Dostthouknowwhereheis，thoubadhussy，withthygreatblueeyesandyellowhair，toleadmenontoruin？Outupontheewiththyangel’sface，thouwhitedsepulchre!DostthouknowwhereJemis，allthroughthee？““No!“quiveredoutpoorMary，scarcelyconsciousthatshespoke，sodaunted，soterrifiedwasshebytheindignantmother’sgreeting。“He’slyinginth’NewBailey，“slowlyanddistinctlyspokethemother，watchingtheeffectofherwords，asifbelievingintheirinfinitepowertopain。“Therehelies，waitingtotakehistrialformurderingyoungMrCarson。“Noanswer；butsuchablanchedface，suchwild，distendedeyes，suchtremblinglimbs，instinctivelyseekingsupport!“DidyouknowMrCarsonasnowliesdead？“continuedthemercilesswoman。
　　“Folksayyoudid，andknewhimbuttoowell。Andthatforthesakeofsuchasyou，mypreciouschildshotyonchap。Buthedidnot。Iknowhedidnot。Theymayhanghim，buthismotherwillspeaktohisinnocencewithherlastdyingbreath。“Shestoppedmorefromexhaustionthanwantofwords。Maryspoke，butinsochangedandchokedavoicethattheoldwomanalmoststarted。Itseemedasifsomethirdpersonmustbeintheroom，thevoicewassohoarseandstrange。“Pleasesayitagain。Idon’tquiteunderstandyou。WhathasJemdone？
　　Pleasetotellme。““Ineversaidhehaddoneit。Isaid，andI’llswearthatheneverdiddoit。Idon’tcarewhoheard’emquarrel，orifitishisgunaswerefoundnearthebody。It’snotmyownJemaswouldgofortokillanyman，choosehowagirlhadjiltedhim。MyowngoodJem，aswasablessingsentuponthehousewherehewasborn。“Tearscameintothemother’sburningeyesasherheartrecurredtothedayswhenshehadrockedthecradleof“herfirst-born“；andthen，rapidlypassingoverevents，tillthefullconsciousnessofhispresentSituationcameuponher，andperhapsannoyedathavingshownanysoftnessofcharacterinthepresenceoftheDelilahwhohadluredhimtohisdanger，shespokeagain，andinasharpertone。“Itoldhim，andtoldhimtoleaveoffthinkingonthee；buthewouldn’tbeledbyme。Thee!wench!thouwerenotgoodenoughtowipethedustoffhisfeet。Avile，flirtingqueanasthouart。It’swellthymotherdoesnotknowpoorbodywhatagood-for-nothingthouart。““Mother!ohmother!“saidMary，asifappealingtothemercifuldead。“ButIwasnotgoodenoughforhim!IknowIwasnot，“addedshe，inavoiceoftouchinghumility。Forthroughherheartwenttollingtheominous，propheticwordshehadusedwhenbehadlastspokentoher：“Mary!you’llmaybehearofmeasadrunkard，andmaybeasathief；andmaybeasamurderer。Remember!whenallarespeakingillofme，youwillhavenorighttoblameme，forit’syourcrueltythatwillhavemademewhatIfeelIshallbecome。“Andshedidnotblamehim，thoughshedoubtednothisguilt；shefelthowmadlyshemightactifoncejealousofhim，andhowmuchcausehadshenotgivenhimforjealousy，miserableguiltywretchthatshewas!Speakon，desolatemother。Abuseherasyouwill。Herbrokenspiritfeelstohavemeritedall。Butherlasthumble，self-abasedwordshadtouchedMrsWilson’sheart，soreasitwas；andshelookedatthesnow-palegirlwiththosepiteouseyes，sohopelessofcomfort，andsherelentedinspiteofherself。“Thouseestwhatcomesoflightconduct，Mary!It’sthydoingthatsuspicionhaslightedonhim，whoisasinnocentasthebabeunborn。Thou’lthavemuchtoanswerforifhe’shung。Thou’lthavemydeathtooatthydoor!“Harshasthesewordsseem，shespoketheminamildertoneofvoicethanshehadyetused。ButtheideaofJemonthegallows，Jemdead，tookpossessionofMary，andshecoveredhereyeswithherwanhands，asifindeedtoshutoutthefearfulsight。Shemurmuredsomewords，which，thoughspokenlow，asifchokedupfromthedepthsofagony，JaneWilsoncaught。“Myheartisbreaking，“saidshe，feebly。“Myheartisbreaking。““Nonsense!“saidMrsWilson。“Don’ttalkinthatsillyway。Myhearthasabetterrighttobreakthanyours，andyetIholdup，yousee。But，ohdear!ohdear!“withasuddenrevulsionoffeeling，astherealityofthedangerinwhichhersonwasplacedpresseduponher。“WhatamIsaying？
