Indeed，andindeedIcanproveit；hewaswithWillallthatnight；hewas，indeed，Job!““Mywench!whosewordhastthouforthat？“saidJob，pityingly。“Why!hismothertoldme，andI’llgetWilltobearwitnesstoit。But，oh!Job“burstingintotears，“itishardifyouwon’tbelieveme。HowshallIclearhimtostrangers，whenthosewhoknowhim，andoughttolovehim，aresosetagainsthisbeinginnocent？““Godknows，I’mnotagainsthisbeinginnocent，“saidJob，solemnly。“I’dgivehalfmyremainingdaysonearth，——I’dgivethemall，MaryandbutfortheloveIbeartomypoorblindgirl，they’dbenogreatgift，ifIcouldsavehim。You’vethoughtmehard，Mary，butI’mnothardatbottom，andI’llhelpyouifIcan，thatIwill，rightorwrong，“headded；butinalowvoice，andcoughedtheuncertainwordsawaythemomentafterwards。“Oh，Job!ifyouwillhelpme，“exclaimedMary，brighteningupthoughitwasbutawintrygleamafterall，“tellmewhattosay，whentheyquestionme；Ishallbesogloppened，Isha’n’tknowwhattoanswer。““Thoucanstdonoughtbetterthantellthetruth。Truth’sbestatalltimes，theysay；andforsureitiswhenfolkhavetodowithlawyers；forthey’re’cuteandcunningenoughtogetitoutsoonerorlater，anditmakesfolklooklikeTomNoddies，whentruthfollowsfalsehood，againsttheirwill。““ButIdon’tknowthetruth；Imean——Ican’tsayrightlywhatImean；butI’msure，ifIwerepentup，andstaredatbyhundredsoffolk，andaskedeversosimpleaquestion，Ishouldbeforansweringitwrong；iftheyaskedmeifIhadseenyouonaSaturday，oraTuesday，oranyday，Ishouldhavecleanforgottenallaboutit，andsaytheverythingIshouldnot。““Well，well，don’tgofortogetsuchnotionsintoyourhead；they’rewhattheycall’narvous，’andtalkingon’emdoesnogood。Here’sMargaret!
blessthewench!Look，Mary，howwellsheguideshersel’。“Jobfelltowatchinghisgranddaughter，aswithbalancing，measuredsteps，timedalmostasiftomusic，shemadeherwayacrossthestreet。Maryshrankasiffromacoldblast——shrankfromMargaret!Theblindgirl，withherreserve，hersilence，seemedtobeaseverejudge；she，listening，wouldbesuchachecktothetrustingearnestnessofconfidence，whichwasbeginningtounlockthesympathyofJob。Maryknewherselftoblame；
felthererrorsineveryfibreofherheart；butyetshewouldratherhavehadthemspokenabout，evenintermsofseverestcensure，thanhavebeentreatedintheicymannerinwhichMargarethadreceivedherthatmorning。“Here’sMary，“saidJob，almostasifhewishedtopropitiatehisgrand-daughter，“cometotakeabitofdinnerwithus，forI’llwarrantshe’sneverthoughtofcookinganyforherselfto-day；andshelooksaswanandpaleasaghost。“Itwascallingoutthefeelingofhospitality，sostrongandwarminmostofthosewhohavelittletooffer，butwhoseheartgoeseagerlyandkindlywiththatlittle。MargaretcametowardsMarywithawelcominggesture，andakindermannerbyfarthanshehadusedinthemorning。“Nay，Mary，thouknow’stthou’stgettennoughtathome，“urgedJob。AndMary，faintandweary，andwithahearttooaching-fullofothermatterstobepertinaciousinthis，withdrewherrefusal。Theyatetheirdinnerquietly；fortoallitwasanefforttospeak：andafteroneortwoattemptstheyhadsubsidedintosilence。WhenthemealwasendedJobbeganagainonthesubjecttheyallhadatheart。“YonpoorladatKirkdalewillwantalawyertoseetheydon’tputonhim，butdohimjustice。Hastthoughtofthat？“Maryhadnot，andfeltsurehismotherhadnot。Margaretconfirmedthislastsupposition。“I’vebutjustbeenthere，andpoorJaneislikeonedateless；somanygriefscomeonheratonce。Onetimesheseemstomakesurehe’llbehung；
