Errandsofmercy——errandsofsin——didyoueverthinkwhereallthethousandsofpeopleyoudailymeetarebound？Barton’swasanerrandofmercy；butthethoughtsofhisheartweretouchedbysin，bybitterhatredofthehappy，whomhe，forthetime，confoundedwiththeselfish。Hereachedadruggist’sshop，andentered。ThedruggistwhosesmoothmannersseemedtohavebeensalvedoverwithhisownspermacetilistenedattentivelytoBarton’sdescriptionofDavenport’sillness；concludeditwastyphusfever，veryprevalentinthatneighbourhood；andproceededtomakeupabottleofmedicine，sweetspiritsofnitre，orsomesuchinnocentpotion，verygoodforslightcolds，bututterlypowerlesstostop，foraninstant，theragingfeverofthepoormanitwasintendedtorelieve。Herecommendedthesamecoursetheyhadpreviouslydeterminedtoadopt，applyingthenextmorningforaninfirmaryorder；andBartonlefttheshopwithcomfortablefaithinthephysicgivenhim；formenofhisclass，iftheybelieveinphysicatall，believethateverydescriptionisequallyefficacious。Meanwhile，WilsonhaddonewhathecouldatDavenport’shome。Hehadsoothed，andcoveredthemanmanyatimehehadfedandhushedthelittlechild，andspokentenderlytothewoman，wholaystillinherweaknessandherweariness。Hehadopenedadoor，butonlyforaninstant；itledintoabackcellar，withagratinginsteadofawindow，downwhichdroppedthemoisturefrompigsties，andworseabominations。Itwasnotpaved；thefloorwasonemassofbadsmellingmud。Ithadneverbeenusedfortherewasnotanarticleoffurnitureinit；norcouldahumanbeing，muchlessapig，havelivedtheremanydays。Yetthe“backapartment“madeadifferenceintherent。TheDavenportspaidthreepencemoreforhavingtworooms。
whenheturnedroundagain，hesawthewomansucklingthechildfromherdry，witheredbreast。“Surelytheladisweaned!“exclaimedhe，insurprise。“Why，howoldishe？““Goingontwoyear，“shefaintlyanswered。“But，oh!itkeepshimquietwhenI’venoughtelsetogi’him，andhe’llgetabitofsleeplyingthere，ifhe’sgettennoughtbeside。Wehandoneourbesttogi’thechilderfood，howe’erwepinchedourselves。““Hanyehadnomoneyfra’th’town？““No；mymasterisBuckinghamshireborn；andhe’sfearedthetownwouldsendhimbacktohisparish，ifhewenttoth’board；sowe’vejustborneoninhopeo’bettertimes。ButIthinkthey’llnevercomeinmyday，“
andthepoorwomanbeganherweakhigh-pitchedcryagain。“Here，supthisdropo’gruel，andthentryandgetabito’sleep。JohnandIwillwatchbyyourmasterto-night。““God’sblessingbeonyou。“Shefinishedthegruel，andfellintoadeadsleep。Wilsoncoveredherwithhiscoataswellashecould，andtriedtomovelightlyforfearofdisturbingher；butthereneedhavebeennosuchdread，forhersleepwasprofoundandheavywithexhaustion。Onceonlysherousedtopullthecoatroundherlittlechild。AndnowallWilson’scare，andBarton’stoboot，waswantedtorestrainthewildmadagonyofthefeveredman。Hestartedup，heyelled，heseemedinfuriatedbyoverwhelminganxiety。Hecursedandswore，whichsurprisedWilson，whoknewhispietyinhealth，andwhodidnotknowtheunbridledtongueofdelirium。Atlengthheseemedexhausted，andfellasleep；andBartonandWilsondrewnearthefire，andtalkedtogetherinwhispers。
Theysatonthefloor，forchairstherewerenone；thesoletablewasanoldtubturnedupsidedown。Theyputoutthecandleandconversedbytheflickeringfire-light。“Hanyoknownthischaplong？“askedBarton。“Betternorthreeyear。He’sworkedwi’Carsonsthatlong，andwerealwayasteady，civil-spokenfellow，though，asIsaidafore，somewhatofaMethodee。
IwishI’dgettenaletterhesenthismissis，aweekortwoagone，whenhewereontrampforwork。Itdidmyheartgoodtoreadit；for，yosee，Iwereabitgrumblingmysel；itseemedbardtobespungingonJem，andtakinga’hisflesh-meatmoneytobuybreadformeandthemasIoughttobekeeping。But，yoknow，thoughIcanearnnought，Imuneatsummut。