“Iwonderifonelittleliewouldbeasin，asthingsstand？Itwouldhappengivehersleep，andshewon’thavesleepformanyandmanyanightnottocallsleep，ifthingsgoeswrongto-morrow。I’llchanceit，anyway。““Job!areyouthere？“askedsheagain，withatremblingimpatiencethattoldineverytoneofhervoice。“Aye!sure!Ithoughtthou’dha’beenasleepbythistime。““Asleep!HowcouldIsleeptillIknow’difWillwerefound？““Nowforit，“mutteredJobtohimself。Theninaloudervoice，“Neverfear!
he’sfound，andsafe，readyforto-morrow。““Andhe’llprovethatthingformypoorlad；willhe？He’llbearwitnessthatJemwerewithhim？Oh，Job，speak!tellmeall!““Inforapenny，inforapound，“thoughtJob。“Happenoneprayerwilldoforthesumtotal。Anyrate，Imustgoonnow。Aye，aye，“shoutedhethroughthedoor。“Hecanproveall；andJemwillcomeoffasclearasanew-bornbabe。“HecouldhearMrsWilson’srustlingmovementsandinaninstantguessedshewasonherknees，forheheardhertremblingvoiceupliftedinthanksgivingandpraisetoGod，stoppedattimesbysobsofgladnessandrelief。Andwhenheheardthis，hisheartmisgavehim；forhethoughtoftheawfulenlightening，theterriblerevulsionoffeelingthatawaitedherinthemorning。Hesawtheshort-sightednessoffalsehood；butwhatcouldhedonow？Whilehelistened，sheendedhergratefulprayers。“AndMary？Thou’stfoundheratMrsJones’s，Job？“saidshe，continuingherinquiries。Hegaveagreatsigh。“Yes，shewasthere，safeenough，secondtimeofgoing。Godforgiveme!“
mutteredhe，“who’dha’thoughtofmyturningoutsuchanarrantliarinmyolddays。““Blessthewench!Isshehere？Whydoesnotshecometobed？I’msureshe’sneed。“Jobcoughedawayhisremainsofconscience，andmadeanswer，“Shewasabitweary，ando’erdonewithhersail；andMrsJonesaxedhertostaythereallnight。Itwasnighathandtothecourts，whereshewillhavetobeinthemorning。““Itcomeseasyenoughafterawhile，“groanedoutJob。“Thefatheroflieshelpsone，Isuppose，fornowmyspeechcomesasnaturalastruth。She’sdonequestioningnow，that’sonegoodthing。I’llbeoffbeforeSatanandsheareatmeagain。“Hereturnedtothehouse-place，wherethelandladystood，wearilywaiting。
Herhusbandwasinbed，andasleeplongago。ButJobhadnotyetmadeuphismindwhattodo。Hecouldnotgotosleep，withallhisanxieties，ifhewereputintothebestbedinLiverpool。“Thou’ltletmesitupinthisarm-chair，“saidheatlength，tothewoman，whostood，expectinghisdeparture。Hewasanoldfriend，soshelethimdoashewished。But，indeed，shewastoosleepytohaveopposedhim。Shewastoogladtobereleased，andgotobed。
TothinkThatallthislonginterminablenight，WhichIhavepassedinthinkingontwowords——’Guilty’——’NotGuilty!’——likeonehappymomentO’ermanyaheadhathflownunheededby；O’erhappysleepersdreamingintheirblissOfbrightto-morrows——orfarhappierstill，Withdeepbreathburiedinforgetfulness。OallthedismallestimagesofdeathDidswimbeforemyeyes!WILSON。Andnow，wherewasMary？HowJob’sheartwouldhavebeenrelievedofoneofitscaresifhecouldhaveseenherforhewasinamiserablestateofanxietyabouther；andmanyandmanyatimethroughthatlongnight，hescoldedherandhimself；
herforherobstinacy，andhimselfforhisweaknessinyieldingtoherobstinacywhensheinsistedonbeingtheonetofollowandfindoutWill。ShedidnotpassthatnightinbedanymorethanJob；butshewasunderarespectableroof，andamongkind，thoughrough，people。Shehadofferednoresistancetotheoldboatman，whenhehadclutchedherarm，inordertoinsureherfollowinghim，ashethreadedthecrowdeddock-ways，anddivedupstrangebye-streets。Shecameonmeeklyafterhim，scarcelythinkinginherstuporwhereshewasgoing，andgladinadead，heavywaythatsomeonewasdecidingthingsforher。