water，anditflewnearontoahundredyards。ButIsay，oldgentleman，Iha’gottenonedried，andifyou’lltakeit，whyI’llgiveityou；only，“
　　headdedinalowertone，“I’dwishyou’djustgiemecreditfortheMermaidicus。“Ireallybelieve，iftheassumingfaithinthestoryofthemermaidhadbeenmadetheconditionofreceivingtheflyingfish，JobLegh，sinceremanthatbewas，wouldhavepretendedbelief；hewassomuchdelightedattheideaofpossessingthisspecimen。Hewonthesailor’sheartbygettinguptoshakebothhishandsinhisvehementgratitude，puzzlingpooroldAlice，whoyetsmiledthroughherwonder；forsheunderstoodtheactiontoindicatesomekindlyfeelingtowardshernephew。Jobwantedtorovehisgratitude，andwaspuzzledhowtodoit。HefearedtheyoungmanwouldnotappreciateanyofhisduplicateAraneides；noteventhegreatAmericanMygale，oneofhismostprecioustreasures；orelsehewouldgladlyhavebestowedanyduplicateonthedonorofarealdriedExocetus。Whatcouldhedoforhim？HecouldaskMargarettosing。
　　Otherfolksbesideherolddoatinggrandfatherthoughtadealofhersongs。
　　SoMargaretbeganSomeofhernobleo]d-fashionedsongs。Sheknewnomodernmusic，forwhichherauditorsmighthavebeenthankful，butshepouredherrichvoiceoutinSomeoftheoldcanzonetsshehadlatelylearntwhileaccompanyingthemusicallectureronhistour。Marywasamusedtoseehowtheyoungsailorsatentranced；mouth，eyes，allopen，inordertocatcheverybreathofsound。Hisverylidsrefusedtowink，Iasifafraidinthatbriefproverbialintervaltoloseaparticleoftherichmusicthatfloatedthroughtheroom。ForthefirsttimetheideacrossedMary’smindthatitwaspossibletheplainlittlesensibleMargaret，soprimanddemure，mighthavepowerovertheheartofthehandsome，dashing，spiritedWillWilson。Job，too，wasrapidlychanginghisOpinionofhisnewguest。Theflyingfishwentagreatway，andhisundisguisedadmirationforMargaret’ssingingcarriedhimstillfurther。Itwasamusingenoughtoseethesetwo，withinthehoursobarelyciviltoeachother，endeavouringnowtobeultra-agreeable。Will，assoonashehadtakenbreathalong，deepgaspofadmirationafterMargaret’ssong，sidleduptoJob，andaskedhiminasortofdoubtingtone，“Youwouldn’tlikealiveManxcat，wouldye，master？““Awhat？“exclaimedJob。“Idon’tknowitsbestname，“saidWill，humbly。“Butwecall’emjustManxcats。They’recatswithouttails。“NowJob，inallhisnaturalhistory，hadneverheardofsuchanimals；soWillcontinued，“BecauseI’mgoing，aforejoiningmyship，toseemother’sfriendsintheisland，andIwouldgladlybringyouone，ifsobeyou’dliketohaveit。
　　Theylookasqueerandouto’natureasflyingfish，or“——hegulpedthewordsdownthatshouldhavefollowed。“Especiallywhenyouseeemwalkingaroof-toprightagainthesky，whenacat，asisapropercat，issuretostickhertailstiffoutbehind，likeaslack-ropedancera-balancing；
　　butthesecatshavingnotail，cannotstickitout，whichcaptivatessomepeopleuncommonly。Ifyo’llallowme，I’llbringoneforMissthere，“jerkinghisheadatMargaret。Jobassentedwithgratefulcuriosity，wishingmuchtoseethetaillessphenomenon。“Whenareyougoingtosail？“askedMary。“Icannotjustlysay；ourship’sboundforAmericanextvoyage，theytellme。Amessmatewillletmeknowwhenhersailing-dayisfixed；butI’vegottogototh’Isleo’Manfirst。IpromisedunclelasttimeIwereinEnglandtogothisnexttime。ImayhavetohoisttheBluePeteranyday；
　　somakemuchofmewhileyouhaveme，Mary。“JobaskedhimifhehadeverbeeninAmerica。“Haven’tI？NorthandSouthboth!Thistimewe’reboundtoNorth。Yankee-Land，aswecallit，whereUncleSamlives。““Unclewho？“askedMary“Oh，it’sawaysailorshaveofspeaking。IonlymeanI’mgoingtoBoston，U。S。，that’sUncleSam。“Marydidnotunderstand，soshelefthimandwenttositbyAlice，whocouldnothearconversationunlessexpresslyaddressedtoher。Shehadsatpatientlythegreaterpartofthenight，andnowgreetedMarywithaquietsmile。“Where’syo’rfather？“askedshe。“Iguesshe’sathisUnion？he’stheremostevenings。“Aliceshookherhead；butwhetheritwerethatshedidnothear，orthatshedidnotquiteapproveofwhatsheheard，Marycouldnotmakeout。ShesatsilentlywatchingAlice，andregrettingoverherdimmedandveiledeyes，formerlysobrightandspeaking。