Sothatkeptmebeyondmytime，chaps。““Didyouhearwherethewifelivedatlast？“askedmanyanxiousvoices。“No!hewentontalkingtoher，tillhiswordscutmyheartlikeaknife。
Iaxedth’nursetofindoutwhoshewas，andwhereshelived。ButwhatI’mmoreespecialnamingitnowforisthis，——foronethingIwantedyoualltoknowwhyIweren’tatmypostthismorning；foranother，Iwishtosay，thatI，forone，ha’seenenoughofwhatcomesofattackingknob-sticks，andI’llha’noughttodowithitnomore。Thereweresomeexpressionsofdisapprobation，butJohndidnotmindthem。“Nay!I’mnocoward，“hereplied，“andI’mtruetoth’backbone。WhatI
wouldlike，andwhatIwoulddo，wouldbetofightthemasters。There’soneamongyocalledmeacoward。Well!everymanhasarighttohisopinion；
butsinceI’vethoughtonth’matterto-day，I’vethoughtwehanallonusbeenmorelikecowardsinattackingthepoorlikeourselves；themashasnonetohelp，butmunchoosebetweenvitriolandstarvation。Isaywe’remorecowardlyindoingthatthaninleavingthemalone。No!whatIwoulddoisthis。Haveatthemasters!“Againheshouted，“Haveatthemasters!“Hespokelower；alllistenedwithhushedbreath。“It’sthemastersashaswroughtthiswoe；it’sthemastersasshouldpayforit。Himascalledmecowardjustnow，maytryifIamoneornot。Setmetoserveoutthemasters，andseeifthere’saughtI’llstickat。““Itwouldgiveth’mastersabitonafrightifoneofthemwerebeatenwithinaninchofhislife，“saidone。“Aye!orbeatentillnolifewereleftinhim，growledanother。Andsowithwords，orlooksthattoldmorethanwords，theybuiltupadeadlyplan。Deeperanddarkergrewtheimportoftheirspeeches，astheystoodhoarselymutteringtheirmeaningout，andglaring，witheyesthattoldtheterrortheirownthoughtsweretothem，upontheirneighbours，Theirclenchedfists，theirsetteeth，theirlividlooks，alltoldthesufferingwhichtheirmindswerevoluntarilyundergoinginthecontemplationofcrime，andinfamiliarizingthemselveswithitsdetails。ThencameoneofthosefierceterribleoathswhichbindmembersofTrades’
Unionstoanygivenpurpose。Then，undertheflaringgaslight，theymettogethertoconsultfurther。Withthedistrustofguilt，eachwassuspiciousofhisneighbour；eachdreadedthetreacheryofanother。Anumberofpiecesofpapertheidenticalletteronwhichthecaricaturehadbeendrawnthatverymorningweretornup，andonewasmarked。Thenallwerefoldedupagain，lookingexactlyalike。Theywereshuffledtogetherinahat。
Thegaswasextinguished；eachdrewoutapaper。Thegaswasre-lighted。
Theneachwentasfarashecouldfromhisfellows，andexaminedthepaperhehadwithoutsayingaword，andwithacountenanceasstonyandimmovableashecouldmakeit。Then，stillrigidlysilent，theyeachtookuptheirhatsandwenteveryonehisownway。Hewhohaddrawnthemarkedpaperhaddrawnthelotoftheassassin!andhehadsworntoactaccordingtohisdrawing!Butnoone，saveGodandhisownconscience，knewwhowastheappointedmurderer。TheEndofPartOne
Mournfulis’ttosayFarewell，Thoughforfewbriefhourswepart；Inthatabsence，whocantellWhatmaycometowringtheheart!ANONYMOUS。TheeventsrecordedinthelastchaptertookplaceonaTuesday。OnThursdayafternoonMarywassurprised，inthemidstofsomelittlebustleinwhichshewasengaged，bytheentranceofWillWilson。Helookedstrange，atleastitwasstrangetoseeanydifferentexpressiononhisfacetohisusualjoyousbeamingappearance。Hehadapaperparcelinhishand。Hecamein，andsatdown，morequietlythanusual。“Why，Will!what’sthematterwithyou？Youseemquitecutupaboutsomething!““AndIam，Mary!I’mcometosaygood-bye；andfewfolkliketosaygood-byetothemtheylove。““Good-bye!Blessme，Will，that’ssudden，isnotit？“Maryleftoffironing，andcameandstoodnearthefireplace。ShehadalwayslikedWill；butnowitseemedasifasuddenspringofsisterlylovehadgushedupinherheart，sosorrydidshefeeltohearofhisapproachingdeparture。“It’sverysudden，isn’tit？“saidshe，repeatingthequestion。“Yes，it’sverysudden，“saidhe，dreamily。“No，itisnot“；rousinghimself；