Heledhertoanold-fashionedhouse，almostassmallashousecouldbe，whichhadbeenbuiltlongago，beforealltheotherpartofthestreet，andhadacountry-townlookaboutitinthemiddleofthatbustlingbackstreet。Hepulledherintothehouse-place；andrelievedtoacertaindegreeofhisfearoflosingherontheway，heexclaimed，“There!“givingagreatslapofonehandonherback。Theroomwaslightandbright，androusedMaryperhapstheslaponherbackmighthelpalittle，too，andshefelttheawkwardnessofaccountingforherpresencetoalittlebustlingoldwomanwhohadbeenmovingaboutthefireplaceonherentrance。Theboat-mantookitveryquietly，neverdeigningtogiveanyexplanation，butsittingdowninhisownparticularchair，andchewingtobacco，whilehelookedatMarywiththemostsatisfiedairimaginable，halftriumphantlyasifshewerethecaptiveofhisbowandspear，andhalfdefying，asifdaringhertoescape。Theoldwoman，hiswife，stoodstill，pokerinhand，waitingtobetoldwhoitwasthatherhusbandhadbroughthomesounceremoniously；but，asshelookedinamazement，thegirl’scheekflushed，andthenblanchedtoadeadwhiteness；afilmcameoverhereyes，andcatchingatthedresserforsupportinthathotwhirlingroom，shefellinaheaponthefloor。Bothmanandwifecamequicklytoherassistance。Theyraisedherup，stillinsensible，andhesupportedherononeknee，whilehiswifepatteredawayforsomecoldfreshwater。ShethrewitstraightoverMary；butthoughitcausedagreatsob，theeyesstillremainedclosed，andthefaceaspaleasashes。“Whoisshe，Ben？“askedthewomanassherubbedherunresisting，powerlesshands。“HowshouldIknow？“answeredherhusband，gruffly。“Well-a-well“inasoothingtone，suchasyouusetoirritatedchildren，andasifhalftoherself，“Ionlythoughtyoumight，youknow，asyoubroughtherhome。Poorthing!wemustnotaskaughtabouther，butthatsheneedshelp。IwishI’dmysaltsathome，butIlent’emtoMrsBurton，lastSundayinchurch，forshecouldnotkeepawakethroughthesermon。
Dear-a-me，howwhitesheis!““Here!youholdherupabit，“saidherhusband。Shedidashedesired，stillcrooningtoherself，notcaringforhisshort，sharpinterruptionsasshewenton；and，indeed，toherold，lovingheart，hiscrossestwordsfelllikepearlsanddiamonds，forhehadbeenthehusbandofheryouth；andevenhe，roughandcrabbedashewas，wassecretlysoothedbythesoundofhervoice，althoughnotforworlds，ifhecouldhavehelpedit，wouldhehaveshownanyofthelovethatwashiddenbeneathhisroughoutside。“What’stheoldfellowafter？“saidshe，bendingoverMary，soastoaccommodatethedroopinghead。“Takingmypen，asI’vehadforbetternorfiveyear。
Blessus，andsaveus!he’sburningit!Aye，Iseenow，he’shiswitsabouthim；burntfeathersisalwaysgoodforafaint。Buttheydon’tbringherround，poorwench!Nowwhat’sheafternext？Well!heisabrightone，myoldman!ThatIneverthoughtofthat，tobesure!“exclaimedshe，asheproducedabottleofsmuggledspirits，labelled“GoldenWaaser，“fromacornercupboardintheirlittleroom。“That’lldo!“saidshe，asthedosehepouredintoMary’sopenmouthmadeherstartandcough。“Blesstheman!It’sjustlikehimtobesotenderandthoughtful!““Notabit!“snarledhe，ashewasrelievedbyMary’sreturningcolour，andopenedeyes，andwondering，sensiblegaze；“notabit!Ineverwassuchafoolafore。“HiswifehelpedMarytorise，andplacedherinachair。“All’sright，now，youngwoman？“askedtheboat-man，anxiously。“Yes，sir，andthankyou。I’msure，sir，Idon’tknowrightlyhowtothankyou，“falteredMarysoftlyforth。“Behangedtoyouandyourthanks。“Andheshookhimself，tookhispipe，andwentoutwithoutdeigninganotherword；leavinghiswifesorelypuzzledastothecharacterandhistoryofthestrangerwithinherdoors。Marywatchedtheboatmanleavethehouse，andthen，turninghersorrowfuleyestothefaceofherhostess，sheattemptedfeeblytorise，withtheintentionofgoingaway，——wheresheknewnot。“Nay!nay!whoe’erthoube’st，thou’rtnotfittogooutintothestreet。
