“Mary，you’llhear，maybe，ofmeasadrunkard，andmaybeasathief，andmaybeasamurderer。Remember!whenallarespeakingillofme，youwillhavenorighttoblameme，forit’syourcrueltythatwillhavemademewhatIfeelIshallbecome。Youwon’tevensayyou’lltryandlikeme；willyou，Mary？“saidhe，suddenlychanginghistonefromthreateningdespairtofond，passionateentreaty，ashetookherhandandhelditforciblybetweenbothofhis，whilehetriedtocatchaglimpseofheravertedface。Shewassilent，butitwasfromdeepandviolentemotion。
　　Hecouldnotbeartowait；hewouldnothope，tobedashedawayagain；
　　heratherinhisbitternessofheartchosethecertaintyofdespair，andbeforeshecouldresolvewhattoanswer，heflungawayherhandandrushedoutofthehouse。“Jem!Jem!“criedshe，withfaintandchokingvoice。Itwastoolate；
　　heleftstreetafterstreetbehindhimwithhisalmostwingedspeed，ashesoughtthefields，wherehemightgivewayunobservedtoallthedeepdespairhefelt。Itwasscarcelytenminutessincehehadenteredthehouse，andfoundMaryatcomparativepeace，andnowshelayhalfacrossthedresser，herheadhiddeninherhands，andeverypartofherbodyshakingwiththeviolenceofhersobs。Shecouldnothavetoldatfirstifyouhadaskedher，andshecouldhavecommandedvoiceenoughtoanswerwhyshewasinsuchagonisedgrief。Itwastoosuddenforhertoanalyse，orthinkuponit。Sheonlyfelt，thatbyherowndoingherlifewouldbehereafterdrearyandblank。
　　By-and-byhersorrowexhaustedherbodybyitspower，andsheseemedtohavenostrengthleftforcrying。Shesatdown；andnowthoughtscrowdedonhermind。Onelittlehourago，andallwasstillunsaid，andshehadherfateinherownpower。Andyet，howlongagohadshedeter-minedtosayprettymuchwhatshedid，iftheoccasioneveroffered。Itwasasiftwopeoplewerearguingthematter；thatmournful，despondingcommunionbetweenherformerself，andherpresentself。Herself，aday，anhourago；andherselfnow。Forwehaveeveryoneofusfelthowaveryfewminutesofthemonthsandyearscalledlife，willsometimessufficetoplacealltimepastandfutureinanentirelynewlight；willmakeusseethevanityorthecriminalityofthebygone，andsochangetheaspectofthecomingtime，thatwelookwithloathingontheverythingwehavemostdesired。Afewmomentsmaychangeourcharacterforlife，bygivingatotallydifferentdirectiontoouraimsandenergies。ToreturntoMary。Herplanhadbeen，aswewellknow，tomarryMrCarson，andtheoccurrenceanhouragowasonlyapreliminarystep。True；butithadunveiledherhearttoher；ithadconvincedhershelovedJemaboveallpersonsorthings。ButJemwasapoormechanic，withamotherandaunttokeep；amother，too，whohadshownherprettyclearlythatshedidnotdesireherforadaughter-in-lawwhileMrCarsonwasrich，andprosperous，andgay，andshebelievedwouldplaceherinallcircumstancesofeaseandluxury，wherewantcouldnevercome。Whatwerethesehollowvanitiestoher，nowshehaddiscoveredthepassionatesecretofhersoul？ShefeltasifshealmosthatedMrCarson，whohaddecoyedherwithhisbaubles。
　　Shenowsawhowvain，hownothingtoher，wouldbeallgaietiesandpomps，alljoysandpleasures，unlessshemightsharethemwithJem；yes，withhimshehadharshlyrejectedsoshortatimeago。Ifhewerepoor，shelovedhimallthebetter。Ifhismotherdidthinkherunworthyofhim，whatwasitbutthetruth，asshenowownedwithbitterpenitence。Shehadhithertobeenwalkingingrope-lighttowardsaprecipice；butintheclearrevelationofthatpasthour，shesawherdanger，andturnedawayresolutely，andforever。Thatwassomecomfort：Imeanherclearperceptionofwhatsheoughtnottodo；ofwhatnoluringtemptationshouldeveragaininducehertohearkento。HowshecouldbestundothewrongshehaddonetoJemandherselfbyrefusinghislove，wasanotheranxiousquestion。Sheweariedherselfwithproposingplans，andrejectingthem。Shewasrousedtoaconsciousnessoftime，byhearingtheneighbouringchurchclockstriketwelve。Herfathersheknewmightbeexpectedhomeanyminute，andshewasinnomoodforameetingwithhim。Soshehastilygatheredupherwork，andwenttoherownlittlebedroom，leavinghimtolethimselfin。