andifItookherinthatway，sheflewoutpoorbody!andsaid，thatinspiteofwhatfolkssaid，therewerethemascould，andwouldprovehimguiltless。SoIneverknewwheretohaveher。Theonlythingshewasconstantin，wasdeclaringhiminnocent。““Mother-like!“saidJob。“ShemeantWill，whenshespokeofthemthatcouldprovehiminnocent。
HewaswithWillonThursdaynight；walkingapartofthewaywithhimtoLiverpool；nowthethingistolayholdonWill，andgethimtoprovethis。“SospokeMary，calm，fromtheearnestnessofherpurpose。“Don’tbuildtoomuchonit，mydear，“saidJob。“Idobuildonit，“repliedMary，“becauseIknowit’sthetruth，andI
meantotryandroveit，comewhatmay。Nothingyoucansaywilldauntme，Job，sodon’tyougoandtry。Youmayhelp，butyoucannothindermedoingwhatI’mresolvedon。“Theyrespectedherfirmnessofdetermination，andJobalmostgaveintoherbelief；whenhesawhowsteadfastlyshewasactinguponit。Oh!surestwayofconversiontoourfaith，whateveritmaybe，——regardingeithersmallthingsorgreat，——whenitisbeheldastheactuatingprinciple，fromwhichweneverswerve。Whenitisseenthat，insteadofover-muchprofession，itisworkedintothelife，andmoveseveryaction!Marygainedcourageassheinstinctivelyfeltshebadmadewaywithoneatleastofhercompanions。“NowI’mclearaboutthismuch，“shecontinued，“hewaswithWillwhenthe——shotwasfiredshecouldnotbringherselftosay，whenthemurderwascommitted，whensherememberedwhoitwasthat，shehadeveryreasontobelieve，wasthetaker-awayoflife。Willcanprovethis。I
mustfindWill。Hewasn’ttosailtillTuesday。There’stimeenough。Hewastocomebackfromhisuncle’s，intheIsleofMan，onMonday。ImustmeethiminLiverpool，onthatday，andtellhimwhathashappened，andhowpoorJemisintrouble，andthathemustproveanalibi，comeTuesday。AllthisIcanandwilldo，thoughperhapsIdon’tclearlyknowhow，justatpresent。ButsurelyGodwillhelpme。WhenIknowI’mdoingright，Iwillhavenofear，butputmytrustinHim；forI’mactingfortheinnocentandgood，andnotformyownself；whohavedonesowrong。
IhavenofearwhenIthinkofJem，whoissogood。“Shestopped，oppressedwiththefullnessofherheart。Margaretbegantoloveheragain；toseeinherthesame，sweet，faulty，impulsive，lovablecreatureshehadknownintheformerMaryBarton，butwithmoreofdignity，self-relianceandpurpose。Maryspokeagain。“NowIknowthenameofWill’svessel——JohnCropper；andIknowthatsheisboundtoAmerica。Thatissomethingtoknow。ButIforget，ifIeverheard，wherehelodgesinLiverpool。Hespokeofhislandlady，asagood，trustworthywoman；butifhenamedhername，ithasslippedmymemory。Canyouhelpme，Margaret？“Sheappealedtoherfriendcalmlyandopenly，asifperfectlyawareof；
andrecognisingtheunspokentiewhichboundherandWilltogether；sheaskedherinthesamemannerinwhichshewouldhaveaskedawifewhereherhusbanddwelt。AndMargaretrepliedinthelikecalmtone，twospotsofcrimsononhercheeksalonebearingwitnesstoanyinternalagitation。“HelodgesataMrsJones’，Milk-HouseYard，outofNicholasStreet。Hehaslodgedthereeversincebebegantogotosea；sheisaverydecentkindofwoman，Ibelieve。““Well，Mary!I’llgiveyoumyprayers，“saidJob。“It’snotoftenIprayregular，thoughIoftenspeakawordtoGod，whenI’meitherveryhappy，orverysorry；I’vecatchedmyselfthankinghimatoddhourswhenI’vefoundarareinsect，orhadafinedayforanout；butIcannothelpit，nomorethanIcantalkingtoafriend。ButthistimeI’llprayregularforJem，andforyou。AndsowillMargaret，I’llbebound。Still，wench!
