soIgrewtothinkitmustbeashamputUponpoorignorantfolk，women，andsuch-like。“ItwasnotlongItriedtoliveGospel-wise，butitwaslikerheaventhananyotherbitofearthhasbeen。I’doldAlicetostrengthenme；buteveryoneelsesaid，’Standupforthyrights，orthou’ltneverget’em；’andwifeandchildrenneverspoke，buttheirhelplessnesscriedaloud，andIwasdriventodoasothersdid，——andthenTomdied。Youknowallaboutthat——I’mgettingscanto’breath，andblind-like。“Thenagainhespoke，aftersomeminutesofhushedsilence。“Allalongitcamenaturaltolovefolk，thoughnowIamwhatIam。IthinkonetimeIcoulde’enhavelovedthemastersifthey’dha’lettenme；thatwasinmyGospel-days，aforemychilddiedo’hunger。Iwastoreintwooftentimes，betweenmysorrowforpoorsufferingfolk，andmytryingtolovethemascausedtheirsufferingstomymind。“AtlastIgaveitupindespair，tryingtomakefolks’actionssquarewi’th’Bible；andIthoughtI’dnolongerlabouratfollowingth’Biblemysel’，I’vesaidallthisafore，maybe。ButfromthattimeI’vedroppeddown，down——down。“Afterthatheonlyspokeinbrokensentences。“Ididnotthinkhe’dbeensuchanoldman，——Oh!thathehadbutforgivenme，“——andthencameearnest，passionate，brokenwordsofprayer。JobLeghhadgonehomelikeonestruckdownwiththeunexpectedshock。
MaryandJemtogetherwaitedtheapproachofdeath；butasthefinalstruggledrewon，andmorningdawned，Jemsuggestedsomealleviationtothegaspingbreath，topurchasewhichheleftthehouseinsearchofadruggist’sshop，whichshouldbeopenatthatearlyhour。Duringhisabsence，Bartongrewworse；hehadfallenacrossthebed，andhisbreathingseemedalmoststopped；invaindidMarystrivetoraisehim，hersorrowandexhaustionhadrenderedhertooweak。So，onhearingsomeoneenterthehouse-placebelow，shecriedoutforJemtocometoherassistance。Astep，whichwasnotJem’s，cameupthestairs。MrCarsonstoodinthedoor-way。Inoneinstanthecomprehendedthecase。Heraisedupthepowerlessframe；andthedepartingsoullookedoutoftheeyeswithgratitude。Heheldthedyingmanproppedinhisarms。JohnBartonfoldedhishands，asifinprayer。“Prayforus，“saidMar，sinkingonherknees，andforgettinginthatsolemnhourallthathaddividedherfatherandMrCarson。Nootherwordswouldsuggestthemselvesthansomeofthosehehadreadonlyafewhoursbefore：“Godbemercifultoussinners——Forgiveusourtrespassesasweforgivethemthattrespassagainstus。Andwhenthewordsweresaid，JohnBartonlayacorpseinMrCarson’sarms。Soendedthetragedyofapoorman’slife。Maryknewnothingmoreformanyminutes。Whensherecoveredconsciousness，shefoundherselfsupportedbyJemonthe“settle“inthehouse-place。
JobandMrCarsonwerethere，talkingtogetherlowlyandsolemnly。ThenMrCarsonbadefarewellandleftthehouse；andJobsaidaloud，butasifspeakingtohimself，“Godhasheardthatman’sprayer。Hehascomfortedhim。“
Thefirstdarkdayofnothingness，Thelastofdangeranddistress。BYRON。AlthoughMaryhadhardlybeenconsciousofherthoughts，andithadbeenmorelikeasecretinstinctinforminghersoul，thantheresultofanyprocessofreasoning，shehadfeltforsometimeeversinceherreturnfromLiverpool，infact，thatforherfathertherewasbutonethingtobedesiredandanticipated，andthatwasdeath!ShehadseenthatConsciencehadgiventhemortalwoundtohisearthlyframe；shedidnotdaretoquestionoftheinfinitemercyofGod，whattheFutureLifewouldbetohim。Thoughatfirstdesolateandstunnedbytheblowwhichhadfallenonherself，shewasresignedandsubmissiveassoonassherecoveredstrengthenoughtoponderandconsideralittle；andyoumaybesurethatnotendernessorlovewaswantingonJem’spart，andnoconsiderationandsympathyonthatofJobandMargaret，tosootheandcomfortthegirlwhonowstoodaloneintheworldasfarasblood-relationswereconcerned。Shedidnotaskorcaretoknowwhatarrangementstheyweremakinginwhisperedtoneswithregardtothefuneral。