Sheputouthercandle，thatherfathermightnotseeitslightunderthedoor；andsatdownonherbedtothink。Butafterturningthingsoverinhermindagainandagain，shecouldonlydetermineatoncetoputanendtoallfurthercommunicationwithMrCarson，inthemostdecidedwayshecould。Maidenlymodestyandtrueloveisevermodestseemedtoopposeeveryplanshecouldthinkof，forshowingJemhowmuchsherepentedherdecisionagainsthim，andhowdearlyshehadnowdiscoveredthatshelovedhim。Shecametotheunusualwisdomofresolvingtodonothing，buttryandbepatient，andimprovecircumstancesastheymightturnup。Surely，ifJemknewofherremainingunmarried，hewouldtryhisfortuneagain。
　　Hewouldneverbecontentwithonerejection；shebelievedshecouldnotinhisplace。Shehadbeenverywrong，butnowshewouldtryanddoright，andhavewomanlypatience，untilhesawherchangedandrepentantmindinhernaturalactions。Evenifshehadtowaitforyears，itwasnomorethannowitwaseasytolookforwardto，asapenanceforhergiddyflirtingontheonehand，andhercruelmistakeconcerningherfeelingsontheother。
　　Soanticipatingahappyendingtothecourseofherlove，howeverdistantitmightbe，shefellasleepjustastheearliestfactorybellswereringing。
　　Shehadsunkdowninherclothes，andhersleepwasunrefreshing。Shewakenedupshiveryandchillinbody，andsorrow-strickeninmind，thoughshecouldnotatfirstrightlytellthecauseofherdepression。Sherecalledtheeventsofthenightbefore，andstillresolvedtoadheretothedeterminationshehadthenformed。Butpatienceseemedafarmoredifficultvirtuethismorning。Shehasteneddown-stairs，andinherearnest，saddesiretodoright，nowtookmuchpainstosecureacomfortablethoughscantybreakfastforherfather；andwhenhedawdledintotheroom，inanevidentlyirritabletemper，sheboreallwiththegentlenessofpenitence，tillatlasthermildanswersturnedawaywrath。SheloathedtheideaofmeetingSallyLeadbitteratherdailywork；yetitmustbedone，andshetriedtonerveherselffortheencounter，andtomakeitatonceunderstood，thathavingdeterminedtogiveuphavinganythingfurthertodowithMrCarson，sheconsideredthebondofintimacybrokenbetweenthem。ButSallywasnotthepersontolettheseresolutionsbecarriedintoeffecttooeasily。ShesoonbecameawareofthepresentstateofMary’sfeelings，butshethoughttheymerelyarosefromthechangeablenessofgirlhood，andthatthetimewouldcomewhenMarywouldthankherforalmostforcinghertokeepuphermeetingsandcommunicationswithherrichlover。So，whentwodayshadpassedoverinrathertoomarkedavoidanceofSallyonMary’spart，andwhentheformerwasmadeawarebyMrCarson’scomplaintsthatMarywasnotkeepingherappointmentswithhim，andthatunlesshedetainedherbyforce，hehadnochanceofobtainingawordasshepassedhiminthestreetonherrapidwalkhome，sheresolvedtocompelMarytowhatshecalledherowngood。ShetooknonoticeduringthethirddayofMary’savoidanceastheysatatwork；sheratherseemedtoacquiesceinthecoolnessoftheirintercourse。
　　Sheputawayhersewingearly，andwenthometohermother，who，shesaid，wasmoreailingthanusual。Theothergirlssoonfollowedherexample，andMary，castingarapidglanceupanddownthestreet，asshestoodlastonMissSimmonds’doorstep，dartedhomewards，inhopesofavoidingthepersonwhomshewasfastlearningtodread。Thatnightshewassafefromanyencounteronherroad，andshearrivedathome，whichshefound，assheexpected，empty；forsheknewitwasaclubnight，whichherfatherwouldnotmiss。Shesatdowntorecoverbreath，andtostillherheart，whichpantedmorefromnervousnessthanfromover-exertion，althoughshehadwalkedsoquickly。Thenshearose，andtakingoffherbonnet，hereyecaughttheformofSallyLeadbitterpassingthewindowwithalingeringstep，andlookingintothedarknesswithallhermight，asiftoascertainifMarywerereturned。Inaninstantsherepassedandknockedatthehouse-door；