Perhaps“sinkinghervoicealittle“thou’rtabadone；Ialmostmisdoubtthee，thou’rtsopretty。Well-a-well!it’sthebadonesashavethebrokenhearts，sureenough；goodfolknevergetutterlycastdown，they’vealwaysgettenhopeintheLord；it’sthesinfulasbearthebitter，bittergriefintheircrushedhearts，poorsouls；it’sthemweought，mostofall，topityandtohelp。Sheshannaleavethehouseto-night，choosewhosheis，——worstwomaninLiverpool，sheshanna。IwishedIknewwhereth’oldmanpickedherup，thatIdo。“Maryhadlistenedfeeblytothissoliloquy，andnowtriedtosatisfyherhostessinweak，brokensentences。“I’mnotabadone，missis，indeed。Yourmastertookmeouttoseaafterashipashadsailed。Therewasamaninitasmightsavealifeatthetrialto-morrow。Thecaptainwouldnotlethimcome，buthesayshe’llcomebackinthepilot-boat。“Shefelltosobbingatthethoughtofherwaninghopes，andtheoldwomantriedtocomforther，beginningwithheraccustomed，“Well-a-well!andhe’llcomeback，I’msure。Iknowhewill；sokeepupyourheart。Don’tfretaboutit。He’ssuretobeback。““Oh!I’mafraid!I’msoreafraidhewon’t，“criedMary，consoled，nevertheless，bythewoman’sassertions，allgroundlessassheknewthemtobe。StilltalkinghalftoherselfandhalftoMary，theoldwomanpreparedtea，andurgedhervisitortoeatandrefreshherself。ButMaryshookherheadattheprofferedfood，andonlydrankacupofteawiththirstyeagerness。
Forthespiritshadthrownherintoaburningheat，andrenderedeachimpressionreceivedthroughhersensesofthemostpainfuldistinctnessandintensity，whileherheadachedinaterriblemanner。Shedislikedspeaking，herpoweroverherwordsseemedsoutterlygone。
Sheusedquitedifferentexpressionstothosesheintended。Soshekeptsilent，whileMrsSturgisforthatwasthenameofherhostesstalkedaway，andputhertea-thingsby，andmovedaboutincessantly，inamannerthatincreasedthedizzinessinMary’shead。Shefeltasifsheoughttotakeleaveforthenight，andgo。Butwhere？Presentlytheoldmancameback；crosserandgrufferthanwhenhewentaway。Hekickedasidethedryshoeshiswifehadpreparedforhim，andsnarledatallshesaid。Maryattributedthistohisfindingherstillthere，andgatheredupherstrengthforanefforttoleavethehouse。Butshewasmistaken。Byandby，hesaidlookingrightintothefireasifaddressingit“Wind’srightagainstthem!““Aye，aye，andisitso？“saidhiswife，who，knowinghimwell，knewthathissurlinessproceededfromsomerepressedsympathy。“Well-a-well，windchangesoftenatnight。Timeenoughbeforemorning。I’dbetapennyithaschangedsin’thoulooked。“Shelookedoutofherlittlewindowataweathercocknear，glitteringinthemoonlight；andasshewasasailor’swife，sheinstantlyrecognisedtheunfavourablepointatwhichtheindicatorseemedstationary，andgivingaheavysigh，turnedintotheroom，andbegantobeataboutinherownmindforsomeothermodeofcomfort。“There’snooneelsewhocanprovewhatyouwantatthetrialto-morrow，isthere？“askedshe。“Noone!“answeredMary。“Andyou’venocluetotheoneasisreallyguilty，ift’otherisnot？“Marydidnotanswer，buttrembledallover。Sturgissawit。“Don’tbotherherwiththyquestions，“saidhetohiswife。“Shemungotobed，forshe’sallinashiverwiththeseaair。I’llseeafterthewind，hangit，andtheweathercocktoo。Tidewillhelp’emwhenitturns。“Marywentup-stairsmurmuringthanksandblessingsonthosewhotookthestrangerin。MrsSturgisledherintoalittleroomredolentoftheseaandforeignlands。Therewasasmallbedforoneson，boundforChina；
andahammockslungaboveforanother，whowasnowtossingintheBaltic。