staringatoneso。I’llbeboundyouwishedyou’dtakenmyoffer,andborrowedmyblackwateredscarf!Nowdidn’tyou,Mary?Speaktruth!““Totelltruth,Ineverthoughtaboutit,then,Sally。HowcouldI?“askedshe,reproachfully。“Oh——Iforgot。YouwereallforthatstupidJamesWilson。Well!ifI’veeverthelucktogowitnessonatrial,seeifIdon’tpickupabetterbeauthantheprisoner。I’llaimatalawyer’sclerk,butI’llnottakelessthanaturnkey。“CastdownasMarywas,shecouldhardlykeepfromsmilingattheidea,sowildlyincongruouswiththesceneshehadreallyundergone,oflookingoutforadmirersduringatrialformurder。“I’dnothoughttobelookingoutforbeaux,Icanassureyou,Sally。Butdon’tletustalkanymoreaboutit;Ican’tbeartothinkonit。HowisMissSimmonds?andeverybody?““Oh,verywell;andbythewayshegavemeabitofamessageforyou。
Youmaycomebacktoworkifyou’llbehaveyourself,shesays。Itoldyoushe’dbegladtohaveyouback,afterallthispieceofbusiness,bywayoftemptingpeopletocometohershop。They’dcomefromSalfordtohaveapeepatyou,forsixmonthsatleast。““Don’ttalkso;Icannotcome,IcanneverfaceMissSimmondsagain。AndevenifIcould——“shestopped,andblushed。“Aye!Iknowwhatyouarethinkingon。Butthatwillnotbethissometime,ashe’sturnedofffromthefoundry,——you’dbetterthinktwiceaforerefusingMissSimmonds’offer。““Turnedofffromthefoundry?Jem!“criedMary。“Tobesure!didn’tyouknowit?Decentmenwerenotgoingtoworkwitha——no!IsupposeImustn’tsayit,seeingyouwenttosuchatroubletogetupanalibi;notthatIshouldthinkmuchtheworseofaspiritedyoungfellowforfallingfoulofarival,——theyalwaysdoatthetheatre。“ButMary’sthoughtswerewithJem。Howgoodhehadbeennevertonamehisdismissaltoher。Howmuchhehadtoendureforhersake!“Tellmeallaboutit,“shegaspedout。“Why,yousee,they’vealwaysswordsquitehandyatthemplays,“beganSally;butMary,withanimpatientshakeofherhead,interrupted,“AboutJem,——aboutJem,Iwanttoknow。““Oh!Idon’tpretendtoknowmorethanisineveryone’smouthhe’sturnedawayfromthefoundry,becausefolksdon’tthinkyou’veclearedhimoutrightofthemurder;thouhperhapsthejurywereloathtohanghim。OldMrCarsonissavageagainstjudgeandjury,andlawyersandall,asIheard。““Imustgotohim,Imustgotohim,“repeatedMary,inahurriedmanner。“He’lltellyouallI’vesaidistrue,andnotawordoflie,“repliedSally。“SoI’llnotgiveyouranswertoMissSimmonds,butleaveyoutothinktwiceaboutit。Goodafternoon!“Maryshutthedoor,andturnedintothehouse。Herfathersatinthesameattitude;theoldunchangingattitude。Onlyhisheadwasmorebowedtowardstheground。SheputonherbonnettogotoAncoats;forsee,andquestion,andcomfort,andworshipJem,shemust。Asshehungaboutherfatherforaninstantbeforeleavinghim,hespoke——voluntarilyspokeforthefirsttimesinceherreturn;buthisheadwasdroopingsolowshecouldnothearwhathesaid,soshestoopeddown;andafteramoment’spause,herepeatedthewords,“TellJemWilsontocomehereateighto’clockto-night。“CouldhehaveoverheardherconversationwithSallyLeadbitter?Theyhadwhisperedlow,shethought。Ponderingonthis,andmanyotherthings,shereachedAncoats。
