anditwastobedonespeedily。Whywerethemastersofferingsuchlowwagesunderthesecircumstances？Shameuponthem!Itwastakingadvantageoftheirworkpeoplebeingalmoststarved；buttheywouldstarveentirelyratherthancomeintosuchterms。Itwasbadenoughtobepoor，whilebythelabouroftheirthinhands，thesweatoftheirbrows，themastersweremaderich；buttheywouldnotbeutterlygrounddowntodust。No!theywouldfoldtheirhandsandsitidle，andsmileatthemasters，whomevenindeaththeycouldbaffle。WithSpartanendurancetheydeterminedtolettheemployersknowtheirpower，byrefusingtowork。Soclassdistrustedclass，andtheirwantofmutualconfidencewroughtsorrowtoboth。Themasterswouldnotbebullied，andcompelledtorevealwhytheyfeltitwisestandbesttoofferonlysuchlowwages；theywouldnotbemadetotellthattheywereevensacrificingcapitaltoobtainadecisivevictoryoverthecontinentalmanufacturers。Andtheworkmensatsilentandsternwithfoldedhandsrefusingtoworkforsuchpay。TherewasastrikeinManchester。Ofcourseitwassucceededbytheusualconsequences。ManyotherTrades’
Unions，connectedwithdifferentbranchesofbusiness，supportedwithmoney，countenance，andencouragementofeverykind，thestandwhichtheManchesterpower-loomweaversweremakingagainsttheirmasters。DelegatesfromGlasgow，fromNottingham，andothertowns，weresenttoManchester，tokeepupthespiritofresistance；acommitteewasformed，andalltherequisiteofficerselected；chairman，treasurer，honorarysecretary：——amongthemwasJohnBarton。Themasters，meanwhile，tooktheirmeasures。Theyplacardedthewallswithadvertisementsforpower-loomweavers。Theworkmenrepliedbyaplacardinstilllargerletters，statingtheirgrievances。Themastersmetdailyintown，tomournoverthetimesofastslippingawayforthefulfilmentoftheforeignorders；andtostrengtheneachotherintheirresolutionnottoyield。Iftheygaveupnow，theymightgiveupalways。Itwouldneverdo。Andamongstthemostenergeticofthemasters，theCarsons，fatherandson，tooktheirplaces。Itiswellknown，thatthereisnoreligionistsozealousasaconvert；nomasterssostern，andregardlessoftheinterestsoftheirworkpeople，asthosewhohaverisenfromsuchastationthemselves。
ThiswouldaccountfortheelderMrCarson’sdeterminationnottobebulliedintoyielding；noteventobebulliedintogivingreasonsforactingasthemastersdid。Itwastheemployers’will，andthatshouldbeenoughfortheemployed。HarryCarsondidnottroublehimselfmuchaboutthegroundsforhisconduct。Helikedtheexcitementoftheaffair。Helikedtheattitudeofresistance。Hewasbrave，andhelikedtheideaofpersonaldanger，withwhichsomeofthemorecautioustriedtointimidatetheviolentamongthemasters。Meanwhile，thepower-loomweaverslivinginthemoreremotepartsofLancashire，andtheneighbouringcounties，heardofthemasters’advertisementsforworkmen；andintheirsolitarydwellingsgrewwearyofstarvation，andresolvedtocometoManchester。Foot-sore，way-worn，half-starvedlookingmentheywere，astheytriedtostealintotownintheearlydawn，beforepeoplewereastir，orintheduskoftheevening。Andnowbegantherealwrong-doingoftheTrades’Unions。Astotheirdecisiontowork，ornot，atsuchaparticularrateofwages，thatwaseitherwiseorunwise；allerrorofjudgementattheworst。Buttheyhadnorighttotyrannizeoverothers，andtiethemdowntotheirownProcrusteanbed。Abhorringwhattheyconsideredoppressioninthemasters，whydidtheyoppressothers？
Because，whenmengetexcited，theyknownotwhattheydo。Judge，then，withsomethingofthemercyoftheHolyOne，whomwealllove。Inspiteofpolicemen，settowatchoverthesafetyofthepoorcountryweavers——inspiteofmagistrates，andprisons，andseverepunishments——thepoordepressedmentrampinginfromBurnley，Padiham，andotherplaces，toworkatthecondemned“StarvationPrices，“werewaylaid，andbeaten，andleftalmostfordeadbytheroad-side。Thepolicebrokeupeveryloungingknotofmen：——theyseparatedquietly，toreunitehalf-a-milefurtheroutoftown。Ofcoursethefeelingbetweenthemastersandworkmendidnotimproveunderthesecircumstances。Combinationisauawfulpower。Itisliketheequallymightyagencyofsteam；capableofalmostunlimitedgoodorevil。Buttoobtainablessingonitslabours，itmustworkunderthedirectionofahighandintelligentwill；incapableofbeingmisledbypassionorexcitement。Thewilloftheoperativeshadnotbeenguidedtothecalmnessofwisdom。Somuchforgeneralities。Letusnowreturntoindividuals。Anote，respectfullyworded，althoughitstoneofdeterminationwasstrong，hadbeensentbythepower-loomweavers，requestingthata“deputation“
