Oh!howoftenI’vebeenhurt，bybeingcoldlytoldbypersonsnottotroublemyselfabouttheircare，orsorrow，whenIsawthemingreatgrief；andwantedtobeofcomfort。OurLordJesuswasnotabovelettingfolkministertoHim，forHeknewhowhappyitmakesonetodoaughtforanother。It’sthehappiestworkonearth。“MaryhadbeentoomuchengrossedbywatchingwhatwaspassinginthestreettoattendverycloselytothatwhichMargaretwassaying。Fromherseatshecouldseeoutofthewindowprettyplainly，andshecaughtsightofagentlemanwalkingalongsideofJob，evidentlyinearnestconversationwithhim，andlookingkeenandpenetratingenoughtobealawyer。Jobwaslayingdownsomethingtobeattendedto，shecouldsee，byhisupliftedforefinger，andhiswholegesture；thenhepointedandnoddedacrossthestreettohisownhouse，asifinducinghiscompaniontocomein。Marydreadedlestheshould，andshebesubjectedtoaclosercross-examinationthanshehadhithertoundergone，astowhyshewassocertainthatJemwasinnocent。Shefearedhewascoming；hesteppedalittletowardsthespot。No!itwasonlytomakewayforachild，totteringalong，whomMaryhadoverlooked。NowJobtookhimbythebutton，soearnestlyfamiliarhadhegrown。Thegentlemanlooked“fidgingfain“tobegone，butsubmittedinamannerthatmadeMarylikehiminspiteofhisprofession。Thencameavolleyoflastwords，answeredbybriefestnods，andmonosyllables：andthenthestrangerwentoffwithredoubledquicknessofpace，andJobcrossedthestreetwithalittlesatisfiedairofimportanceonhiskindlyface。“Well!Mary，“saidhe，onentering，“I’veseenthelawyer，notMrCheshirethough；trialsformurder，itseems，arenothislineo’business。Buthegivedmeanotetoanother’torney；afinefellowenough，onlytoomuchofatalker；Icouldhardlygetawordin，hecutmesoshort。However，I’vejustbeengoingovertheprincipalpointsagaintohim；maybeyousawus!Iwantedhimjustcomeoverandspeaktoyouhimsel，Mary，buthewaspressedfortime；andhesaidyourevidencewouldnotbemuch，eitherhereorthere。He’sgoingtothe’sizesfirsttrainonMondaymorning，andwillseeJem，andheartheinsandoutsfromhim，andhe’sgivedmehisaddress，Mary，andyouandWillaretocallonhimWill’special
onMonday，attwoo’clock。Thou’rttakingitin，Mary；thou’rttocallonhiminLiverpoolattwo，Mondayafternoon？“Jobhadreasontodoubtifshefullyunderstoodhim；forallthisminutenessofdetail，thesesatisfactoryarrangements，asheconsideredthem，onlyseemedtobringthecircumstancesinwhichshewasplacedmorevividlyhometoMary。Theyconvincedherthatitwasreal，andnotalladream，asshehadsunkintofancyingit，forafewminutes，whilesittingintheoldaccustomedplace，herbodyenjoyingtherest，andherframesustainedbyfood，andlisteningtoMargaret’scalmvoice。ThegentlemanshehadjustbeheldwouldseeandquestionJeminafewhours，andwhatwouldbetheresult？Mondaythatwasthedayafterto-morrow，andonTuesday，lifeanddeathwouldbetremendousrealitiestoherlover；orelsedeathwouldbeanawfulcertaintytoherfather。NowonderJobwentoverhismainpointsagain：——“Monday；attwoo’clock，mind；andhere’shiscard。’MrBridgenorth，41，RenshawStreet，Liverpool。’He’llbelodgingthere。“Jobceasedtalking，andthesilencerousedMaryuptothankhim。“You’reverykind，Job；very。YouandMargaretwon’tdesertme，comewhatwill。““Pooh!pooh!wench；don’tloseheart，justasI’mbeginningtogetit。
