificent
power
might
,
in
all
its
agencies
,
be
made
the
friend
of
man
.
It
requires
no
great
stretch
of
ingenuity
to
conceive
that
it
might
be
rendered
at
once
a
source
of
still
increasing
wealth
to
the
capitalist
,
and
of
lightened
labour
to
the
not-impoverished
operative
.
But
that
,
as
things
are
at
present
,
this
great
discovery
,
and
all
the
admirable
ingenuity
with
which
it
is
applied
,
acts
as
a
ban
instead
of
a
blessing
,
upon
some
hundred
thousands
of
miserable
victims
is
most
true
,
while
all
the
benefit
that
can
be
shown
as
a
balance
to
this
horror
,
is
the
bloated
wealth
of
a
small
knot
of
master-manufacturers
.
But
so
monstrous
is
this
evil
,
that
its
very
atrocity
inspires
hope
,
from
the
improbability
that
when
once
beyond
all
reach
of
contradiction
its
existence
shall
be
known
by
all
men
,
it
should
be
permitted
to
continue
.
"
"
Then
why
is
it
not
known
?
"
demanded
Mary
,
her
colour
heightened
as
she
remembered
her
own
entire
ignorance
upon
the
subject
a
few
short
weeks
before
,
"
surely
it
is
the
duty
of
all
lookers-on
to
proclaim
it
to
the
whole
world
.
"
"
Alas
!
Miss
Brotherton
!
It
is
more
easy
to
raise
a
voice
,
than
to
command
attention
to
it
.
Loud
and
long
must
be
the
cry
that
shall
awaken
the
indifferent
,
and
rouse
the
indolent
to
action
.
But
this
loud
,
long
cry
,
will
be
uttered
,
and
by
the
blessing
of
God
it
will
be
listened
to
at
last
.
"
"
But
tell
me
Mr.
Bell
,
"
resumed
his
deeply
interested
auditor
,
"
what
is
this
moderate
enactment
in
mitigation
of
these
wretched
people
's
sufferings
,
which
you
say
would
content
you
?
"
"
All
that
we
ask
for
,
"
replied
Mr.
Bell
,
"
all
that
the
poor
creatures
ask
for
themselves
,
is
that
by
Act
of
Parliament
it
should
be
rendered
illegal
for
men
women
and
children
to
be
kept
to
the
wearying
unhealthy
labour
of
the
mills
for
more
than
ten
hours
out
of
every
day
,
leaving
their
daily
wages
at
the
same
rate
as
now
.
"
"
And
would
that
suffice
,
"
demanded
Miss
Brotherton
with
astonishment
,
"
to
effectually
relieve
the
horrors
you
have
been
describing
to
me
?
"
"
Miss
Brotherton
it
would
,
"
replied
the
clergyman
.
"
I
would
be
loath
to
weary
you
with
details
,
"
he
continued
,
"
but
a
few
items
may
suffice
to
make
you
see
how
enormous
are
the
benefits
which
would
follow
such
an
enactment
.
At
present
,
if
a
large
demand
for
manufactured
goods
arises
,
instead
of
being
,
as
it
ought
,
a
blessing
to
the
industrious
hands
that
must
supply
it
,
it
comes
upon
them
as
a
fearful
burden
,
threatening
to
crush
the
very
springs
of
life
in
the
little
creatures
that
are
chiefly
to
sustain
it
,
while
the
golden
harvest
that
it
brings
is
not
for
them
,
but
for
their
masters
.
For
the
miserable
meed
of
an
extra
penny
,
or
sometimes
three-halfpence
a
day
,
the
young
slaves
(
who
,
observe
,
have
no
power
of
choice
,
for
if
they
,
or
their
parents
for
them
,
refuse
,
they
are
instantly
turned
off
to
literal
starvation
—
no
parish
assistance
being
allowed
to
those
who
resist
the
regulations
of
the
manufacturers
)
,
for
this
wretched
equivalent
for
health
and
joy
,
are
compelled
,
whenever
our
boasted
trade
flows
briskly
,
to
stand
to
their
work
for
just
as
many
hours
as
the
application
of
the
overlooker
's
strap
,
or
billy-roller
,
can
keep
them
on
their
legs
.
Innumerable
instances
are
on
record
of
children
falling
from
excess
of
weariness
on
the
machinery
,
and
being
called
to
life
by
its
lacerating
their
flesh
.
It
continually
happens
that
young
creatures
under
fifteen
years
of
age
,
are
kept
form
their
beds
all
night
.
Fifteen
,
sixteen
,
seventeen
,
hours
of
labour
out
of
twenty-four
,
are
cases
which
recur
continually
,
and
I
need
not
say
with
what
effect
upon
these
victims
of
ferocious
avarice
.
Now
not
only
would
all
this
be
mended
,
the
positive
bodily
torture
spared
,
and
as
far
as
is
consistent
with
constant
in-door
occupation
,
the
health
of
the
labourers
preserved
,
were
it
made
unlawful
to
keep
them
at
positive
labour
for
more
than
ten
hours
of
every
day
;
not
only
would
all
this
follow
from
the
enactment
,
but
innumerable
other
advantages
,
some
of
them
more
important
still
,
would
,
beyond
all
question
,
be
its
consequence
.
In
the
first
place
,
were
there
no
power
of
executing
great
and
sudden
orders
by
irregular
exactions
of
labour
,
the
recurrence
of
those
fearful
intervals
when
the
starving
operatives
are
thrown
out
of
employ
by
the