　　HowcouldIholdupifthouwertgone，Jem？ThoughI’massureasIstandhereofthyinnocence，iftheyhangthee，mylad，Iwillliedownanddie!“Sheweptaloudwithbitterconsciousnessofthefearfulchanceawaitingherchild。Shecriedmorepassionatelystill。Maryrousedherselfup。“Oh，letmestaywithyou，atanyrate，tillweknowtheend。DearestMrsWilson，mayn’tIstay？“ThemoreobstinatelyandupbraidinglyMrsWilsonrefused，themoreMarypleaded，witheverthesamesoftentreatingcry，“Letmestaywithyou。“
　　Herstunnedsoulseemedtobounditswishes，forthehouratleast，toremainingwithonewholovedandsorrowedforthesamehumanbeingthatshedid。Butno。MrsWilsonwasinflexible。“I’vemaybebeenabithardonyou，Mary，I’llownthat。ButIcannotabideyouyetwithme。Icannotbutrememberit’syourgiddinessashaswroughtthiswoe。I’llstaywithAlice，andperhapsMrsDavenportmaycomehelpabit。Icannotputupwithyouaboutme。Goodnight。To-morrowImaylookonyoudifferent，maybe。Goodnight。“AndMaryturnedoutofthehouse，whichbadbeenhishome，wherehewasloved，andmournedfor，intothebusy，desolate，crowdedstreet，wheretheywerecryinghalfpennybroadsides，givinganaccountofthebloodymurder，thecoroner’sinquest，andaraw-head-and-bloody-bonespictureofthesuspectedmurderer，JamesWilson。ButMaryheardnot；sheheedednot。Shestaggeredonlikeoneinadream。
　　Withhungheadandtotteringsteps，sheinstinctivelychosetheshortestcuttothathomewhichwastoher，inherpresentstateofmind，onlythehiding-placeoffour-walls，whereshemightventheragony，unseenandunnoticedbythekeenunkindworldwithout，butwherenowelcome，nolove，nosympathizingtearsawaitedher。Asshenearedthathome，withintwominutes’walkofit，herimpetuouscoursewasarrestedbyalighttouchonherarm，andturninghastily，shesawalittleItalianboy，withhishumbleshow-box，——awhitemouse，orsomesuchthing。Thesettingsuncastitsredglowonhisface，otherwisetheolivecomplexionwouldhavebeenverypale；andtheglitteringtear-dropshungonthelongcurledeyelashes。Withhissoftvoice，andpleadinglooks，heuttered，inhisprettybrokenEnglish，theword——“Hungry!sohungry。“Andasiftoaidbygesturetheeffectofthesolitaryword，hepointedtohismouth，withitswhitequiveringlips。Maryansweredhimimpatiently，“Oh，lad，hungerisnothing——nothing!“Andsherapidlypassedon。Butherheartupbraidedherthenextminutewithherunrelentingspeech，andshehastilyenteredherdoorandseizedthescantyremnantoffoodwhichthecupboardcontained，andsheretracedherstepstotheplacewherethelittlehopelessstrangerhadsunkdownbyhismutecompanioninlonelinessandstarvation，andwasrainingdowntearsashespokeinsomeforeigntongue，withlowcriesforthefardistant“Mammamia!“Withtheelasticityofheartbelongingtochildhoodhesprangupashesawthefoodthegirlbrought；shewhoseface，lovelyinitswoe，hadtemptedhimfirsttoaddressher；and，withthegracefulcourtesyofhiscountry，helookedupandsmiledwhilehekissedherhand，andthenpouredforthhisthanks，andsharedherbountywithhislittlepetcompanion。Shestoodaninstant，divertedfromthethoughtofherowngriefbythesightofhisinfantinegladness；andthenbendingdownandkissinghissmoothforehead，shelefthim。andsoughttobealonewithheragonyoncemore。Shere-enteredthehouse，lockedthedoor，andtoreoffherbonnet，asifgreedyofeverymomentwhichtookherfromthefullindulgenceofpainful，despairingthought。Thenshethrewherselfontheground，yes，onthehardflagsshethrewhersoftlimbsdown；andthecombfelloutofherhair，andthosebrighttressessweptthedustyfloor，whileshepillowedandhidherfaceonherarms，andburstforthintohard，suffocatingsobs。Oh，earth!thoudidstseembutadrearydwelling-placeforthypoorchildthatnight。Nonetocomfort，nonetopity!Andself-reproachgnawingatherheart。Oh，whydidsheeverlistentothetempter？Whydidsheevergiveeartoherownsuggestions，andcravingsafterwealthandgrandeur？Whyhadshethoughtitafinethingtohavearichlover？She——shehaddeserveditall；buthewasthevictim，——he，thebeloved。
　　Shecouldnotconjecture，shecouldnotevenpausetothinkwhohadrevealed，orhowhehaddiscoveredheracquaintancewithHarryCarson。Itwasbuttooclear，somewayoranother，hehadlearntall；andwhatwouldhethinkofher？Nohopeofhislove，——oh，thatshewouldgiveup，andbecontent；
