Aboveall，tradewasveryslack；cottonscouldfindnomarket，andgoodslaypackedandpiledinmanyawarehouse。Themillsweremerelyworkedtokeepthemachinery，humanandmetal，insomekindoforderandreadinessforbettertimes。Sothiswasanexcellentopportunity，MessrsCarsonthought，forrefittingtheirfactorywithfirst-rateimprovements，forwhichtheinsurance-moneywouldamplypay。Theywereinnohurryaboutthebusiness，however。Theweeklydrainofwagesgivenforlabour，uselessinthepresentstateofthemarket，wasstopped。Thepartnershadmoreleisurethantheyhadknownforears；andpromisedwivesanddaughtersallmannerofpleasantexcursions，assoonastheweathershouldbecomemoregenial。Itwasapleasantthingtobeabletoloungeoverbreakfastwithareviewornewspaperinhand；tohavetimeforbecomingacquaintedwithagreeableandaccomplisheddaughters，onwhoseeducationnomoneyhadbeenspared，butwhosefathers，shutupduringalongdaywithcalicoesandaccounts，hadsoseldomhadleisuretoenjoytheirdaughters’talents。Therewerehappyfamilyevenings，nowthatthemenofbusinesshadtimefordomesticenjoyments。Thereisanothersidetothepicture。TherewerehomesoverwhichCarsons’firethrewadeep，terriblegloom；thehomesofthosewhowouldfainwork，andnomangaveuntothem——thehomesofthosetowhomleisurewasacurse。
There，thefamilymusicwasangrywails，whenweekafterweekpassedby，andtherewasnoworktobehad，andconsequentlynowagestopayforthebreadthechildrencriedaloudforintheiryoungimpatienceofsuffering。
Therewasnobreakfasttoloungeover；theirloungewastakeninbed，totryandkeepwarmthinthemthatbitterMarchweather，and，bybeingquiet，todeadenthegnawingwolfwithin。Manyapennythatwouldhavegonelittlewayenough’n。oatmealorpotatoes，boughtopiumtostillthehungrylittleones，andmakethemforgettheiruneasinessinheavytroubledsleep。itwasmother’smercy。Theevilandthegoodofournaturecameoutstronglythen。Thereweredesperatefathers；therewerebitter-tonguedmothersOhGod!whatwonder!；therewererecklesschildren；theveryclosestbondsofnatureweresnaptinthattimeoftrialanddistress。TherewasFaithsuchastherichcanneverimagineonearth；therewas“Lovestrongasdeath“；and，self-denial，amongrude，coarsemen，akintothatofSirPhilipSidney’smostgloriousdeed。Thevicesofthepoorsometimesastoundushere；butwhenthesecretsofallheartsshallbemadeknown，theirvirtueswillastoundusinfargreaterdegree。OfthisIamcertain。Asthecold，bleakspringcameonspring，innamealone，andconsequentlyastradecontinueddead，othermillsshortenedhours，turnedoffhands，andfinallystoppedworkaltogether。Bartonworkedshorthours；Wilson，ofcourse，beingahandinCarsons’
factory，hadnoworkatall。Buthisson，workingatanengineer’s，andasteadyman，obtainedwagesenoughtomaintainallthefamilyinacarefulway。StillitpreyedonWilson’smindtobesolongindebtedtohisson。
Hewasoutofspiritsanddepressed。Bartonwasmorose，andsouredtowardsmankindasabody，andtherichinparticular。Oneevening，whentheclearlightatsixo’clockcontrastedstrangelywiththeChristmascold，andwhenthebitterwindpipeddowneveryentry，andthrougheverycranny，Bartonsatbroodingoverhisstintedfire，andlisteningforMary’sstep，inunacknowledgedtrustthatherpresencewouldcheerhim。Thedoorwasopened，andWilsoncamebreathlessin。“You’venotgotabito’moneybyyou，Barton？“askedhe。“NotI；whohasnow，I’dliketoknow。Whattenyouwantitfor？““Idonnotwantitformysel’，tho’we’venonetospare。ButdonyouknowBenDavenportasworkedatCarsons’？He’sdownwi’thefever，andne’erasticko’firenoracowdpotatointhehouse。““Ihangotnomoney，Itellye，“saidBarton。Wilsonlookeddisappointed。
Bartontriednottobeinterested，buthecouldnothelpitinspiteofhisgruffness。Herose，andwenttothecupboardhiswife’spridelongago。Therelaytheremainsofhisdinner，hastilyputbyreadyforsupper。
