backward。Haveyoumuchtodo？““Yes，Ionlygottheorderyesterdayatnoon；andthere’sthreegirlsbesidethemother；andwhatwithtryingonandmatchingthestufffortherewasnotenoughinthepiecetheychosefirst，I’maboveabitbehindhand。
I’vetheskirtsalltomake。Ikeptthatworktillcandlelight；andthesleeves，tosaynothingoflittlebitstothebodies；forthemissisisveryparticular，andIcouldscarcekeepfromsmilingwhiletheywerecryingso，reallytakingonsadlyI’msure，tohearfirstoneandthent’otherclearuptonoticethesitofhergown。Theyweren’ttobemisfits，Ipromiseyou，thoughtheywereinsuchtrouble。““Well，Margaret，you’rerightwelcome，asyouknow，andI’llsitdownandhelpyouwithpleasure，thoughIwastiredenoughofsewingto-nightatMissSimmonds’。“BythistimeMaryhadbrokenuptherakingcoal，andlightedhercandle；
andMargaretsettledherselftoherworkononesideofthetable，whileherfriendhurriedoverherteaattheother。Thethingswerethenliftedenmassetothedresser；anddustinghersideofthetablewiththeapronshealwaysworeathome，Marytookupsomebreadthsandbegantorunthemtogether。“Who’sitallfor，forifyoutoldmeI’veforgotten？““Why，forMrsOgdenaskeepsthegreengrocer’sshopinOxfordRoad。Herhusbanddrankhimselftodeath，andthoughshecriedoverhimandhiswaysallthetimehewasalive，she’sfrettedsadlyforhimnowhe’sdead。““Hashelefthermuchtogoupon？“askedMary，examiningthetextureofthedress。“Thisisbeautifullyfinesoftbombazine。““No，I’mmuchafeardthere’sbutlittle，andthere’sseveralyoungchildren，besidesthethreeMissOgdens。““Ishouldhavethoughtgirlslikethemwouldha’madetheirowngowns，“
observedMary。“SoIdaresaytheydo，manyaone，butnowtheyseemallsobusygettingreadyforthefuneral；forit’stobequiteagrandaffair，well-nightwentypeopletobreakfast，asoneofthelittleonestoldme；thelittlethingseemedtolikethefuss，andIdobelieveitcomfortedpoorMrsOgdentomakeallthepieceo’work。SuchasmellofhamboilingandfowlsroastingwhileIwaitedinthekitchen；itseemedmorelikeaweddingnorafuneral。
Theysaidshe’dspendamattero’sixtypoundonth’burial。““Ithoughtyousaidshewasbutbadlyoff，“saidMary。“Aye，Iknowshe’saskedforcreditatseveralplaces，sayingherhusbandlaidhandsoneveryfarthinghecouldgetfordrink。Butth’undertakersurgeheron，yousee，andtellherthisthing’susual，andthatthing’sonlyacommonmarkofrespect，andthateverybodyhast’otherthing，tillthepoorwomanhasnowillo’herown。Idaresay，too，herheartstrikesheritalwaysdoeswhenaperson’sgoneformanyawordandmanyaslightingdeedtohimwho’sstiffandcoldandshethinkstomakeupmatters，asitwere，byagrandfuneral，thoughsheandallherchildren，too，mayhavetopinchmanyayeartopaytheexpenses，ifevertheypaythematall。““Thismourning，too，willcostaprettypenny，“saidMary。“Ioftenwonderwhyfolkswearmourning；it’snotprettyorbecoming；anditcostsadealofmoneyjustwhenpeoplecanspareitleast；andifwhattheBibletellsusbetrue，weoughtnottobesorrywhenafriend，who’sbeengood，goestohisrest；andasforabadman，one’sgladenoughtogetshutonhim。