　　itwashislife，hispreciouslife，thatwasthreatened!Thenshetriedtorecalltheparticulars，which，whenMrsWilsonhadgiventhem，hadfallenbutuponadeafenedear，——somethingaboutagun，aquarrel，whichshecouldnotrememberclearly。Oh，howterribletothinkofhiscrime，hisblood-guiltiness；
　　hewhohadhithertobeensogood，sonoble，andnowanassassin!Andthensheshrankfromhiminthought；andthen，withbitterremorse，clungmorecloselytohisimagewithpassionateself-upbraiding。Wasitnotshewhohadledhimtothepitintowhichhehadfallen？Wasshetoblamehim？
　　Shetojudgehim？Whocouldtellhowmaddenedhemighthavebeenbyjealousy；
　　howonemoment’suncontrollablepassionmighthaveledhimtobecomeamurderer？Andshehadblamedhiminherheartafterhislastdeprecating，imploring，propheticspeech!Thensheburstoutcryingafresh；andwhenwearyofcrying，felltothinkingagain。Thegallows!Thegallows!Blacktheystoodagainsttheburninglightwhichdazzledhershuteyes，pressonthemasshewould。Oh!shewasgoingmad；andforawhileshelayoutwardlystill，butwiththepulsescareeringthroughherheadwithwildvehemence。Andthencameastrangeforgetfulnessofthepresentinthoughtofthelong-pasttimes；——ofthosedayswhenshehidherfaceonhermother’spitying，lovingbosomandheardtenderwordsofcomfort，behergrieforhererrorwhatitmight；——ofthosedayswhenshehadfeltasifhermother’slovewastoomightynottolastforever；——ofthosedayswhenhungerhadbeentoherastothelittlestrangershehadthateveningrelievedsomethingtobethoughtabout，andmournedover；——whenJemandshehadplayedtogether；
　　he，withthecondescensionofanolderchild，andshe，withunconsciousearnestness，believingthathewasasmuchgratifiedwithimportanttriflesasshewas；——whenherfatherwasacheery-heartedman，richintheloveofhiswife，andthecompanionshipofhisfriend；——whenforitstillworkedroundtothat，whenmotherwasalive，andhewasnotamurderer。AndthenHeavenblessedherunaware，andshesankfromrememberingtowandering，unconnectedthought，andthencetosleep。Yes!itwassleep，thoughinthatstrangeposture，onthathardcoldbed；andshedreamtofthehappytimesoflongago，andhermothercametoher，andkissedherasshelay，andoncemorethedeadwerealiveagaininthathappyworldofdreams。
　　Allwasrestoredtothegladnessofchildhood，eventothelittlekittenwhichhadbeenherplaymateandbosomfriendthen，andwhichhadbeenlongforgotteninherwakinghours。Allthelovedoneswerethere!Shesuddenlywakened!Clearandwideawake!Somenoisehadstartledherfromsleep。Shesatup，andputherhairstillwetWithtearsbackfromherflushedcheeks，andlistened。Atfirstshecouldonlyhearherbeatingheart。Allwasstillwithout，foritwasaftermidnight，suchhoursofagonyhadpassedaway；butthemoonshoneclearlyinattheunshutteredwindow，makingtheroomalmostaslightasday，initscoldghastlyradiance。
　　Therewasalowknockatthedoor!AstrangefeelingcreptoverMary’sheart，asitsomethingspiritualwerenear；asifthedead，solatelypresentinherdreams，wereyetglidingandhoveringroundher，withtheirdim，dreadforms。Andyet，whydread？Hadtheynotlovedher？——andwholovedhernow？Wasshenotlonelyenoughtowelcomethespiritsofthedead，whohadlovedherwhilehere？Ifhermotherhadconsciousbeing，herloveforherchildendured。Soshequietedherfears，andlistened——listenedstill。“Mary!Mary!openthedoor!“asalittlemovementonherpartseemedtotellthebeingoutsideofherwakeful，watchfulstate。Theyweretheaccentsofhermother’svoice；theverysouth-countrypronunciation，thatMarysowellremembered；andwhichshehadsometimestriedtoimitatewhenalone，withthefondmimicryofaffection。So，withoutfear，withouthesitation，sheroseandunbarredthedoor。There，againstthemoonlight，stoodaform，socloselyresemblingherdeadmother，thatMaryneverdoubtedtheidentity，butexclaimingasifshewereaterrifiedchild，secureofsafetywhenneartheprotectingcareofitsparent——“Ohmother!mother!Youarecomeatlast？“shethrewherself，orratherfell，intothetremblingarmsofherlong-lost，unrecognizedAuntEsther。