Sheputherselfintotheirbandswiththetrustofalittlechild；gladtobeundisturbedinthereveriesandremembranceswhichfilledhereyeswithtears，andcausedthemtofallquietlydownherpalecheeks。Itwasthelongestdayshehadeverknowninherlife；everychareandeveryoccupationwastakenawayfromher：butperhapsthelengthofquiettimethusaffordedwasreallygood，althoughitsdurationweigheduponher；forbythismeansshecontemplatedhersituationineverylight，andfullyunderstoodthatthemorning’seventhadleftheranorphan；andthusshewassparedthepangscausedtousbytheoccurrenceofdeathintheevening，justbeforeweshouldnaturally，intheusualcourseofevents，liedowntoslumber。Forinsuchcase，wornoutbyanxiety，anditmaybebymuchwatching，ourveryexcessofgriefrocksitselftosleep，beforewehavehadtimetorealiseitscause；andwewaken，withastartofagonylikeafreshstab，totheconsciousnessoftheoneawfulvacancy，whichshallnever，whiletheworldendures，befilledagain。ThedaybroughtitsburdenofdutytoMrsWilson。Shefeltboundbyregard，aswellasbyetiquette，togoandseeherfuturedaughter-in-law。Andbyanoldassociationofideasperhapsofdeathwithchurch-yards，andchurcheswithSunday，shethoughtitnecessarytoputonherbest，andlatterlyunusedclothes，theairingofwhichonalittleclothes-horsebeforethefireseemedtogiveheranotunpleasingoccupation。WhenJemreturnedhomelateintheeveningsucceedingJohnBarton’sdeath，wearyandoppressedwiththeoccurrencesandexcitementsoftheday，hefoundhismotherbusyabouthermourning，andmuchinclinedtotalk。Althoughhelongedforquiet，hecouldnotavoidsittingdownandansweringherquestions。“Well，Jem!he’sgoneatlast，ishe？““Yes。Howdidyouhear，mother？““Oh，Jobcameoverhere，andtelledme，onhiswaytotheundertaker’s。
Didhemakeafineend？“ItstruckJemthatshehadnotheardoftheconfessionwhichhadbeenmadebyJohnBartononhisdeath-bed；herememberedJobLegh’sdiscretion，andhedeterminedthatifitcouldbeavoidedhismothershouldneverhearofit。Manyofthedifficultiestobeanticipatedinpreservingthesecretwouldbeobviated，ifhecouldinducehismothertofallintotheplanhehadnamedtoMaryofemigratingtoCanada。Thereasonswhichrenderedthissecrecydesirablerelatedtothedomestichappinesshehopedfor。
Withhismother’sirritabletemperhecouldhardlyexpectthatallallusiontothecrimeofJohnBartonwouldbeforeverrestrainedfrompassingherlips，andheknewthedeeptrialwhichsuchreferenceswouldbetoMary。
AccordinglyheresolvedassoonaspossibleinthemorningtogotoJob，andbeseechhissilence；hetrustedthatsecrecyinthatquarter，eveniftheknowledgehadbeenextendedtoMargaret，mightbeeasilysecured。ButwhatwouldbeMrCarsonscourse？WerethereanymeansbywhichhemightbepersuadedtospareJohnBarton’smemory？Hewasrousedupfromthistrainofthoughtbyhismother’smoreirritatedtoneofvoice。“Jem!“shewassaying，“thoumightstjustaswellneverbeatadeath-bedagain，ifthoucannotbringoffmorenewsaboutit；herehaveIbeenbymyselalldayexceptwhenoudJobcamein，butthinksI，whenJemcomeshe’llbesuretobegoodcompany，seeinghewasinthehouseattheverytimeofthedeath；andherethouart，withoutawordtothrowatadog，muchlessthymother；it’snousethygoingtoadeath-bedifthoucannotcarryawayanyofthesayings!““Hedidnotmakeany，mother，“repliedJem。“Welltobesure!Sofondasheusedtobeofholdingforth，tomisssuchafineopportunitythatwillnevercomeagain!Didhedieeasy？““Hewasveryrestlessallnightlong，“saidJem，reluctantlyreturningtothethoughtsofthattime。“Andincoursethoupluckedthepillowaway。Thoudidstnot!Well!withthybringingup，andthylearning，thoumightsthaveknownthatweretheonlyhelpinsuchacase。Therewerepigeons’feathersinthepillow，dependon’tTothinkoftwogrown-upfolklikeyouandMary，notknowingdeathcouldnevercomeeasytoapersonlyingonapillowwithpigeons’feathersin!“Jemwasgladtoescapefromallthistalkingtothesolitudeandquietofhisownroom，wherehecouldlieandthinkuninterruptedlyofwhathadhappenedandremainedtobedone。ThefirstthingwastoseekaninterviewwithMrDuncombe，hisformermaster。