“Oh,hadhelived,RepliedRusilla,neverpenitenceHadequalledhis!fullwellIknowhisheart,Vehementinallthings。HewouldonhimselfHavewreakedsuchpenanceashadreachedtheheightOffleshlysuffering,——yea,whichbeingtold,WithitsportentousrigourshouldhavemadeThememoryofhisfaulto’erpoweredandlost,Inshudderingpityandastonishment,Fadelikeafeeblehorror。SOUTHEY’SRoderick。AsMarywasturningintothestreetwheretheWilsonslived,Jemovertookher。Hecameuponhersuddenly,andshestarted。“You’regoingtoseemother?“
heaskedtenderly,placingherarmwithinhis,andslackeninghispace。“Yes,andyoutoo。Oh,Jem,isittrue?tellme。“Shefeltrightlythathewouldguessthemeaningofheronlyhalf-expressedinquiry。Hehesitatedamomentbeforeheansweredher。“Darling,itis;it’snousehidingit——ifyoumeanthat。I’mnolongertoworkatDuncombe’sfoundry。It’snotimetomymindtohavesecretsfromeachother,thoughIdidnotnameityesterday,thinkingyoumightfret。Ishallsoongetworkagain,neverfear。““Butwhydidtheyturnyouoff,whenthejuryhadsaidyouwereinnocent?““Itwasnotjusttosayturnedoff,thoughIdon’tthinkIcouldhavewellstayedon。Agoodnumberofthemenmanagedtoletouttheyshouldnotliketoworknudermeagain;thereweresomefewwhoknewmewellenoughtofeelIcouldnothavedoneit,butmoreweredoubtful;andonespoketoyoungMrDuncombe,hintingatwhattheythought。““Oh,Jem!whatashame!“saidMary,withmournfulindignation。“Nay,darling!I’mnotforblamingthem。Poorfellowslikethemhavenoughttostanduponandbeproudofbuttheircharacter,andit’sfittingtheyshouldtakecareofthat,andkeepthatfreefromsoilandtaint。““Butyou,——whatcouldtheygetbutgoodfromyou?Theymighthaveknownyoubythistime。““Sosomedo;theoverlooker,I’msure,wouldknowIaminnocent。Indeed,hesaidasmuchto-day;andhesaidhehadhadsometalkwitholdMrDuncombe,andtheythoughtitmightbebetterifIleftManchesterforabit;they’drecommendmetosomeotherplace。“ButMarycouldonlyshakeherheadinamournfulway,andrepeatherwords,“Theymighthaveknowntheebetter,Jem。“Jempressedthelittlehandheheldbetweenhisownwork-hardenedones。
Afteraminuteortwo,heasked,“Mary,artthoumuchboundtoManchester?Woulditgrievetheesoretoquittheoldsmoke-jack?““Withthee?“sheasked,inaquiet,glancingway。“Aye,lass!Trustme,I’llneverasktheetoleaveManchesterwhileI’minit。BecauseIhaveheardfinethingsofCanada;andouroverlookerhasacousininthefoundrylinethere。ThouknowestwhereCanadais,Mary?““Notrightly——notnow,atanyrate;——butwiththee,Jem,“hervoicesunktoasoft,lowwhisper,“anywhere——“Whatwastheuseofageographicaldescription!“Butfather!“saidMary,suddenlybreakingthatdelicioussilencewiththeonesharpdiscordinherpresentlife。Shelookedupatherlover’sgraveface;andthenthemessageherfatherhadsentflashedacrosshermemory。“Oh,Jem,didItellyou?Fathersentwordhewishedtospeakwithyou。
Iwastobidyoucometohimateighto’clockto-night。Whatcanhewant,Jem?““Icannottell,“repliedhe。“AtanyrateI’llgo。It’snousetroublingourselvestoguess,“hecontinued,afterapauseforafewminutes,duringwhichtheyslowlyandsilentlypacedupanddowntheby-street,intowhichhehadledherwhentheirconversationbegan。“Comeandseemother,andthenI’lltaketheehome,Mary。ThouwertallinatremblewhenfirstI
