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。
Butpartwasherfather’sindulgence，forhelefther，withfulltrustinherunusualsenseandspirit，tochooseherownassociates，andherowntimesforseeingthem。Withallthis，Maryhadnotherfather’sconfidenceinthematterswhichnowbegantooccupyhim，heartandsoul；shewasawarethathehadjoinedclubs，andbecomeanactivememberofatrades’union，butitwashardlylikelythatagirlofMary’sageevenwhentwoorthreeyearshadelapsedsincehermother’sdeathshouldcaremuchforthedifferencesbetweentheemployersandtheemployed，——aneternalsubjectforagitationinthemanufacturingdistricts，which，howeveritmaybelulledforatime，issuretobreakforthagainwithfreshviolenceatanydepressionoftrade，showingthatinitsapparentquiet，theasheshadstillsmoulderedinthebreastsofafew。AmongthesefewwasJohnBarton。Atalltimesitisabewilderingthingtothepoorweavertoseehisemployerremovingfromhousetohouse，eachonegranderthanthelast，tillheendsinbuildingonemoremagnificentthanall，orwithdrawshismoneyfromtheconcern，orsellshismill，tobuyanestateinthecountry，whileallthetimetheweaver，whothinksheandhisfellowsaretherealmakersofthiswealth，isstrugglingonforbreadforhischildren，throughthevicissitudesofloweredwages，shorthours，fewerhandsemployed，etc。Andwhenheknowstradeisbad，andcouldunderstandatleastpartiallythattherearenotbuyersenoughinthemarkettopurchasethegoodsalreadymade，andconsequentlythatthereisnodemandformore；whenhewouldbearandenduremuchwithoutcomplaining，couldhealsoseethathisemployerswerebearingtheirshare；
heis，Isay，bewilderedandtousehisownword“aggravated“toseethatallgoesonjustasusualwiththemill-owners。Largehousesarestilloccupied，whilespinners’andweavers’cottagesstandempty，becausethefamiliesthatoncefilledthemareobligedtoliveinroomsorcellars。
Carriagesstillrollalongthestreets，concertsarestillcrowdedbysubscribers，theshopsforexpensiveluxuriesstillfinddailycustomers，whiletheworkmanloitersawayhisunemployedtimeinwatchingthesethings，andthinkingofthepale，uncomplainingwifeathome，andthewailingchildrenaskinginvainforenoughoffood，——ofthesinkinghealth，ofthedyinglifeofthosenearanddeartohim。Thecontrastistoogreat。Whyshouldhealonesufferfrombadtimes？Iknowthatthisisnotreallythecase；andIknowwhatisthetruthinsuchmatters：butwhatIwishtoimpressiswhattheworkmanfeelsandthinks。True，thatwithchild-likeimprovidence，goodtimeswilloftendissipatehisgrumbling，andmakehimforgetallprudenceandforesight。Butthereareearnestmenamongthesepeople，menwhohaveenduredwrongswithoutcomplaining，butwithouteverforgettingorforgivingthosewhotheybelievehavecausedallthiswoe。AmongthesewasJohnBarton。Hisparentshadsuffered；hismotherhaddiedfromabsolutewantofthenecessariesoflife。Hehimselfwasagood，steadyworkman，and，assuch，prettycertainofsteadyemployment。Buthespentallhegotwiththeconfidenceyoumayalsocallitimprovidenceofonewhowaswilling，andbelievedhimselfable，tosupplyallhiswantsbyhisownexertions。Andwhenhismastersuddenlyfailed，andallhandsinthemillwereturnedback，oneTuesdaymorning，withthenewsthatMrHunterhadstopped，Bartonhadonlyafewshillingstorelyon；buthehadgoodheartofbeingemployedatsomeothermill，andaccordingly，beforereturninghome，hespentsomehoursingoingfromfactorytofactory，askingforwork。Butateverymillwassomesignofdepressionoftrade；somewereworkingshorthours，somewereturningoffhands，andforweeksBartonwasoutofwork，livingoncredit。Itwasduringthistimethathislittleson，theappleofhiseye，thecynosureofallhisstrongpoweroflove，fellillofthescarletfever。Theydraggedhimthroughthecrisis，buthislifehungonagossamerthread。Everything，thedoctorsaid，dependedongoodnourishment，ongenerousliving，tokeepupthelittlefellow’sstrength，intheprostrationinwhichthefeverhadlefthim。Mockingwords!