AsifAliceunderstoodbysomeothersensewhatwaspassinginMary’smind，sheturnedsuddenlyround，andansweredMary’sthought。“Yo’remourningforme，mydear；andthere’snoneed，Mary。I’mashappyasachild。IsometimesthinkIamachild，whomtheLordishushabyingtomylongsleep。ForwhenIwereanurse-girl，mymissisalwaystelledmetospeakverysoftandlow，andtodarkentheroomthatherlittleonemightgotosleep；andnowallnoisesarehushedandstilltome，andthebonnyearthseemsdimanddark，andIknowit’smyFatherlullingmeawaytomylongsleep。I’mverywellcontent，andyomustn’tfretforme。I’vehadwellnigheveryblessinginlifeIcoulddesire。“MarythoughtofAlice’slong-cherished，fondwishtorevisitthehomeofherchildhood，sooftenandoftendeferred，andnowprobablynevertotakeplace。Orifitdid，howchangedfromthefondanticipationofwhatitwastohavebeen!ItwouldbeamockerytotheblindanddeafAlice。Theeveningcamequicklytoanend。Therewasthehumblecheerfulmeal，andthenthebustling，merryfarewell，andMarywasoncemoreinthequietnessandsolitudeofherowndingy，dreary-lookinghome；herfatherstillout，thefireextinguished，andherevening’staskofworklyingallundoneuponthedresser。Butithadbeenapleasantlittleinterludetothinkupon。Ithaddistractedherattentionforafewhoursfromthepressureofmanyuneasythoughts，ofthedark，heavy，oppressivetimes，whensorrowandwantseemedtosurroundheroneveryside：ofherfather，hischangedandalteredlooks，tellingsoplainlyofbrokenhealth，andanembitteredheart；ofthemorrow，andthemorrowbeyondthat，tohespentinthatclosemonotonousworkroom，withSallyLeadbitter’sodiouswhispershissinginherear；andofthehuntedlook，sofullofdread，fromMissSimmonds’
　　door-stepupanddownthestreet，lestherpersecutinglovershouldbenear；forhelayinwaitforherwithwonderfulperseverance，andoflatehadmadehimselfalmosthateful，bytheunmanlyforcewhichhehadusedtodetainhertolistentohim，andtheindifferencewithwhichheexposedhertotheremarksofthepassers-by，anyoneofwhommightcirculatereportswhichitwouldbeterribleforherfathertohear-andworsethandeathshouldtheyreachJemWilson。Andallthisshehaddrawnuponherselfbyhergiddyflirting。Oh!howsheloathedtherecollectionofthehotsummerevening，when，wornoutbystitchingandsewing，shehadloiteredhomewardswithwearylanguor，andfirstlistenedtothevoiceofthetempter。AndJemWilson!Oh，Jem，Jem，whydidyounotcometoreceivesomeofthemodestlooksandwordsoflovewhichMarylongedtogiveyou，totryandmakeupforthehastyrejectionwhichyouashastilytooktobefinal，thoughbothmournedoveritwithmanytears。Butdayafterdaypassedaway，andpatienceseemedofnoavail；andMary’scrywasevertheoldmoanoftheMoatedGrange，“Whycomeshenot，“shesaid，“Iamaweary，aweary。IwouldthatIweredead。“
　　chapter14CHAPTERXIVJEM’SINTERVIEWWITHPOORESTHERKnowthetemptationereyoujudgethecrime!Lookonthistree——’twasgreen，andfairandgraceful；Yetnow，savethesefewshoots，howdryandrotten!Thoucanstnottellthecause。Notlongago，Aneighbouroak，withwhichitsrootsweretwined，Infailingwrenchedthemwithsuchcruelforce，Thatthoughwecoveredthemagainwithcare，Itsbeautywithered，anditpinedaway。So，couldwelookintothehumanbreast，Howoftthefatalblightthatmeetsourview，Shouldwetracedowntothetorn，bleedingfibresOfatootrustingheart——whereitwereshame，Forpityingtears，togivecontemptorblame。StreetWalks。Themonthwasover；——thehoneymoontothenewlymarried；theexquisiteconvalescencetothe“livingmotherofalivingchild“；“thefirstdarkdaysofnothingness“tothewidowandthechild-bereaved；thetermofpenance，ofhardlabour，andsolitaryconfinement，totheshrinking，shivering，hopelessprisoner。“Sick，andinprison，andyevisitedme。“Shallyou，orI，receivesuchblessing？Iknowonewhowill。Anoverseerofafoundry，anagedman，withhoaryhair，hasspenthisSabbaths，formanyyears，invisitingtheprisonersandtheafflictedinManchesterNewBailey；notmerelyadvising，andcomforting，butputtingmeansintotheirpowerofregainingthevirtueandthepeacetheyhadlost，becominghimselftheirguaranteeinobtainingemployment，andneverdesertingthosewhohaveonceaskedhelpfromhim。