ThatstoryofJohnFry’s，insteadofcausinganyamusement，gaveusgreatdisquietude；notonlybecauseitshowedthatTomFagguscouldnotresistsuddentemptationandthedelightofwildness，butalsothatwegreatlyfearedlesttheKing’spardonmightbeannulled，andallhiskindnesscancelled，byarecklessdeedofthatsort。ItwastrueasAnnieinsistedcontinually，evenwithtears，towearinherarguments
thatTomhadnotbroughtawayanything，exceptthewarrants，whichwereofnouseatall，afterreceiptofthepardon；neitherhadheusedanyviolence，exceptjusttofrightenpeople；butcoulditbeestablished，eventowardsChristmas-time，thatTomhadarighttogivealms，rightandleft，outofotherpeople’smoney？
DearAnnieappearedtobelievethatitcould；sayingthatiftherichcontinuallychosetoforgetthepoor，amanwhoforcedthemtoremember，andsotodogoodtothemselvesandtoothers，wasapublicbenefactor，andentitledtoeveryblessing。ButIknew，andsoLizzieknew——JohnFrybeingnowoutofhearing——thatthiswasnotsoundargument。For，ifitcametothat，anymanmighttaketheKingbythethroat，andmakehimcastawayamongthepoorthemoneywhichhewantedsadlyforHerGracetheDuchess，andthebeautifulCountess，ofthis，andofthat。Lizzie，ofcourse，knewnothingaboutHisMajesty’sdiversions，whichwerenotfitforayoungmaid’sthoughts；butInowputtheformoftheargumentasitoccurredtome。
ThereforeIsaid，onceforallandbothmysistersalwayslistenedwhenIusedthedeepvoicefrommychest：
’TomFaggushathdonewrongherein；wrongtohimself，andtoourAnnie。Allheneedhavedonewastoshowhispardon，andthemagistrateswouldhaverejoicedwithhim。Hemighthaveledamostgodlylife，andhavebeenrespectedbyeverybody；andknowinghowbraveTomis，Ithoughtthathewouldhavedoneasmuch。NowifIwereinlovewithamaid’——IputitthusforthesakeofpoorLizzie——’neverwouldIsoimperilmylife，andherfortuneinlifealongwithme，forthesakeofapoordiversion。Aman’sfirstdutyistothewomen，whoareforcedtohanguponhim’——