Deedstobehidwhichwerenothid，Which，allconfused，Icouldnotknow，WhetherIsufferedorIdid，Forallseemedguilt，remorse，orwoe。COLERIDGE。IleftMary，onthatsameThursdaynightwhichleftitsburdenofwoeatMrCarson’sthreshold，hauntedwithdepressingthoughts。Allthroughthenightshetossedrestlesslyabout，tryingtogetquitoftheideasthatharassedher，andlongingforthelightwhenshecouldrise，andfindsomeemployment。Butjustasdawnbegantoappear，shebecamemorequiet，andfellintoasoundheavysleep，whichlastedtillshewassureitwaslateinthemorning，bythefulllightthatshonein。Shedressedhastily，andheardtheneighbouringchurchclockstrikeeight。
　　ItwasfartoolatetodoasshehadplannedafterinquiringhowAliceWas，toreturnandtellMargaret，andsheaccordinglywentintoinformthelatterofherchangeofpurpose，andthecauseofit；butonenteringthehouseshefoundJobsittingalone，lookingsadenough。Shetoldhimwhatshecamefor。“Margaret，wench!whyshe’sbeengonetoWilson’sthesetwohours。Aye!
　　sure，youdidsaylastnightyouwouldgo；butshecouldnarestinherbed，sowasoffbetimesthismorning。“Marycoulddonothingbutfeelguiltyofherlongmorningnap，andhastentofollowMargaret’ssteps；forlateasitwas，shefeltshecouldnotsettlewelltoherwork，unlessshelearnthowkind，goodAliceWilsonwasgoingon。So，eatinghercrust-of-breadbreakfast，shepassedrapidlyalongthestreets。
　　Sherememberedafterwardsthelittlegroupsofpeopleshehadseen，eagerlyhearing，andimpartingnews；butatthetimeheronlycarewastohastenonherway，indreadofareprimandfromMissSimmonds。ShewentintothehouseatJaneWilson’s，herheartattheinstantgivingastrangeknock，andsendingtherosyflushintoherface，atthethoughtthatJemmightpossiblybeinsidethedoor。ButIdoassureyou，shehadnotthoughtofitbefore。Impatientandlovingasshewas，hersolicitudeaboutAliceonthathurriedmorninghadnotbeenmingledwithanythoughtofhim。Herheartneednothaveleaped，hercolourneednothaverushedsopainfullytohercheeks，forhewasnotthere。Therewastheroundtable，withacupandsaucer，whichhadevidentlybeenused，andtherewasJaneWilsonsittingontheotherside，cryingquietly，whilesheateherbreakfastwithasortofunconsciousappetite。AndtherewasMrsDavenportwashingawayatanight-caporso，which，bytheirsimple，old-worldmake，MaryknewataglancewereAlice’s。Butnothing——nooneelse。Alicewasmuchthesame，orratherbetterofthetwo，theytoldher；atanyrateshecouldspeak，thoughitwassadramblingtalk。WouldMaryliketoseeher？Ofcourseshewould。Manyareinterestedbyseeingtheirfriendsunderthenewaspectofillnessandamongthepoorthereisnowholesomefearofinjuryorexcitementtorestrainthiswish。SoMarywentup-stairs，accompaniedbyMrsDavenport，wringingthesudsoffherhands，andspeakinginaloudwhisperfarmoreaudiblethanherusualvoice。“Imunbehasteninghome，butI’llcomeagainto-night，timeenoughtoironhercap；’twouldbeasinandashameifwelethergodirtynowshe’sill，whenshe’sbeensorareandcleanallherlifelong。Butshe’ssadlyforsaken，poorthing!She’llnotknowyou，Mary；sheknowsnoneonus。Theroomup-stairsheldtwobeds，onesuperiorinthegrandeuroffourpostsandcheckedcurtainstotheother，whichhadbeenoccupiedbythetwinsintheirbrieflifetime。ThesmallerhadbeenAlice’sbedsinceshehadlivedthere；butwiththenaturalreverencetoone“strickenofGodandafflicted，“shehadbeeninstalled，sinceherparalyticstroketheeveningbefore，inthelargerandgranderbed；whileJaneWilsonhadtakenhershortbrokenrestonthelittlepallet。Margaretcameforwardstomeetherfriend，whomshehalfexpected，andwhosestepsheknew。MrsDavenportreturnedtoherwashing。Thetwogirlsdidnotspeak；thepresenceofAliceawedthemintosilence。
　　Thereshelaywiththerosycolour，absentfromherfacesincethedaysofchild-hood，flushedoncemoreintoitbyhersicknessnighuntodeath。