Esther’stermofimprisonmentwasended。Shereceivedagoodcharacterinthegovernor’sbooks；shehadpickedherdailyquantityofoakum，hadneverdeservedtheextrapunishmentofthetreadmill，andhadbeencivilanddecorousinherlanguage。Andoncemoreshewasoutofprison。Thedoorclosedbehindherwithaponderousclang，andinherdesolationshefeltasifshutoutofhome-fromtheonlysheltershecouldmeetwith，houselessandpennilessasshewas，onthatdrearyday。Butitwasbutforaninstantthatshestoodtheredoubting。Onethoughthadhauntedherbothbynightandbyday，withmonomaniacalincessancy；
　　andthatthoughtwashowtosaveMaryherdeadsister’sonlychild，herownlittlepetinthedaysofherinnocencefromfollowinginthesamedownwardpathtovice。Towhomcouldshespeakandaskforaid？SheshrankfromtheideaofaddressingJohnBartonagain；herheartsankwithinher，attheremembranceofhisfiercerepulsingaction，andfarfiercerwords。
　　ItseemedworsethandeathtorevealherconditiontoMary，elseshesometimesthoughtthatthiscoursewouldbethemostterrible，themostefficientwarning。Shemustspeak；tothatshewassoul-compelled；buttowhom？Shedreadedaddressinganyofherformerfemaleacquaintance，evensupposingtheyhadsense，orspirit，orinterestenoughtoundertakehermission。Towhomshalltheoutcastprostitutetellhertale？Whowillgiveherhelpinthedayofneed？Hersistheleper-sin，andallstandaloofdreadingtobecountedunclean。Inherwildnightwanderings，shehadnotedthehauntsandhabitsofmanyaonewholittlethoughtofawatcherinthepoorforsakenwoman。Youmayeasilyimaginethatadoubleinterestwasattachedbyhertothewaysandcompanionshipsofthosewithwhomshehadbeenacquaintedinthedayswhich，whenpresent，shehadconsideredhardly-workedandmonotonous，butwhichnowinretrospectionseemedsohappyandunclouded。Accordingly，shehad，aswehaveseen，knownwheretomeetwithJohnBartononthatunfortunatenight，whichhadonlyproducedirritationinhim，andamonth’simprisonmenttoher。ShebadalsoobservedthathewasstillintimatewiththeWilsons。
　　Shehadseenhimwalkingandtalkingwithbothfatherandson；heroldfriendstoo；andshehadshedunregarded，unvaluedtears，whensomeonehadcasuallytoldherofGeorgeWilson’ssuddendeath。Itnowflashedacrosshermindthattotheson，toMary’splayfellow，herelderbrotherinthedaysofchildhood，hertalemightbetold，andlistenedtowithinterest，andsomemodeofactionsuggestedbyhimbywhichMarymightbeguardedandsaved。Allthesethoughtshadpassedthroughhermindwhileyetshewasinprison；
　　sowhenshewasturnedout，herpurposewasclear，andshedidnotfeelherdesolationoffreedomasshewouldotherwisehavedone。ThatnightshestationedherselfearlynearthefoundrywheresheknewJemworked；bestayedlaterthanusual，beingdetainedbysomearrangementsforthemorrow。Shegrewtiredandimpatient；manyworkmenhadcomeoutofthedoorinthelong，dead，brickwall，andeagerlyhadshepeeredintotheirfaces，deaftoallinsultorcurse。Hemusthavegonehomeearly；
　　onemoreturninthestreet，andshewouldgo。Duringthatturnbecameout，andinthequietofthatstreetofworkshopsandwarehouses，shedirectlyheardhissteps。Howherheartfailedherforaninstant，butstillshewasnotdauntedfromherpurpose，painfulasitsfulfilmentwassuretobe。Shelaidherhandonhisarm。Assheexpected，afteramomentaryglanceatthepersonwhothusendeavouredtodetainhim，hemadeanendeavourtoshakeitoff，andpasson。But，tremblingasshewas，shehadprovidedagainstthisbyafirmandunusualgrasp。“Youmustlistentome，JemWilson，“shesaid，withalmostanaccentofcommand。“Goaway，missis；I’venoughttodowithyou，eitherinhearkeningortalking。“Hemadeanotherstruggle。“Youmustlisten，“shesaidagain，authoritatively，“forMaryBarton’ssake。““Thespellofhernamewasaspotentasthatofthemariner’sglitteringeye。“Helistenedlikeathree-yearchild。““Iknowyoucareenoughforhertowishtosaveherfromharm。“Heinterruptedhisearnestgazeintoherface，withtheexclamation——“AndwhocanyobetoknowMaryBarton，ortoknowthatshe’saughttome？“TherewasalittlestrifeinEsther’smindforaninstant，betweentheshameof