Bread，andasliceofcoldfatboiledbacon。Hewrappedtheminhishandkerchief，puttheminthecrownofhishatandsaid——“Come，let’sbegoing。““Going——artthougoingtoworkthistimeo’day？““Nostupid，tobesurenot。Goingtoseethefellowthouspokeon。“Sotheyputontheirhatsandsetout。OnthewayWilsonsaidDavenportwasagoodfellow，thoughtoomuchoftheMethodee；thathischildrenweretooyoungtowork，butnottooyoungtobecoldandhungry；thattheyhadsunklowerandlower，andpawnedthingafterthing，andthattheynowlivedinacellarinBerryStreet，offShoreStreet。Bartongrowledinarticulatewordsofnobenevolentimporttoalargeclassofmankind，andsotheywentalongtilltheyarrivedinBerryStreet。Itwasunpaved；anddownthemiddleagutterforceditsway，everynowandthenformingpoolsintheholeswithwhichthestreetabounded。NeverwastheoldEdinburghcryof“Gardezl’eau!“morenecessarythaninthisstreet。Astheypassed，womenfromtheirdoorstossedhouseholdslopsofeverydescriptionintothegutter；theyranintothenextpool，whichover-flowedandstagnated。
Heapsofasheswerethestepping-stones，onwhichthepasser-by，whocaredintheleastforcleanliness，tookcarenottoputhisfoot。Ourfriendswerenotdainty，buteventheypickedtheirway，tilltheygottosomestepsleadingdownintoasmallarea，whereapersonstandingwouldhavehisheadaboutonefootbelowthelevelofthestreet，andmightatthesametime，withouttheleastmotionofhisbody，touchthewindowofthecellarandthedampmuddywallrightopposite。Youwentdownonestepevenfromthefoulareaintothecellarinwhichafamilyofhumanbeingslived。
Itwasverydarkinside。Thewindow-panesweremanyofthembrokenandstuffedwithrags，whichwasreasonenoughfortheduskylightthatpervadedtheplaceevenatmid-day。AftertheaccountIhavegivenofthestateofthestreet，noonecanbesurprisedthatongoingintothecellarinhabitedbyDavenport，thesmellwassofetidasalmosttoknockthetwomendown。
Quicklyrecoveringthemselves，asthoseinuredtosuchthingsdo，theybegantopenetratethethickdarknessoftheplace，andtoseethreeorfourlittlechildrenrollingonthedamp，naywet，brickfloor，throughwhichthestagnant，filthymoistureofthestreetoozedup；thefireplacewasemptyandblack；thewifesatonherhusband’slair，andcriedinthedankloneliness。“See，missis，I’mbackagain——Holdyournoise，children，anddon’tmitheryourmammyforbread；here’sachapashasgotsomeforyou。“Inthatdimlight，whichwasdarknesstostrangers，theyclusteredroundBarton，andtorefromhimthefoodhehadbroughtwithhim。Itwasalargehunchofbread，butitvanishedinaninstant。“Wemundosummutfor’em，“saidhe，toWilson。“Yostophere，andI’llbebackinhalf-an-hour。“Sohestrode，andran，andhurriedhome。Heemptiedintotheever-usefulpockethandkerchiefthelittlemealremaininginthemug。MarywouldhaveherteaatMissSimmonds’；herfoodforthedaywassafe。Thenhewentupstairsforhisbettercoat，andhisone，gayred-and-yellowsilkpockethandkerchief——hisjewels，hisplate，hisvaluablesthesewere。Hewenttothepawnshop；hepawnedthemforfiveshillings；hestoppednot，norstayed，tillhewasoncemoreinLondonRoad，withinfiveminutes’walkofBerryStreet——thenheloiteredinhisgait，inordertodiscovertheshopshewanted。Heboughtmeat，andaloafofbread，candles，chips，andfromalittleretailyardhepurchasedacoupleofhundredweightsofcoal。
Somemoneystillremained——alldestinedforthem，buthedidnotyetknowhowbesttospendit。Food，light，andwarmth，hehadinstantlyseenwerenecessary；forluxurieshewouldwait。Wilson’seyesfilledwithtearswhenhesawBartonenterwithhispurchases。Heunderstooditall，andlongedtobeoncemoreinworkthathemighthelpinsomeofthesematerialways，withoutfeelingthathewasusinghisson’smoney。Butthough“silverandgoldhehadnone，“hegaveheart-service，andlove-worksoffarmorevalue。NorwasJohnBartonbehindinthese。“Thefever“wasasitusuallyisinManchesterofalow，putrid，typhoidkind；broughtonbymiserableliving，filthyneighbourhood，andgreatdepressionofmindandbody。Itisvirulent，malignant，andhighlyinfectious。Butthepoorarefatalistswithregardtoinfection；andwellforthemitisso，forintheircrowdeddwellingsnoinvalidcanbeisolated。WilsonaskedBartonifhethoughtheshouldcatchit，andwaslaughedatforhisidea。Thetwomen，rough，tendernursesastheywere，lightedthefire，whichsmokedandpuffedintotheroomasifitdidnotknowthewayupthedamp，unusedchimney。Theverysmokeseemedpurifyingandhealthyinthethickclammyair。Thechildrenclamouredagainforbread；butthistimeBartontookapiecefirsttothepoor，helpless，hopelesswoman，whostillsatbythesideofherhusband，listeningtohisanxiousmiserablemutterings。