whenthecommonestfoodinthehousewouldnotfurnishonelittlemeal。
Bartontriedcredit；butitwaswornoutatthelittleprovisionshops，whichwerenowsufferingintheirturn。Hethoughtitwouldbenosintosteal，andwouldhavestolen；buthecouldnotgettheopportunityinthefewdaysthechildlingered。Hungryhimself，almosttoananimalpitchofravenousness，butwiththebodilypainswallowedupinanxietyforhislittlesinkinglad，hestoodatoneoftheshopwindowswherealledibleluxuriesaredisplayed；haunchesofvenison，Stiltoncheeses，mouldsofjelly——allappetisingsightstothecommonpasser-by。AndoutofthisshopcameMrsHunter!Shecrossedtohercarriage，followedbytheshopmanloadedwithpurchasesforaparty。Thedoorwasquicklyslammedto，andshedroveaway；andBartonreturnedhomewithabitterspiritofwrathinhisheart，toseehisonlyboyacorpse!Youcanfancy，now，thehoardsofvengeanceinhisheartagainsttheemployers。
Forthereareneverwantingthosewho，eitherinspeechorinprint，findittheirinteresttocherishsuchfeelingsintheworkingclasses；whoknowhowandwhentorousethedangerouspowerattheircommand；andwhousetheirknowledgewithunrelentingpurposetoeitherparty。SowhileMarytookherownway，growingmorespiritedeveryday，andgrowinginherbeautytoo，herfatherwaschairmanatmanyatradesunionmeeting，afriendofdelegates，andambitiousofbeingadelegatehimself；aChartist；
andreadytodoanythingforhisorder。Butnowtimesweregood；andallthesefeelingsweretheoretical，notpractical。
HismostpracticalthoughtwasgettingMaryapprenticedtoadress-maker；
forhehadneverleftoffdislikingafactorylifeforagirl，onmoreaccountsthanone。Marymustdosomething。Thefactoriesbeing，asIsaid，outofthequestion，thereweretwothingsopen——goingouttoservice，andthedressmakingbusiness；
andagainstthefirstofthese，Marysetherselfwithalltheforceofherstrongwill。Whatthatwillmighthavebeenabletoachievehadherfatherbeenagainsther，Icannottell；buthedislikedtheideaofpartingwithher，whowasthelightofhishearththevoiceofhisotherwisesilenthome。Besides，withhisideasandfeelingstowardsthehigherclasses，heconsidereddomesticservitudeasaspeciesofslavery；apamperingofartificialwantsontheoneside，agiving-upofeveryrightofleisurebydayandquietrestbynightontheother。Howfarhisstrongexaggeratedfeelingshadanyfoundationintruth，itisforyoutojudge。IamafraidthatMary’sdeterminationnottogotoservicearosefromfarlesssensiblethoughtsonthesubjectthanherfather’s。Threeyearsofindependenceofactionsincehermother’sdeathsuchatimehadnowelapsedhadlittleinclinedhertosubmittorulesastohoursandassociates，toregulateherdressbyamistress’sideasofpropriety，toLosethedearfeminineprivilegesofgossipingwithamerryneighbour，andworkingnightanddaytohelponewhowassorrowful。Besidesallthis，thesayingsofherabsent，themysteriousauntEsther，hadanacknowledgedinfluenceoverMary。Sheknewshewasverypretty；thefactorypeopleastheypouredfromthemills，andintheirfreedomtoldthetruthwhateveritmightbetoeverypasser-by，hadearlyetMaryintothesecretofherbeauty。Iftheirremarkshadfallenonanunheedingear，therewerealwaysyoungmenenough，inadifferentrankfromherown，whowerewillingtocomplimenttheprettyweaver’sdaughterastheymetherinthestreets。Besides，trustagirlofsixteenforknowingitwellifsheispretty；concerningherplainnessshemaybeignorant。