tothinkofwhathewassaying。“Thecaptaintoldme，inafortnighthewouldbereadytosailagain；butitcomesverysuddenonme，Ihadgotsofondofyouall。“MaryunderstoodtheparticularfondnessthatwasthusgeneralisedShespokeagain。“Butit’snotafortnightsinceyoucame。NotafortnightsinceyouknockedatJaneWilson’sdoor，andIwasthere，youremember。Nothinglikeafortnight!““No；Iknowit’snot。But，yousee，IgotaletterthisafternoonfromJackHarris，totellmeourshipsailsonTuesdaynext；andit’slongsinceIpromisedmyunclemymother’sbrother，himthatlivesatKirk-Christ，beyondRamsay，intheIsleofManthatI’dgoandseehimandhis，thistimeofcomingashore。Imustgo。I’msorryenough；butImustn’tslightpoormother’sfriends。Imustgo。Don’ttrytokeepme，“saidhe，evidentlyfearingthestrengthofhisownresolution，ifhardpressedbyentreaty。“I’mnota-going，Will。Idaresayyouareright；onlyIcan’thelpfeelingsorryyou’regoingaway。Itseemssoflattobeleftbehind。Whendoyougo？““To-night。Ishan’tseeyouagain。““To-nightIandyougotoLiverpool!Maybeyouandfatherwillgotogether。
He’sgoingtoGlasgow，bywayofLiverpool。““No!I’mwalking；andIdon’tthinkyourfatherwillbeuptowalking。““Well!andwhyonearthareyouwalking？Youcangetbyrailwayforthree-and-sixpence。““Aye，butMary!thoumustn’tletoutwhatI’mgoingtotelltheeIhavenotgotthreeshillings，no，norevenonesixpenceleft，atleastnothere：
beforeIcameIgavemylandladyenoughtocarrymetotheislandandback，andmaybeatrifleforpresents，andIbroughttheresthere；andit’sallgonebutthis，“jinglingafewcoppersinhishand。“Nay，neverfretovermywalkingamatterofthirtymile，“addedhe，ashesawshelookedgraveandsorry。“It’safineclearnight，andIshallsetoffbetimes，andgetinaforetheManxpacketsails。Where’syourfathergoing？ToGlasgow，didyousay？PerhapsheandImayhaveabitofatriptogetherthen，for，iftheManxboathassailedwhenIgetintoLiverpool，IshallgobyaScotchpacket。What’shegoingtodoinGlasgow？——Seekforwork？Tradeisasbadthereashere，folksay。““No；heknowsthat，“answeredMarysadly。“Isometimesthinkhe’llnevergetworkagain，andthattradewillnevermend。It’sveryhardtokeepupone’sheart。IwishIwereaboy，I’dgotoseawithyou。Itwouldbegettingawayfrombadnewsatanyrate；andnow，there’shardlyacreaturethatcrossesthedoor-step，buthassomethingsadandunhappytotellone。
FatherisgoingasadelegatefromhisUnion，toaskhelpfromtheGlasgowfolk。He’sstartingthisevening。“Marysighed，forthefeelingagaincameoverherthatitwasveryflattobeleftalone。“Yousaynoonecrossesthethresholdbuthassomethingsadtosay；youdon’tmeanthatMargaretJenningshasanytrouble？“askedtheyoungsailor，anxiously。“No!“repliedMary，smilingalittle；“she’stheonlyoneIknow，Ibelieve，whoseemsfreefromcare。Herblindnessalmostappearsablessingsometimes；
shewassodownheartedwhenshedreadedit，andnowsheseemssocalmandhappy，whenit’sdownrightcome。No!Margaret’shappy，Idothink。““Icouldalmostwishithadbeenotherwise，“saidWill，thoughtfully。“I