HeseemstothinkadealonWill’sevidence。You’resure，girls，you’reundernomistakeaboutWill？““I’msure，“saidMary，“hewentstraightfromhere，purposingtogotoseehisuncleattheIsleofMan，andbebackSundaynight，readyfortheshipsailingonTuesday。““SoamI，“saidMargaret。“Andtheship’snamewastheJohnCropper，andhelodgedwhereItoldMarybefore。Haveyougotitdown，Mary？“MarywroteinonthebackofMrBridgenorth’scard。“Hewasnotoverwillingtogo，“saidshe，asshewrote，“forheknewlittleabouthisuncle，andsaidhedidn’tcareifheneverknow’dmore。Buthesaidkinsfolkwaskinsfolk，andpromiseswaspromises，sohe’dgoforadayorso，andthenitwouldbeover。“Margarethadtogoandpractisesomesingingintown；so，thoughloathtodepartandbealone，Marybadeherfriendsgood-bye。
sadandsolemnisthetremblingwatchOfthosewhositandcounttheheavyhours，Besidethefeveredsleepofonetheylove!Oawfulisitinthehushedmid-night，Whilegazingonthepallid，movelessform，Tostartandask，“Isitnowsleep——ordeath？“ANONYMOUS。Marycouldnotbepatientinherloneliness；painfulthoughtweighedonhermind；theveryhousehauntedwithmemoriesandforeshadowings。HavingperformedalldutiestoJem，asfweakpowers，yetlovingheartcouldact；antveilbeingdrawnoverherfather’spast，present，andfuturelife，beyondwhichshecouldnotpenetratetojudgeofanyfilialservicesheoughttorender；hermindunconsciouslysoughtaftersomecourseinwhichshemightengage。Anything，anything，aratherthanleisureforreflection。AndthencameuptheoldfeelingwhichfirstboundRuthtoNaomi；thelovetheybothheldtowardsoneobject；andMaryfeltthathercareswouldbemostlightenedbybeingofuse，orofcomforttohismother。Sosheoncemorelockedupthehouse，andsetofftowardsAncoats；rushingalongwithdown-casthead，forfearlestanyoneshouldrecogniseherandarrestherprogress。JaneWilsonsatquietlyinherchairasMaryentered；soquietly，astostrikeonebythecontrastitpresentedtoherusualbustling，andnervousmanner。Shelookedverypaleandwan；butthequietnesswasthethingthatstruckMarymost。ShedidnotriseasMarycamein，butsatstillandsaidsomethinginsogentle，sofeebleavoice，thatMarydidnotcatchit。MrsDavenport，whowasthere，pluckedMarybythegown，andwhispered，“Neverheedher；she’swornout，andbestletalone。I’lltellyouallaboutit，up-stairs。“ButMary，touchedbytheanxiouslookwithwhichMrsWilsongazedather，asifwaitingtheanswertosomequestion，wentforwardtolistentothespeechshewasagainrepeating。“Whatisthis？willyoutellme？“ThenMarylooked，andsawanotherominousslipofparchmentinthemother’shand，whichshewasrollingupanddowninatremulousmannerbetweenherfingers。Mary’sheartsickenedwithinher；andshecouldnotspeak。“Whatisit？“sherepeated。“Willyoutellme？ShestilllookedatMary，withthesamechild-likegazeofwonderandpatiententreaty。Whatcouldsheanswer？“Itelledyenottoheedher，“saidMrsDavenport，alittleangrily。“Sheknowswellenoughwhatitis，——toowell，belike。Iwasnotinwhentheysarvedit；butMrsHemingheraslivesnextdoorwas，andshespelledoutthemeaning，andmadeitallcleartoMrsWilson。It’sasummonstobeawitnessonJem’strial——MrsHemingthinks，tosweartothegun；foryosee，there’snobbutherascantestifytoitsbeinghis，andsheletonsoeasilytothepolicemanthatitwashis，thatthere’snogettingoffherwordnow。Poorbody；shetakesitveryhard，Idaresay!