whatthinkyeofalawyer？Iknowone，MrCheshire，who’srathergiventoth’insectline——andagoodkindo’chap。HeandIhaveswoppedspecimensmany’sthetime，wheneitherofushadaduplicate。He’lldomeakindturn，I’msure。I’lljusttakemyhat，andpayhimavisit。“Nosoonersaidthandone。MargaretandMarywereleftalone。Andthisseemedtobringbackthefeelingofawkwardness，nottosayestrangement。ButMary，excitedtoanunusualpitchofcourage，wasthefirsttobreaksilence。“Oh，Margaret!“saidshe，“Isee——IfeelhowwrongyouthinkIhaveacted；
youcannotthinkmeworsethanIthinkmyself；nowmyeyesareopened。“
Herehersobscamechokinguphervoice。“Nay，“Margaretbegan，“Ihavenorightto——““Yes，Margaret，youhavearighttojudge；youcannothelpit；onyinyourjudgementremembermercy，astheBiblesays。You，whohavebeenalwaysgood，cannottellhoweasyitisatfirsttogoalittlewrong，andthenhowharditistogoback。Oh!IlittlethoughtwhenIwasfirstpleasedwithMrCarson’sspeeches，howitwouldallend；perhapsinthedeathofhimIlovebetterthanlife。“Sheburstintoapassionoftears。Thefeelingspentupthroughthedaywouldhavevent。Butcheckingherselfwithastrongeffort，andlookingupatMargaretaspiteouslyasifthosecalm，stonyeyescouldseeherimploringface，sheadded，“Imustnotcry；Imustnotgiveway；therewillbetimeenoughforthathereafter，if——Ionlywantedyoutospeakkindlytome，Margaret，forI
amvery，verywretched；morewretchedthananyonecaneverknow；morewretched，Isometimesfancy，thanIhavedeserved，——butthat’swrong，isn’tit，Margaret？Oh!Ihavedonewrong，andIampunished：youcannottellhowmuch。“Whocouldresisthervoice，hertonesofmisery，ofhumility？Whowouldrefusethekindnessforwhichshebeggedsopenitently？NotMargaret。Theoldfriendlymannercameback。Withit，maybe，moreoftenderness。“Oh!Margaret，doyouthinkhecanbesaved；doyouthinktheycanfindhimguilty，ifWillcomesforwardasawitness？Won’tthatbeagoodalibi？“Margaretdidnotanswerforamoment。“Oh，speak!Margaret，“saidMary，withanxiousimpatience。“Iknownoughtaboutlaw，oralibis，“repliedMargaret，meekly；
“but，Mary，asgrandfathersays，aren’tyoubuildingtoomuchonwhatJaneWilsonhastoldyouabouthisgoingwithWill？Poorsoul，she’sgonedateless，Ithink，withcare，andwatching，andovermuchtrouble；andwhocanwonder？
OrJemmayhavetoldherhewasgoing，bywayofablind。““Youdon’tknowJem，“saidMary，startingfromherseatinahurriedmanner，“oryouwouldnotsayso。“IhopeImaybewrongbutthink，Mary，howmuchthereisagainsthim。Theshotwasfiredwithhisgun；heitwasasthreatenedMrCarsonnotmanydaysbefore；hewasabsentfromhomeatthatverytime，asweknow，and，asI’mmuchafeared，someonewillbecalledontoprove；andthere’snooneelsetosharesuspicionwithhim。“Maryheavedadeepsigh。“But，Margaret，hedidnotdoit，“Maryagainasserted。Margaretlookedunconvinced。“Icandonogood，Isee，bysayingso，fornoneonyoubelieveme，andIwon’tsaysoagaintillIcanproveit。MondaymorningI’llgotoLiverpool。
Ishallbeathandforthetrial。Ohdear!dear!AndIwillfindWill；
andthen，Margaret，Ithinkyou’llbesorryforbeingsostubbornaboutJem。““Don’tflyoff，dearMary，I’dgiveadealtobewrong。AndnowI’mgoingtobeplainspoken。You’llwantmoney。Themlawyersisnobetterthanaspongeforsuckingupmoney；letaloneyourhuntingoutWill，andyourkeepinLiverpool，andwhatnot。YoumusttakesomeofthemintI’vegotlaidbyintheoldteapot。Youhavenorighttorefuse，forIofferittoJem，nottoyou；it’sforhispurposesyou’retouseit。““Iknow——Isee。Thankyou，Margaret；you’reakindoneatanyrate。ItakeitforJem；andI’lldomyverybestwithitforhim。Notall，though；
don’tthinkI’lltakeall。They’llpaymeformykeepI’lltakethis，“
acceptingasovereignfromthehoardwhichMargaretproducedoutofitsaccustomedplaceinthecupboard。“Yourgrandfatherwillpaythenoughttodowithhim，“shudderingassherememberedJob’swords，aboutlawyers’
skillinalwaysdiscoveringthetruth，soonerorlater；andknowingwhatwasthesecretshehadtohide。“Blessyou!don’tmakesuchadoaboutit，“saidMargaret，cuttingshortMary’sthanks。“Isometimesthinkthere’stwosidestothecommandment；
andthatwemaysay，’Letothersdountoyou，asyouwoulddountothem，’
forprideoftenpreventsourgivingothersagreatdealofpleasure，innotlettingthembekind，whentheirheartsarelongingtohelp；andwhenweourselvesshouldwishtodojustthesame，ifwewereintheirplace。