Accordingly，earlythenextmorningJemsetoffonhiswalktotheworks，whereforsomanyyearshisdayshadbeenspent；whereforsolongatimehisthoughtshadbeenthought，hishopesandfearsexperienced。Itwasnotacheeringfeelingtorememberthathenceforwardhewastobeseveredfromallthesefamiliarlaces；norwerehisspiritsenlivenedbytheevidentfeelingsofthemajorityofthosewhohadbeenhisfellow-workmen。Ashestoodintheentrancetothefoundry，awaitingMrDuncombe’sleisure，manyofthoseemployedintheworkspassedhimontheirreturnfrombreakfast；
and，withoneortwoexceptions，withoutanyacknowledgmentofformeracquaintancebeyondadistantnodattheutmost。“Itishard，“saidJemtohimself，withabitterandindignantfeelingrisinginhisthroat，“thatletaman’slifehavebeenwhatitmay，folkaresoreadytocreditthefirstwordagainsthim。IcouldliveitdownifIstayedinEngland；butthenwhatwouldnotMaryhavetobear？Soonerorlaterthetruthwouldout；andthenshewouldbeashowtofolkformanyadayasJohnBarton’sdaughter。Well!Goddoesriotjudgeashardlyasman，that’sonecomfortforallofus!“MrDuncombedidnotbelieveinJem’sguilt，inspiteofthesilenceinwhichheagainthisdayheardtheimputationofit；butheagreedthatunderthecircumstancesitwasbetterheshouldleavethecountry。“Wehavebeenwrittentobygovernment，asIthinkItoldyoubefore，torecommendanintelligentman，wellacquaintedwithmechanics，asinstrumentmakertotheAgriculturalCollegetheyareestablishingatToronto，inCanada。Itisacomfortableappointment，——house，——land，——andagoodpercentageontheinstrumentsmade。IwillshowyoutheparticularsifIcanlaymyhandontheletter，whichIbelieveImusthaveleftathome。““Thankyou，sir。NoneedforseeingthelettertosayI’llacceptit。I
mustleaveManchester；andI’dasliefquitEnglandatoncewhenI’maboutit。““Ofcoursegovernmentgiveyouyourpassage；indeedIbelieveanallowancewouldbemadeforafamilyifyouhadone；butyouarenotamarriedman，Ibelieve？““No，sir，but——“Jemhungbackfromaconfessionwiththeawkwardnessofagirl。“But——“saidMrDuncombe，smiling，“youwouldliketobeamarriedmanbeforeyougo，suppose；eh，Wilson？““Ifyoulease，sir。Andthere’smymother，too。Ihopeshe’llgowithus。
ButIcanpayherpassage；noneedtotroublegovernment。““Nay，nay!I’llwriteto-dayandrecommendyou；andsaythatyouhaveafamilyoftwo。They’llneveraskifthefamilygoesupwardsordownwards。
Ishallseeyouagainbeforeyousail，Ihope，Wilson；thoughIbelievethey’llnotallowyoulongtowait。Cometomyhousenexttime；you’llfinditpleasanter，Idaresay。Thesemenaresowrong-headed。Keepupyourheart!“Jemfeltthatitwasarelieftohavethispointsettled；andthatheneednolongerweighreasonsforandagainsthisemigration。Andwithhispathgrowingclearerandclearerbeforehimthelongerhecontemplatedit，hewenttoseeMary，andifhejudgeditfit，totellherwhathehaddecidedupon。Margaretwassittingwithher。“Grandfatherwantstoseeyou!“saidshe，toJem，onhisentrance。“AndIwanttoseehim，“repliedJem，suddenlyrememberinghislastnight’sdeterminationtoenjoinsecrecyonJobLegh。SohehardlystayedtokisspoorMary’ssweetwoe-begoneface，buttorehimselfawayfromhisdarlingtogototheoldmanwhoawaitedhimimpatiently。“I’vegettenanotefromMrCarson，“exclaimedJob，themomenthesawJem；
“andman-alive，hewantstoseetheeandme!Forsure，there’snomoremischiefup，isthere？“saidhe，lookingatJemwithanexpressionofwonder。
ButifanysuspicionmingledforaninstantwiththethoughtsthatcrossedJob’smind，itwasimmediatelydispelledbyJem’shonest，fearless，opencountenance。“Ican’tguesswhathe’swanting，pooroldchap，answeredhe。“Maybethere’ssomepointhe’snotyetsatisfiedon；maybe——butit’snouseguessing；