　　butwithoutawaitingananswer，sheentered。“Well，Mary，dear“knowingwellhowlittle“dear“Maryconsideredherjustthen；“it’ssodifficulttogetanycomfortabletalkatMissSimmonds’，IthoughtI’djuststepupandseeyouathome。““Iunderstood，fromwhatyousaid，yourmotherwasailing，andthatyouwantedtobewithher，repliedMary，innowelcomingtone。“Aye，butmother’sbetternow，“saidtheunabashedSally。“Yourfather’sout，Isuppose？“lookingroundaswellasshecould；forMarymadenohastetoperformthehospitableofficesofstrikingamatch，andlightingacandle。“Yes，he’sout，“saidMary，shortly，andbusyingherselfatlastaboutthecandle，withouteveraskinghervisitortositdown。“Somuchthebetter，“answeredSally；“fortotellyouthetruth，Mary，I’veafriendatth’endoftheroad，asisanxioustocomeandseeyouathome，sinceyou’regrownsoparticularasnottoliketospeaktohiminthestreet。He’llbeheredirectly。““Oh，Sally，don’tlethim，“saidMary，speakingatlastheartily；andrunningtothedoor，shewouldhavefastenedit，butSallyheldherhands，laughingmeanwhileatherdistress。“Oh，please，Sally，“struggling，“dearSallyIdon’tlethimcomehere，theneighbourswillsotalk，andfather’llgomadifhehears；he’llkillme，Sally，hewill。Besides，Idon’tlovehim——Ineverdid。Oh，letmego，asfootstepsapproached；andthen，astheypassedthehouse，andseemedtogiveherarespite，shecontinued，“Do，Sally，dearSally，goandtellhimIdon’tlovehim，andthatIdon’twanttohaveanythingmoretodowithhim。Itwasverywrong，Idaresay，keepingcompanywithhimatall，butI’mverysorry，ifI’veledhimtothinktoomuchofme；andIdon’twanthimtothinkanymore。Willyoutellhimthis，Sally？andI’lldoanythingforyou，ifyouwill。““I’lltellyouwhatI’lldo，“saidSally，inamorerelentingmood；“I’llgobackwithyoutowherehe’swaitingforus；orrather，Ishouldsay，whereItoldhimtowaitforaquarterofanhour，tillIseedifyourfatherwasathome；andifIdidn’tcomebackinthattime，hesaidhe’dcomehere，andbreakthedooropenbuthe’dseeyou。““Oh，letusgo，letusgo，“saidMary，feelingthattheinterviewmustbe，andhadbetterbeanywherethanathome，whereherfathermightreturnatanyminute。Shesnatchedupherbonnet，andwasattheendofthecourtinan，instant；butthen，notknowingwhethertoturntotherightortotheleft，shewasobligedtowaitforSally，whocameleisurelyup，andputherarmthroughMary’swithakindofdecidedhold，intendedtopreventthepossibilityofherchanginghermind，andturningback。Butthis，underthecircumstances，wasquitedifferenttoMary’splan。ShehadwonderedmorethanonceifshemustnothaveanotherinterviewwithMrCarson；andhadthendetermined，whilesheexpressedherresolutionthatitshouldbethefinalone，totellhimhowsorryshewasifshehadthoughtlesslygivenhimfalsehopes。Forbeitremembered，shehadtheinnocence，ortheignorance，tobelievehisintentionshonourable；andhe，feelingthatatanypricehemusthaveher，onlythathewouldobtainherascheaplyashecould，hadneverundeceivedher；whileSallyLeadbitterlaughedinhersleeveatthemboth，andwonderedhowitwouldallend，——whetherMarywouldgainherpointofmarriage，withherslyaffectationofbelievingsuchtobeMrCarson’sintentionincourtingher。Notveryfarfromtheendofthestreet，intowhichthecourtwhereMaryjivedopened，theymetMrCarson，hishatagooddealslouchedoverhisface，asifafraidofbeingrecognised。Heturnedwhenhesawthemcoming，andledthewaywithoututteringawordalthoughtheywereclosebehind
　　toastreetofhalf-finishedhouses。ThelengthofthewalkgaveMarytimetorecoilfromtheinterviewwhichwastofollow；butevenifherownresolvetogothroughwithithadfailed，therewasthesteadygraspofSallyLeadbitter，whichshecouldnotevadewithoutanabsolutestruggle。Atlasthestoppedintheshelterandconcealmentofawoodenfence，putuptokeepthebuildingrubbishfromintrudingonthefootpavement。Insidethisfence，aminuteafterwards，thegirlswerestandingbyhim；MarynowreturningSally’sdetaininggraspwithinterest，forshehaddeterminedonthewaytomakeherawitness，willingorunwilling，totheensuingconversation。ButSally’scuriosityledhertobeaverypassiveprisonerinMary’shold。Withmorefreedomthanhehadeverusedbefore，MrCarsonputhisarmfirmlyroundMary’swaist，inspiteofherindignantresistance。“Nay，nay!youlittlewitch!NowIhavecaughtyou，Ishallkeepyouprisoner。