couldhavebeensogladtocomforther，andcherishher，ifshehadbeenintrouble。““Andwhycan’tyoucherishher，eventhoughsheishappy？“askedMary。“Oh!Idon’tknow。SheseemssomuchbetterthanIam!Andhervoice!WhenIhearit，andthinkofthewishesthatareinmyheart，itseemsasmuchoutofplacetoaskhertobemywife，asitwouldbetoaskanangelfromheaven。“Marycouldnothelplaughingoutright，inspiteofherdepression，attheideaofMargaretasanangel；itwassodifficulteventoherdressmakingimaginationtofancywhere，andhow，thewingswouldbefastenedtothebrownstuffgown，ortheblueandyellowprint。Willlaughed，too，alittle，outofsympathywithMary’sprettymerrylaugh。
Thenhesaid——“Aye，youmaylaugh，Mary；itonlyshowsyou’veneverbeeninlove。“InaninstantMarywascarnationcolour，andthetearssprangtohersoftgreyeyes。Shethatwassufferingsomuchfromthedoubtsarisingfromlove。Itwasunkindofhim。Hedidnotnoticeherchangeoflookandofcomplexion。Heonlynoticedthatshewassilent，sohecontinued：“Ithought——Ithink，thatwhenIcomebackfromthisvoyage，Iwillspeak。
It’smyfourthvoyageinthesameshipandwiththesamecaptain，andhe’spromisedhe’llmakemeasecondmateafterthistrip；thenIshallhavesomethingtoofferMargaret；andherfather，andAuntAlice，shalllivewithher，andkeepherfrombeinglonesomewhileI’matsea。I’mspeakingasifshecaredforme，andwouldmarryme；d’yethinkshedoescareatallforme，Mary？“askedheanxiously。Maryhadaverydecidedopinionofherownonthesubject，butshedidnotfeelasifshehadanyrighttogiveit。Soshesaid——“YoumustaskMargaret，notme，Will；she’snevernamedyournametome。“
Hiscountenancefell。“ButIshouldsaythatwasagoodsignfromagirllikeher；I’venorighttosaywhatIthink；but，ifIwasyou，Iwouldnotleavehernow，withoutspeaking。““No!Icannotspeak!Ihavetried。I’vebeenintowishthemgood-bye，andmyvoicestuckinmythroat。IcouldsaynoughtofwhatI’dplannedtosay；andIneverthoughtofbeingsoboldastoofferhermarriagetillI’dbeenmynexttrip，andbeenmademate。Icouldnotevenofferherthisbox，“saidhe，undoinghispaperparcelanddisplayingagaudilyornamentedaccordion；“Ilongedtobuyhersomething，andIthought，ifitweresomethinginthemusicline，shewouldmaybefancyitmore。So，willyougiveittoher，Mary，whenI’mgone？and，ifyoucanslipinsomethingtender，——something，youknow，ofwhatIfeel，——maybeshewouldlistentoyou，Mary？“Marypromisedthatshewoulddoallthatheasked。“Ishallbethinkingonhermanyandmanyanight，whenI’mkeepingmywatchinmid-sea；Iwonderifshewilleverthinkonme，whenthewindiswhistling，andthegalerising。You’lloftenspeakofmetoher，Mary？
AndifIshouldmeetwithanymischancetellherhowdear，howverydear，shewastome，andbidher，forthesakeofonewholovedherwell，tryandcomfortmypoorauntAlice。Dearoldaunt!youandMargaretwilloftengoandseeher，won’tyou？She’ssadlyfailedsinceIwaslastashore。
Andsogoodasshehasbeen!WhenIlivedwithher，alittleweechap，Iusedtobewakenedbytheneighboursknockingherup；thisonewasill，orthatbody’schildwasrestless；andforastiredasevershemightbe，shewouldbeupanddressedinatwinkling，neverthinkingofthehardday’swashaforehernextmorning。Themwerehappytimes!HowhappyIusedtobewhenshewouldtakemeintothefieldswithhertogatherherbs!
I’vetastedteainChinasincethen，butitwasn’thalfsogoodastheherbteasheusedtomakeformeo’Sundaynights。Andsheknewsuchadealaboutplantsandbirds，andtheirways!Sheusedtotellmelongstoriesaboutherchildhood，andweusedtoplanhowwewouldgosometime，pleaseGodthatwasalwaysherword，andlivenearheroldhomebeyondLancaster；