cameutothee;thou’rtnotfittobetrustedhomebythyself,“saidhe,withfondexaggerationofherhelplessness。Yetalittlemorelovers’loitering;afewmorewords,inthemselvesnothing——toyounothing——buttothosetwo,whattenderpassionatelanguagecanIusetoexpressthefeelingswhichthrilledthroughthatyoungmanandmaiden,astheylistenedtothesyllablesmadedearandlovelythroughlifebythathour’slow-whisperedtalk。Itstruckthehalfhourpastseven。“Comeandspeaktomother;sheknowsyou’retobeherdaughter,Mary,darling。“Sotheywentin。JaneWilsonwasratherchafedatherson’sdelayinreturninghome,forasyethehadmanagedtokeepherinignoranceofhisdismissalfromthefoundry:anditwasherwaytopreparesomelittlepleasure,somelittlecomfortforthosesheloved;andifthey,unwittingly,didnotappearatthepropertimetoenjoyherpreparation,sheworkedherselfupintoastateoffretfulnesswhichfoundventinupbraidingsassoonasevertheobjectsofhercareappeared,therebymarringthepeacewhichshouldeverbetheatmosphereofahome,howeverhumble;andcausingafeelingalmostamountingtoloathingtoariseatthesightofthe“stalledox,“
which,thoughaneffectandproofofcarefullove,hasbeenthecauseofsomuchdisturbance。MrsWilsonhadfirstsighed,andthengrumbledtoherself,overtheincreasingtoughnessofthepotato-cakesshehadmadeforherson’stea。Thedooropened,andhecamein;hisfacebrighteningintoproudsmiles,MaryBartonhangingonhisarm,blushinganddimpling,witheyelidsveilingthehappylightofhereyes,——therewasaroundtheyoungcouplearadiantatmosphere——agloryofhappiness。Couldhismothermarit?CouldshebreakintoitwithherMartha-likecares?
Onlyforonemomentdidsherememberhersenseofinjury,——herwastedtrouble,——andthen,herwholewoman’sheartheavingwithmotherlyloveandsympathy,sheopenedherarms,andreceivedMaryintothem,assheddingtearsofagitatedjoy,shemurmuredinherear,“Blessthee,Mary,blessthee!OnlymakehimandGodblesstheeforever!“IttooksomeofJem’sself-commandtoseparatethosewhomhesomuchloved,andwhowerebeginning,forhissake,toloveoneanothersodearly。ButthetimeforhismeetingJohnBartondrewon;anditwasalongwaytohishouse。Astheywalkedbrisklythither,theyhardlyspoke;thoughmanythoughtswereintheirminds。Thesunhadnotlongset,butthefirstfaintshadeoftwilightwasoverall;andwhentheyopenedthedoor,Jemcouldhardlyperceivetheobjectswithinbythewaninglightofday,andtheflickeringfire-blaze。ButMarysawallataglance。Hereye,accustomedtowhatwasusualintheaspectoftheroom,sawinstantlywhatwasunusual,——sawandunderstooditall。Herfatherwasstandingbehindhishabitualchair;holdingbythebackofitasifforsupport。AndoppositetohimtherestoodMrCarson;thedarkoutlineofhissternfigureloominglargeagainstthelightofthefireinthatlittleroom。BehindherfathersatJobLegh,hisheadinhishands,andrestinghiselbowonthelittlefamilytable,——listeningevidently;butasevidentlydeeplyaffectedbywhatheheard。Thereseemedtobesomepauseintheconversation。MaryandJemstoodatthehalf-opendoor,notdaringtostir;hardlytobreathe。“AndhaveIheardyouaright?“beganMrCarson,withhisdeepquiveringvoice。“Man,haveIheardyouaright?Wasityou,then,thatkilledmyboy?myonlyson?“hesaidtheselastfewwordsalmostasifappealingforpity,andthenhechangedhistonetoonemorevehementandfierce。