Icannotseewhatgoodcomesouto’wearingmourning。““I’lltellyouwhatIthinkthefancywassentfor。OldAlicecallseverything’sentfor，’andIbelieveshe’sright。Itdoesdogood，thoughnotasmuchasitcosts，thatIdobelieve，insettingpeopleasiscastdownbysorrowandfeelsthemselvesunabletosettletoanythingbutcrying
somethingtodo。WhynowItoldyouhowtheyweregrieving；for，perhaps，hewasakindhusbandandfather，inhisthoughtlessway，whenhewasn’tinliquor。ButtheycheeredupwonderfulwhileIwasthere，andIasked’emformoredirectionsthanusual，thattheymighthavesomethingtotalkoverandfixabout；andIleft’emmyfashion-bookthoughitweretwomonthsoldjustapurpose。““Idon’tthinkeveryonewouldgrieveathatway。OldAlicewouldn’t。““OldAliceisoneinathousand。Idoubt，too，ifshewouldfretmuch，howeversorryshemightbe。Shewouldsayitweresent，andfalltotryingtofindoutwhatgooditweretodo。Everysorrowinhermindissentforgood。DidIevertellyou，Mary，whatshesaidonedaywhenshefoundmetakingonaboutsomething？““No；dotellme。Whatwereyoufrettingabout，firstplace？““Ican’ttellyou，justnow；perhapsImaysometime。““When？““Perhapsthisveryevening，ifitrisesinmyheart；perhapsnever。It’safearthatsometimesIcan’tabidetothinkabout，andsometimesIdon’tliketothinkonanythingelse。Well，Iwasfrettingaboutthisfear，andAlicecomesinforsomething，andfindsmecrying。IwouldnottellhernomorethanIwouldyou，Mary；soshesays，’Well，dear，youmustmindthis，whenyou’regoingtofretandbelowaboutanything——Ananxiousmindisneveraholymind。’Oh，Mary，Ihavesooftencheckedmygrumblingsin’shesaidthat“Thewearysoundofstitchingwastheonlysoundheardforalittlewhile，tillMaryinquired，“Doyouexpecttogetpaidforthismourning？““Why，IdonotmuchthinkIshall。I’vethoughtitoveronceortwice，andImeantobringmyselftothinkIshan’t，andtoliketodoitasmybittowardscomfortingthem。Idon’tthinktheycanpay，andyetthey’rejustthesortoffolktohavetheirmindseasierforwearingmourning。
There’sonlyonethingIdislikemakingblackfor，itdoessohurttheeyes。Margaretputdownherworkwithasigh，andshadedhereyes。Thensheassumedacheerfultone，andsaid，“You’llnothavetowaitlong，Mary，formysecret’sonthetipofmytongue。
Mary，doyouknowIsometimesthinkI’mgrowingalittleblind，andthenwhatwouldbecomeofgrandfatherandme？Oh，Godhelpme，Lordhelpme!“Shefellintoanagonyoftears，whileMarykneltbyher，strivingtosootheandtocomforther；but，likeaninexperiencedperson，strivingrathertodenythecorrectnessofMargaret’sfear，thanhelpinghertomeetandovercometheevil。“No，“saidMargaret，quietlyfixinghertearfuleyesonMary；“IknowI’mnotmistaken。Ihavefeltonegoingsometime，longbeforeIeverthoughtwhatitwouldleadto；andlastautumnIwenttoadoctor；andhedidnotmincethematter，butsaidunlessIsatinadarkenedroom，withmyhandsbeforeme，mysightwouldnotlastmemanyyearslonger。ButhowcouldIdothat，Mary？Foronething，grandfatherwouldhaveknowntherewassomewhatthematter；and，oh!itwillgrievehimsorewheneverhe’stold，sothelaterthebetter；andbesides，Mary，we’vesometimeslittleenoughtogoupon，andwhatIearnisagreathelp。Forgrandfathertakesadayhere，andadaythere，forbotanizingorgoingafterinsects，andhe’llthinklittleenoughoffourorfiveshillingsforaspecimen；deargrandfather!