“MrsWilsonhadwaitedpatientlywhilethiswhisperedspeechwasbeinguttered，imagining，perhaps，thatitwouldendinsomeexplanationaddressedtoher。Butwhenbothweresilent，thoughtheireyes，withoutspeechorlanguage，toldtheirheart’spity，shespokeagaininthesameunalteredgentlevoicesodifferentfromtheirritableimpatienceshehadbeeneverapttoshowtoeveryoneexceptherhusband——hewhohadweddedher，brokendown，andinjured——inavoicesodifferent，Isay，fromtheold，hastymanner，shespokenowthesameanxiouswords。“Whatisthis？Willyoutellme？““Yo’dbettergiveitmeatonce，MrsWilson，andletmeputitoutofyoursight。Speaktoher，Mary，wench，andaskforasightonit；I’vetriedandbetter-triedtogetitfromher，andshetakesnoheedofwords，andI’mloathtopullitbyforceoutofherhands。“Marydrewthelittle“cricket“outfromunderthedresser，andsatdownatMrsWilson’sknee，and，coaxingoneofhertremulousevermovinghandsintohers，begantorubitsoothingly；therewasalittleresistance——averylittle，butthatwasall；andpresently，inthenervousmovementoftheimprisonedhand，theparchmentfelltotheground。Marycalmlyandopenlypickeditup，withoutanyattemptatconcealment，andquietlyplacingitinsightoftheanxiouseyesthatfolloweditwithakindofspell-bounddread，wentonwithhersoothingcaresses。“Shehashadnosleepformanynights，“saidthegirltoMrsDavenport，“andallthiswoeandsorrow，——it’snowonder。““No，indeed!“MrsDavenportanswered。“Wemustgetherfairlytobed；wemustgetherundressed，andall；andtrusttoGodinHismercy，tosendhertosleep，orelse，——“For，yousee，theyspokebeforeherasifshewerenotthere；herheartwassofaraway。Accordinglytheyalmostliftedherfromthechair，inwhichshesatmotionless，andtakingherupasgentlyasamothercarrieshersleepingbaby，theyundressedherpoor，wornform，andlaidherinthelittlebedup-stairs。
TheyhadoncethoughtofplacingherinJem’sbed，tobeoutofsightorsoundofanydisturbanceofAlice’s；butthenagaintheyrememberedtheshockshemightreceiveinawakeninginsounusualaplace，andalsothatMary，whointendedtokeepvigilthatnightinthehouseofmourning，wouldfinditdifficulttodivideherattentioninthepossiblecasesthatmightensue。Sotheylaidher，asIsaidbefore，onthatlittlepallet-bed；and，astheywereslowlywithdrawingfromthebed-side，hopingandprayingthatshemightsleep，andforgetforatimeherheavyburden，shelookedwistfullyafterMary，andwhispered，“Youhaven’ttoldmewhatitis？Whatisit？“Andgazinginherfacefortheexpectedanswer，hereye-lidsslowlyclosed，andshefellintoadeep，heavysleep，almostasprofoundarestasdeath。MrsDavenportwentherway，andMarywasalone，——forIcannotcallthosewhosleepalliesagainsttheagonyofthoughtwhichsolitudesometimesbringsup。Shedreadedthenightbeforeher。Alicemightdie；thedoctorhadthatdaydeclaredhercasehopeless，andnotfarfromdeath，andattimes，theterrorsonaturaltotheyoung，notofdeath，butoftheremainsofthedead，cameoverMary；andshebentandlistenedanxiouslyforthelong-drawn，pausingbreathofthesleepingAlice。OrMrsWilsonmightawakeinastatewhichMarydreadedtoanticipate，andanticipatedwhileshedreaded；——inastateofcompletedelirium。Alreadyhersenseshadbeenseverelystunnedbythefullexplanationofwhatwasrequiredofher，——ofwhatshehadtoproveagainstherson，herJem，heronlychild，——whichMarycouldnotdoubttheofficiousMrsHeminghadgiven；