“Don’tdaretothinkthatIshallbemerciful,andspareyou,becauseyouhavecomeforwardtoaccuseyourself。ItellyouIwillnotspareyoutheleastpangthelawcaninflict,——you,whodidnotshowpityonmyboy,shallhavenonefromme。““Ididnotaskforany,“saidJohnBarton,inalowvoice。“Ask,ornotask,whatcareI?Youshallbehanged——hanged——man!“saidhe,advancinghisface,andrepeatingthewordwithslowgrindingemphasis,asiftoinfusesomeofthebitternessofhissoulintoit。JohnBartongasped;butnotwithfear。Itwasonlythathefeltitterribletohaveinspiredsuchhatred,aswasconcentratedintoeveryword,everygestureofMrCarson’s。“Asforbeinghanged,sir,Iknowit’sallrightandproper。Idaresayit’sbadenough;butItellyouwhat,sir,“speakingwithanoutburst,“ifyou’dhangedmethedayafterI’ddonethedeed,Iwouldhavegonedownonmykneesandblessedyou。Death!LordwhatisittoLife?TosuchaLifeasI’vebeenleadingthisfortnightpast。Lifeatbestisnogreatthing;butsuchaLifeasIhavedraggedthroughsincethatnight,“heshudderedatthethought。“Why,sir,I’vebeenonthepointofkillingmyselfthismanyatimetogetawayfrommyownthoughts。Ididn’t!andI’lltellyouwhy。Ididn’tknowbutthatIshouldbemorehauntedthaneverwiththerecollectionofmysin。Oh!GodaboveonlycantelltheagonywithwhichI’verepentedmeofit,andpartperhapsbecauseIfearedHewouldthinkIwereimpatientofthemiseryHesentaspunishment——far,farworsemiserythananybanging,sir。“Heceasedfromexcessofemotion。Thenhebeganagain。“Sin’thatdayitmaybeverywicked,sir,butit’sthetruthI’vekeptthinkingandthinkingifIwerebutinthatworldwheretheysayGodis,Hewould,maybe,teachmerightfromwrong,evenifitwerewithmanystripes。
I’vebeensorepuzzledhere。Iwouldgothroughhell-fireifIcouldbutgetfreefromsinatlast,it’ssuchanawfulthing。Asforhanging,that’sjustnoughtatall“Hisexhaustioncompelledhimtositdown。Maryrushedtohim。Itseemedasiftillthenhehadbeenunawareofherpresence。“Aye,aye,wench!“saidhe,feebly,“isitthee?Where’sJemWilson?“Jemcameforward。JohnBartonspokeagain,withmanyabreakandgaspingpause。“Lad!thouhastborneadealforme。It’sthemeanestthingIeverdidtoleavetheetobearthebrunt。Thou,whowertasinnocentofanyknowledgeofitasthebabeunborn。I’llnotblesstheeforit。Blessingfromsuchasmewouldnotbringtheeanygood。Thou’ltloveMary,thoughsheismychild。“Heceased,andtherewasapauseforafewseconds。ThenMrCarsonturnedtogo。Whenhishandwasonthelatchofthedoor,hehesitatedforaninstant。“YoucanhavenodoubtforwhatpurposeIgo。Straighttothepolice-office,tosendmentotakecareofyou,wretchedman,andyouraccomplice。To-morrowmorningyourtaleshallberepeatedtothosewhocancommityoutogoal,andbeforelongyoushallhavetheopportunityoftryinghowdesirablehangingis。““Oh,sir!“saidMary,springingforward,andcatchingholdofMrCarson’sarm,myfatherisdying。Lookathim,sir。IfyouwantDeathforDeath,youhaveit。Don’ttakehimawayfrommetheselasthours。HemustgoalonethroughDeath,butletmebewithhimaslongasIcan。Oh,sir!ifyouhaveanymercyinyou,leavehimheretodie。“Johnhimselfstoodup,stiffandrigid,andreplied,“Mary,wench!Iowehimsummut。Iwillgodie,where,andashewishesme。Thouhastsaidtrue,IamstandingsidebysidewithDeath;anditmatterlittlewhereIspendthebitoftimeleftofLife。ThattimeImustpasswrestlingwithmysoulforacharactertotakeintotheotherworld。