andI’msoloathtothinkheshouldbestintedofwhatgiveshimsuchpleasure。
SoIwenttoanotherdoctortotryandgethimtosaysomethingdifferent，andhesaid，’Oh，itwasonlyweakness，’andgivedmeabottleoflotion；
butI’veusedthreebottlesandeachof’emcosttwoshillings，andmyeyeissomuchworse，nothurtingsomuch，butIcan’tseeabitwithit。
Therenow，Mary，“continuedshe，shuttingoneeye，“nowyouonlylooklikeagreatblackshadow，withtheedgesdancingandsparkling。““Andcanyouseeprettywellwithth’other？““Yes，prettynearaswellasever。Th’onlydifferenceis，thatifIsewalongtimetogether，abrightspotliketh’suncomesrightwhereI’mlooking；alltherestisquiteclearbutjustwhereIwanttosee。I’vebeentobothdoctorsagain，andnowthey’rebotho’thesamestory；andIsupposeI’mgoingdarkasfastasmaybe。Plainworkpayssobad，andmourninghasbeensoplentifulthiswinter，thatIweretemptedtotakeinanyblackworkIcould；andnowI’msufferingfromit。““Andyet，Margaret，you’regoingontakingitin；that’swhatyou’dcallfoolishinanother。““Itis，Mary!andyetwhatcanIdo？Folkmunlive；andIthinkIshouldgoblindanyway，andIdarn’ttellgrandfather，elseIwouldleaveitoff；buthewillsofret。“Margaretrockedherselfbackwardandforwardtostillheremotion。“Oh，Mary!“shesaid，“Itrytogethisfaceoffbyheart，andIstareathimsowhenhe’snotlooking，andthenshutmyeyestoseeifIcanrememberhisdearface。There’sonething，Mary，thatservesabittocomfortme。You’llhaveheardofoldJacobButter-worth，thesingingweaver？Well，Iknow’dhimabit，soIwenttohim，andsaidhowIwishedhe’dteachmetherightwayo’singing；andhesaysI’veararefinevoice，andI
goonceaweek，andtakealessonfra’him。He’sbeenagrandsingerinhisday。He’sledth’chorusesattheFestivals，andgotthankedmanyatimebyLondonfolk；andoneforeignsinger，MadameCatalani，turnedroundandshookhimbyth’handbeforetheOudChurchfullo’people。HesaysImaygaineversomuchmoneybysinging；butIdon’tknow。Anyrate，it’ssadwork，beingblind。“Shetookuphersewing，Rayinghereyeswererestednow，andforsometimetheysewedoninsilence。Suddenlytherewerestepsheardinthelittlepavedcourt；personafterpersonranpastthecurtainedwindow。“Something’sup，“saidMary。Shewenttothedoor，andstoppingthefirstpersonshesaw，inquiredthecauseofthecommotion。“Eh，wench!donnayeseethefire-light？Carsons’millisblazingawaylikefun；“andawayherinformantran。“Come，Margaret，onwi’yourbonnet，andlet’sgotoseeCarsons’mill；
it’safire，andtheysayaburningmillissuchagrandsight。Ineversawone。“Well，Ithinkit’safearfulsight。Besides，I’veallthisworktodo。“ButMarycoaxedinhersweetmanner，andwithhergentlecaresses，promisingtohelpwiththegownsallnightlongifnecessary，nay，sayingsheshouldquiteenjoyit。Thetruthwas，Margaret’ssecretweighedheavilyandpainfullyonhermind，andshefeltherinabilitytocomfort；besides，shewantedtochangethecurrentofMargaret’sthoughts；andinadditiontotheseunselfishfeelings，camethedesireshehadhonestlyexpressed，ofseeingafactoryonfire。Sointwominutestheywereready。AtthethresholdofthehousetheymetJohnBarton，towhomtheytoldtheirerrand。“Carsons’mill!Aye，thereisamillonfiresomewhere，sureenoughbythelight，anditwillbearareblaze，forthere’snotadropo’watertobegot。AndmuchCarsonswillcare，forthey’rewellinsured，andthemachinesarea’th’oud-fashionedkind。Seeiftheydon’tthinkitafinethingforthemselves。They’llnotthankthemastriestoputitout。“Hegavefortheimpatientgirlstopass。Guidedbytheruddylightmorethanbyanyexactknowledgeofthestreetsthatledtothemill，theyscamperedalongwithbentheads，facingtheterribleeastwindasbesttheymight。Carsons’millranlengthwaysfromeasttowest。AlongitwentoneoftheoldestthoroughfaresinManchester。Indeed，allthatpartofthetownwascomparativelyold；itwastherethatthefirstcottonmillswerebuilt，andthecrowdedalleysandbackstreetsoftheneighbourhoodmadeafirethereparticularlytobedreaded。Thestaircaseofthemillascendedfromtheentranceatthewesternend，whichfacedintoawide，dingy-lookingstreet，consistingprincipallyofpublic-houses，pawnbrokers’shops，ragandbonewarehouses，anddirtyprovisionshopsTheother，theeastendofthefactory，frontedintoaverynarrowbackstreet，nottwentyfeetwide，andmiserablylightedandpaved。Rightagainstthisendofthefactorywerethegableendsofthelasthouseintheprincipalstreet——ahousewhichfromitssize，itshandsomestonefacings，andtheattemptatornamentinthefront，hadprobablybeenonceagentleman’shouse；butnowthelightwhichstreamedfromitsenlargedfrontwindowsmadecleartheinteriorofthesplendidlyfitted-uproom，withitspaintedwalls，itspillaredrecesses，itsgildedandgorgeousfittings-up，itsmiserablesqualidinmates。