Shetookthebread，whenitwasputintoherhand，andbrokeabit，butcouldnoteat。Shewaspasthunger。Shefelldownonthefloorwithaheavyunresistingbang。Themenlookedpuzzled。“She’swell-nighclemmed，“saidBarton。“Folkdosayonemustn’tgiveclemmedpeoplemuchtoeat，butblessus，she’lleatnought。““I’lltellyouwhatI’lldo，“saidWilson。“I’lltakethesetwobiglads，asdoesnoughtbutfight，hometomymissis’sforto-night，andI’llgetajugo’tea。Themwomenalwaysdoesbestwithtea，andsuch-likeslop。SoBartonwasnowleftalonewithalittlechild，cryingwhenithaddoneeatingformammy；withafainting，dead-likewoman；andwiththesickman，whosemutteringswererisinguptoscreamsandshrieksofagonizedanxiety。Hecarriedthewomantothefire，andchafedherhands。Helookedaroundforsomethingtoraiseherhead。Therewasliterallynothingbutsomeloosebricks。However，thosehegot；andtakingoffhiscoathecoveredthemwithitaswellashecould。Hepulledherfeettothefire，whichnowbegantoemitsomefaintheat。Helookedroundforwater，butthepoorwomanhadbeentooweaktodragherselfouttothedistantpump，andwatertherewasnone。Hesnatchedthechild，andranupthearea-stepstotheroomabove，andborrowedtheironlysaucepanwithsomewaterinit。Thenhebegan，withtheusefulskillofaworking-man，tomakesomegruel；andwhenitwashastilymade，heseizedabatteredirontable-spoonkeptwhenmanyotherlittlethingshadbeensoldinalot，inordertofeedbaby，andwithitheforcedoneortwodropsbetweenherclenchedteeth。Themouthopenedmechanicallytoreceivemore，andgraduallysherevived。Shesatupandlookedround；andrecollectingall，felldownagaininweakandpassivedespair。Herlittlechildcrawledtoher，andwipedwithitsfingersthethick-comingtearswhichshenowhadstrengthtoweep。Itwasnowhightimetoattendtotheman。Helayonstraw，sodampandmouldynodogwouldhavechosenitinpreferencetoflags；overitwasapieceofsacking，comingnexttohiswornskeletonofabody；abovehimwasmusteredeveryarticleofclothingthatcouldbesparedbymotherorchildrenthisbitterweather；andinadditiontohisown，thesemighthavegivenasmuchwarmthasoneblanket，couldtheyhavebeenkeptonhim；butasherestlesslytossedtoandfro，theyfelloffandlefthimshiveringinspiteoftheburningheatofhisskin。Everynowandthenbestartedupinhisnakedmadness，lookingliketheprophetofwoeinthefearfulplague-picture；
buthesoonfellagaininexhaustion，andBartonfoundhemustbecloselywatched，lestinthesefallsheshouldinjurehimselfagainstthebardbrickfloor。HewasthankfulwhenWilsonre-appeared，carryinginbothhandsajugofsteamingtea，intendedforthepoorwife；butwhenthedelirioushusbandsawdrink，hesnatchedatitwithanimalinstinct，withaselfishnesshehadnevershowninhealth。Thenthetwomenconsultedtogether。Itseemeddecided，withoutawordbeingspokenonthesubject，thatbothshouldspendthenightwiththeforlorncouple；thatwassettled。Butcouldnodoctorbehad？Inallprobability，no；thenextdayaninfirmaryordermustbebegged，butmeanwhiletheonlymedicaladvicetheycouldhavemustbefromadruggist’s。SoBartonbeingthemoneyedmansetouttofindashopinLondonRoad。Itisaprettysighttowalkthroughastreetwithlightedshops；thegasissobrilliant，thedisplayofgoodssomuchmorevividlyshownthanbyday，andofallshopsadruggist’slooksthemostlikethetalesofourchildhood，fromAladdin’sgardenofenchantedfruitstothecharmingRosamondwithherpurplejar。NosuchassociationshadBarton；yethefeltthecontrastbetweenthewell-filled，well-lightedshopsandthedimgloomycellar，anditmadehimmoodythatsuchcontrastsshouldexist。Theyarethemysteriousproblemoflifetomorethanhim。Hewonderedifanyinallthehurryingcrowdhadcomefromsuchahouseofmourning。Hethoughttheyalllookedjoyous，andhewasangrywiththem。Buthecouldnot，youcannot，readthelotofthosewhodailypassyoubyinthestreet。Howdoyouknowthewildromancesoftheirlives；thetrials，thetemptationstheyareevennowenduring，resisting，sinkingunder？Youmaybeelbowedoneinstantbythegirldesperateinherabandonment，laughinginmadmerrimentwithheroutwardgesture，whilehersoulislongingfortherestofthedead，andbringingitselftothinkofthecold-flowingriverastheonlymercyofGodremainingtoherhere。Youmaypassthecriminal，meditatingcrimesatwhichyouwillto-morrowshudderwithhorrorasyoureadthem。
Youmaypushagainstone，humbleandunnoticed，thelastuponearth，whoinheavenwillforeverbeintheimmediatelightofGod’scountenance。