ofthemmighthaveameetingwiththemasters，tostatetheconditionstheymusthavefulfilledbeforetheywouldendtheturn-out。Theythoughttheyhadattainedasufficientlycommandingpositiontodictate。JohnBartonwasappointedoneofthedeputation。Themastersagreedtothismeeting，beinganxioustoendthestrife，althoughundeterminedamongthemselveshowfartheyshouldyield，orwhethertheyshouldyieldatall。Someoftheold，whoseexperiencehadtaughtthemsympathy，wereforconcession。Others，white-headedmentoo，badonlylearnthardnessandobstinacy。fromthedaysoftheyearsoftheirlives，andsneeredatthemoregentleandyielding。Theyoungermenwereoneandallforanunflinchingresistancetoclaimsurgedwithsomuchviolence。OfthispartyHarryCarsonwastheleader。Butlikeallenergeticpeople，themorehehadtodothemoretimeheseemedtofind。Withallhisletter-writing，hiscalling，hisbeingpresentattheNewBaileywheninvestigationsofanycaseofviolenceagainstknob-stickswasgoingon，hebesetMarymorethanever。Shewaswearyofherlifeforhim。Fromblandishmentshehadevengonetothreats——threatsthatwhethershewouldornotsheshouldbehis；beshowedanindifferencethatwasalmostinsultingtoeverythingwhichmightattractattentionandinjurehercharacter。AndstillsheneversawJem。Sheknewhehadreturnedhome。Sheheardofhimoccasionallythroughhiscousin，whorovedgailyfromhousetohouse，findingandmakingfriendseverywhere。Butsheneversawhim。Whatwasshetothink？Hadbegivenherup？Wereafewhastywords，spokeninamomentofirritation，tostampherlotthroughlife？Attimesshethoughtthatshecouldbearthismeekly，happyinherownconstantpowerofloving。
Forofchangeorofforgetfulnessshedidnotdream。Thenatothertimesherstateofimpatiencewassuch，thatitrequiredallherself-restrainttopreventherfromgoingandseekinghimout，andasmanwoulddotoman，orwomantowomanbegginghimtoforgiveherhastywords，andallowhertoretractthem，andbiddinghimacceptofthelovethatwasfillingherwholeheart。ShewishedMargarethadnotadvisedheragainstsuchamannerofproceeding；shebelieveditwasherfriend’swordsthatseemedtomakesuchasimpleactionimpossible，inspiteofalltheinternalurgings。
Butafriend’sadviceisonlythuspowerful，whenitputsintolanguagethesecretoracleofoursouls。Itwasthewhisperingsofherwomanlynaturethatcausedhertoshrinkfromanyunmaidenlyaction，notMargaret’scounsel。Allthistime，thistendaysorso，ofWill’svisittoManchester，therewassomethinggoingonwhichinterestedMaryevennow，andwhich，informertimes，wouldhaveexceedinglyamusedandexcitedher。Shesawasclearlyasiftoldinwords，thatthemerry，random，boisteroussailorhadfallendeeplyinlovewiththequiet，prim，somewhatplainMargaret：shedoubtedifMargaretwasawareofit，andyet，asshewatchedmoreclosely，shebegantothinksomeinstinctmadetheblindgirlfeelwhoseeyesweresooftenfixeduponherpaleface；thatsomeinnerfeelingmadethedelicateandbecomingrose-flushstealoverhercountenance。Shedidnotspeaksodecidedlyasbefore；therewasahesitationillhermanner，thatseemedtomakeherveryattractive；asifsomethingsofter，moreloveablethanexcellentsense，werecominginasamotiveforspeech；hereyeshadalwaysbeensoft，andwereinnowaysdisfiguredbyherblindness，andnowseemedtohaveanewcharm，astheyquiveredundertheirwhitedowncastlids。