andwhatifindreamsthatlandintowhichnosympathynorlovecanpenetratewithanother，eithertoshareitsblissoritsagony，——thatlandwhosescenesareunspeakableterrors，arehiddenmysteries，arepricelesstreasurestoonealone，——thatlandwherealoneImaysee，whileyetItarryhere，thesweetlooksofmydearchild，——whatif；inthehorrorsofherdreams，herbrainshouldgostillmoreastray，andsheshouldwakencrazywithhervisions，andtheterriblerealitythatbegotthem？Howmuchworseisanticipationsometimesthanreality!HowMarydreadedthatnight，andhowcalmlyitpassedby!EvenmoresothanifMaryhadnothadsuchclaimsuponhercare!Anxietyaboutthemdeadenedherownpeculiaranxieties。Shethoughtofthesleeperswhomshewaswatching，tilloverpoweredherselfbythewantofrest，shefelloffintoshortslumbersinwhichthenightworeimperceptiblyaway。Tobesure，Alicespoke，andsangduringherwakingmoments，likethechildshedeemedherself；butsohappilywiththedearly-lovedonesaroundher，withthescentoftheheather，andthesongofthewildbirdhoveringaboutherinimagination——witholdscrapsofballads，oroldsnatchesofprimitiveversionsofthePsalmssuchasaresungincountrychurcheshalfdraperiedoverwithivy，andwheretherunningbrook，orthemurmuringwindamongthetreesmakesfitaccompanimenttothechorusofhumanvoicesutteringpraiseandthanks-givingtotheirGod——thatthespeechandthesonggavecomfortandgoodcheertothelistener’sheart，andthegraydawnbegantodimthelightoftherush-candle，beforeMarythoughtitpossiblethatdaywasalreadytremblinginthehorizon。Thenshegotupfromthechairwhereshehadbeendozing，andwent，half-asleep，tothewindowtoassureherselfthatmorningwasathand。ThestreetswereunusuallyquietwithaSabbathstillness。Nofactorybellsthatmorning；
noearlyworkmengoingtotheirlabours；noslip-shodgirlscleaningthewindowsofthelittleshopswhichbrokethemonotonyofthestreet；instead，youmightseehereandtheresomeoperativesallyingforthforabreathofcountryair，orsomefatherleadingouthisweetoddlingbairnsfortheunwontedpleasureofawalkwith“Daddy，“intheclearfrostymorning。
MenwithmoreleisureonweekdayswouldperhapshavewalkedquickerthantheydidthroughthefreshsharpairofthisSundaymorning；buttothemtherewasapleasure，anabsoluterefreshmentinthedawdlinggaitthey，oneandallofthem，had。Tobesure，therewereoneortwopassengersonthatmorningwhoseobjectswerelessinnocentandlesspraiseworthythanthoseofthepeopleIhavealreadymentioned，andwhoseanimalstateofmindandbodyclashedjarringlyonthepeacefulnessoftheday，butuponthemIwillnotdwell；asyouandI，andalmosteveryone，Ithink，maysendupourindividualcryofself-reproachthatwehavenotdoneallthatwecouldforthestrayandwanderingonesofourbrethren。WhenMaryturnedfromthewindow，shewenttothebedofeachsleeper，tolookandlisten。Alicelookedperfectlyquietandhappyinherslumber，andherfaceseemedtohavebecomemuchmoreyouthfulduringherpainlessapproachofdeath。MrsWilson’scountenancewasstampedwiththeanxietyofthelastfewdays，althoughshe，too，appearedsleepingsoundly；butasMarygazedonher，tryingtotracealikenesstohersoninherface，sheawokeandlookedupintoMary’seyes，whiletheexpressionofconsciousnesscamehackintoherown。Bothweresilentforaminuteortwo。