andsohewenton；buttounheedingears，whichyetretainedhiswordstoponderon；wordsnotforimmediateuseinconveyingsense，buttobelaidby，inthestore-houseofmemory，foramoreconvenientseason。Thedoctorseeingthestateofthecase，grievedfortheman；and，verysleepy，thoughtitbesttogo，andaccordinglywishedhimgood-night——buttherewasnoanswer，sohelethimselfout；andBartonsaton，likeastockorastone，sorigid，sostill。Heheardthesoundsabove，too，andknewwhattheymeant。Heheardthestiffunseasoneddrawer，inwhichhiswifekeptherclothes，pulledopen。Hesawtheneighbourcomedown，andblunderaboutinsearchofsoapandwater。Heknewwellwhatshewanted，andwhyshewantedthem，buthedidnotspeak，noroffertohelp。Atlastshewent，withsomekindly-meantwordsatextofcomfort，whichfelluponadeafenedear，andsomethingabout“Mary，“butwhichMaryhecouldnottell，inhisbewilderedstate。Hetriedtorealiseit——tothinkitpossible。Andthenhismindwanderedofftootherdays，tofardifferenttimes。Hethoughtoftheircourtship；
ofhisfirstseeingher，anawkwardbeautifulrustic，fartooshiftlessforthedelicatefactoryworktowhichshewasapprenticed；ofhisfirstgifttoher，abeadneck-lace，whichhadlongagobeenputby，inoneofthedeepdrawersofthedresser，tobekeptforMary。Hewonderedifitwasthereyet，andwithastrangecuriosityhegotuptofeelforit；forthefirebythistimewaswell-nighout，andcandlehehadnone。Hisgropinghandfellonthepiled-uptea-things，whichathisdesireshehadleftunwashedtillmorning——theywereallsotired。Hewasremindedofoneofthedailylittleactions，whichacquiresuchpowerwhentheyhavebeenperformedforthelasttime，byonewelove。Hebegantothinkoverhiswife’sdailyroundofduties；andsomethingintheremembrancethatthesewouldnevermorebedonebyher，touchedthesourceoftears，andhecriedaloud。PoorMary，meanwhile，hadmechanicallyhelpedtheneighbourinallthelastattentionstothedead；andwhenshewaskissedandspokentosoothingly，tearsstolequietlydownhercheeks：butshereservedtheluxuryofafullburstofgrieftillsheshouldbealone。Sheshutthechamber-doorsoftly，aftertheneighbourhadgone，andthenshookthebedbywhichshekneltwithheragonyofsorrow。Sherepeated，overandoveragain，thesamewords；thesamevain，unansweredaddresstoherwhowasnomore。“Oh，mother!mother，areyoureallydead!Oh，mother，mother!“Atlastshestopped，becauseitflashedacrosshermindthatherviolenceofgriefmightdisturbherfather。Allwasstillbelow。Shelookedonthefacesochanged，andyetsostrangelylike。Shebentdowntokissit。Thecold，unyieldingfleshstruckashuddertoherheart，andhastilyobeyingherimpulse，shegraspedthecandle，andopenedthedoor。Thensheheardthesobsofherfather’sgrief；andquickly，quietly，stealingdownthesteps，shekneltbyhim，andkissedhishand。Hetooknonoticeatfirst，forhisburstofgriefwouldnotbecontrolled。Butwhenhershrillersobs，herterrifiedcrieswhichshecouldnotrepress，roseuponhisear，hecheckedhimself。“Child，wemustbealltooneanothernowsheisgone，“whisperedhe。“Oh，father，whatcanIdoforyou？Dotellme!I’lldoanything。““Iknowthouwilt。Thoumustnotfretthyselfill，that’sthefirstthingIask。Thoumustleaveme，andgotobednow，likeagoodgirlasthouart。““Leaveyou，fatherIoh，don’tsayso。““Ay，butthoumust!thoumustgotobed，andtryandsleep；thou’lthaveenoughtodoandtobear，poorwench，to-morrow。“Marygotup，kissedherfather，andsadlywentupstairstothelittlecloset，wheresheslept。Shethoughtitwasofnouseundressing，forthatshecouldnever，Leversleep，sothrewherselfonherbedinherclothes，andbeforetenminuteshadpassedaway，thepassionategriefofyouthhadsubsidedintosleep。Bartonhadbeenrousedbyhisdaughter’sentrance，bothfromhisstuporandfromhisuncontrollablesorrow。Hecouldthinkonwhatwastobedone，couldplanforthefuneral，couldcalculatethenecessityofsoonreturningtohiswork，astheextravaganceofthepastnightwouldleavethemshortofmoney，ifhelongremainedawayfromthemill。Hewasinaclub，sothatmoneyvasprovidedfortheburial。Thesethingssettledinusownmind，herecalledthedoctor’swords，andbitterlythoughtoftheshockhispoorwifehadsorecentlyhad，inthemysteriousdisappearanceofhercherishedsister。HisfeelingstowardsEstheralmostamountedtocurses。
Itwasshewhohadbroughtonallthissorrow。Hergiddiness，herlightnessofconduct，hadwroughtthiswoe。Hispreviousthoughtsaboutherhadbeentingedwithwonderandpity，butnowhehardenedhisheartagainstherforever。OneofthegoodinfluencesoverJohnBarton’slifehaddepartedthatnight。
Oneofthetieswhichboundhimdowntothegentlehumanitiesofearthwasloosened，andhenceforwardtheneighboursallremarkedhewasachangedman。Hisgloomandhissternnessbecamehabitualinsteadofoccasional。
Hewasmoreobstinate。ButnevertoMary。Betweenthefatherandthedaughterthereexistedinfullforcethatmysteriousbondwhichunitesthosewhohavebeenlovedbyonewhoisnowdeadandgone。Whilehewasharshandsilenttoothers，hehumouredMarywithtenderlove；shehadmoreofherownwaythaniscommoninanyrankwithgirlsofherage。Partofthiswasthenecessityofthecase；for，ofcourse，allthemoneywentthroughherhands，andthehouseholdarrangementswereguidedbyherwillandpleasure。