Shemustbeconscious，thoughtMary——heartansweringtoheart。Will’slovehadnoblushings，nodowncasteyes，noweighingofwords；itwasasopenandundisguisedashisnature；yetheseemedafraidoftheansweritsacknowledgmentmightmeetwith。ItwasMargaret’sangelicvoicethathadentrancedhim，andwhichmadehimthinkofherasabeingofsomeothersphere，thathefearedtowoo。SohetriedtopropitiateJobinallmannerofways。HewentovertoLiverpooltorummageinhisgreatsea-chestfortheflying-fishnoveryodorousresent，bytheway。Hehesitatedoverachild’scaulforsometime，whichwas，inhiseyes，afargreatertreasurethananyExocetus。Whatusecoulditbeoftoalandsman？ThenMargaret’svoiceranginhisears：andhedeterminedtosacrificeit，hismostpreciouspossession，toonewhomshelovedasshedidhergrandfather。Itwasratherarelieftohim，whenhavingputitandtheflying-fishtogetherinabrownpaperparcel，andsatuponthemforsecurityallthewayintherailroad，hefoundthatJobwassoindifferenttothepreciouscaul，thathemighteasilyclaimitagain。HehungaboutMargaret，tillhehadreceivedmanywarningsandreproachesfromhisconscienceinbehalfofhisdearauntAlice’sclaimsuponhistime。Hewentaway，andthenhebethoughthimofsomeotherlittlewordwithJob。Andheturnedback，andstoodtalkingoncemoreinMargaret’spresence，doorinhand，onlywaitingforsomelittlespeechofencouragementtocomeinandsitdownagain。Butastheinvitationwasnotgiven，hewasforcedtoleaveatlast，andgoanddohisduty。FourdayshadJemWilsonwatchedforMr。HarryCarsonwithoutsuccess；
hishoursofgoingandreturningtohishomeweresoirregular，owingtothemeetingsandconsultationsamongthemasters，whichwererenderednecessarybytheturn-out。Onthefifth，withoutanypurposeonJem’spart，theymet。Itwastheworkman’sdinnerhour，theintervalbetweentwelveandone；
whenthestreetsofManchesterarecomparativelyquiet，forafewshoppingladies，andlounginggentlemen，countfornothinginthatbusy，bustling，livingplace。Jemhadbeenonanerrandforhismaster，insteadofreturningtohisdinner；andinpassingalongalane，aroadcalled，incomplimenttotheintentionsofsomefuturebuilder，astreet，heencounteredHarryCarson，theonlyperson，asfarashesaw，besidehimself，treadingtheunfrequentedpath。Alongonesideranahighbroadfence，blackenedoverbycoal-tar，andspikedandstuckwithpointednailsatthetop，topreventanyonefromclimbingoverintothegardenbeyond。Bythisfencewasthefootpath。Thecarriage-roadwassuchasnocarriage，no，notevenacart，couldpossiblyhavepassedalong，withoutHerculestoassistinliftingitoutofthedeepclayruts。Ontheothersideofthewaywasadeadbrickwall；andafieldafterthat，wheretherewasasawpit，andjoiner’sshed。Jem’sheartbeatviolently，whenhesawthegay，handsomeyoungmanapproaching，withalightbuoyantstep。This，then，washewhomMaryloved。Itwas，perhaps，nowonder；forheseemedtothepoorsmithsoelegant，sowellappointed，thathefeltthesuperiorityinexternals，strangelyandpainfully，foraninstant。Thensomethinguprosewithinhim，andtoldhim，that“aman’samanfora’that，fora’that，andtwiceasmuchasa’that。“Andbenolongerfelttroubledbytheoutwardappearanceofhisrival。HarryCarsoncameon，lightlyboundingoverthedirtyplaceswithalmostalad’sbuoyancy。Tohissurprisethedark，sturdy-lookingartisanstoppedhim，bysayingrespectfully，“MayIspeakawordwi’you，sir？““Certain，mygoodman，“lookinghisastonishment；thenfindingthatthepromisedspeechdidnotcomeveryquickly，headded，“Butmakehaste，forI’minahurry。“Jemhadcastaboutforsomelessabruptwayofbroachingthesubjectuppermostinhismindthanhenowfoundhimselfobligedtouse。Withahuskyvoicethattrembledashespoke，hesaid，“Ithink，sir，yo’rekeepingcompanywi’ayoungwomancalledMaryBartonAlightbrokeinuponHenryCarson’smind，andhepausedbeforehegavetheanswerforwhichtheotherwaited。CouldthismanbealoverofMary’s？Andstrangestingingthoughtcouldbebebelovedbyher，andsohavecausedherobstinaterejectionofhimself？
HelookedatJemfrombeadtofoot，ablack，grimymechanic，indirtyfustianclothes，stronglybuilt，andawkwardaccordingtothedancingmaster；
thenheglancedathimself，andrecalledthereflectionhehadsolatelyquittedinhisbedroom。Itwasimpossible。Nowomanwitheyescouldchoosetheonewhentheotherwooed。ItwasHyperiontoaSatyr。Thatquotationcameaptly；heforgot，“Theman’samanfora’that。“Andyetherewasaclue，whichhehadoftenwanted，toherchangedconducttowardshim。