　　Shelayontheaffectedside，andwithherotherarmshewasconstantlysawingtheair，notexactlyinarestlessmanner，butinamonotonous，incessantway，verytryingtoawatcher。Shewastalkingaway，too，almostasconstantly，inalowindistincttone。Butherface，herprofiledcountenance，lookedcalmandsmiling，eveninterestedbytheideasthatwerepassingthroughhercloudedmind。“Listen!“saidMargaret，asshestoopedherheaddowntocatchthemutteredwordsmoredistinctly。“Whatwillmothersay？Thebeesareturninghomewardforth’lasttime，andwe’veaterriblelongbittogoyet。SeeIhere’salinnet’snestinthisgorsebush。Th’henbirdisonit。Lookatherbrighteyes，shewon’tstir。Aye!wemunhurryhome。Won’tmotherbepleasedwiththebonnylotofheatherwe’vegot!Makehaste，Sally，maybeweshallhavecocklesforsupper。Isawth’cockle-man’sdonkeyturnupourwayfra’Arnside。“MargarettouchedMary’shand，andthepressureinreturntoldherthattheyunderstoodeachother；thattheyknewhowinthisillnesstotheold，world-wearywoman，Godbadsentheraveiledblessingshewasoncemoreinthescenesofherchildhood，unchangedandbrightasinthoselongdeparteddays；oncemorewiththesisterofheryouth，theplaymateoffiftyyearsago，whohadfornearlyasmanyyearssleptinagrassygraveinthelittlechurchyardbeyondBurton。Alice’sfacechanged；shelookedsorrowful，almostpenitent。“Oh，Sally!Iwishwe’dtoldher。Shethinkswewereinchurchallmorning，andwe’vegoneondeceivingher。Ifwe’dtoldheratfirsthowitwas——howsweetth’hawthornsmeltthroughtheopenchurchdoor，andhowwewereonth’lastbenchintheaisle，andhowitwerethefirstbutterflywe’dseenthisspring，andhowitflewintoth’verychurchitself；oh!motherissogentle，Iwishwe’dtoldher。I’llgotohernexttimeshecomesinsight，andsay，’Mother，wewerenaughtylastSabbath。’“Shestopped，andafewtearscamestealingdowntheoldwitheredcheek，atthethoughtofthetemptationanddeceitofherchildhood。Surely，manysinscouldnothavedarkenedthatinnocentchild-likespiritsince。Maryfoundared-spottedpocket-handkerchief；andputitintothehandwhichsoughtaboutforsomethingtowipeawaythetricklingtears。Shetookitwithagentlemurmur。“Thankyou，mother。“MarypulledMargaretawayfromthebed。“Don’tyouthinkshe’shappy，Margaret？““Aye!thatIdo，blessher。Shefeelsnopain，andknowsnoughtofherpresentstate。Oh!thatIcouldsee，Mary!Itryandbepatientwithheraforeme，butI’dgiveaughtIhavetoseeher，andseewhatshewants。
　　Iamsouseless!ImeantostayhereaslongasJaneWilsonisalone；andIwouldfainbeheroto-night，but——““I’llcome，“saidMary，decidedly。“MrsDavenportsaidshe’dcomeagain，butshe’shard-workedallday——““I’llcome，“repeatedMary。“Do!“saidMargaret，“andI’llbeheretillyoucome。Maybe，Jemandyoucouldtaketh’nightbetweenyou，andJaneWilsonmightgetabitofsoundsleepinhisbed；forshewereupanddownthebetterpartoflastnight，andjustwhenshewereinasoundsleepthismorning，betweentwoandthree，Jemcamehome，andth’soundo’hisvoicerousedherinaminute。““Wherehadhebeentillthattimeo’night？“askedMary。“Nay!itwerenoneofmybusiness；and，indeed，IneversawhimtillhecameinheretoseeAlice。Hewereinagainthismorning，andseemedsadlydowncast。Butyou’ll，maybe，managetocomforthimto-night，Mary，“saidMargaret，smiling，whilearayofhopeglimmeredinMary’sheart，andshealmostfeltglad，foraninstant，oftheoccasionwhichwouldatlastbringthemtogether。Oh!happynight!whenwoulditcome？Manyhourshadyettopass。ThenshesawAlice，andrepented，withabitterself-reproach。Butshecouldnothelphavinggladnessinthedepthsofherheart，blameherselfasshewould。Soshetriednottothink，asshehurriedalongtoMissSimmonds’，withadancingstepoflightness。Shewaslate——thatsheknewsheshouldbe。MissSimmondswasvexedandcross。Thatalsoshehadanticipated，andhadintendedtosmoothherravendownbyextraordinarydiligenceandattention。Buttherewassomethingaboutthegirlsshedidnotunder——standhadnotanticipated。Theystoppedtalkingwhenshecamein；orrather，Ishouldsay，stoppedlistening，forSallyLeadbitterwasthetalkertowhomtheywerehearkeningwithdeepestattention。AtfirsttheyeyedMary，asifshehadacquiredsomenewinteresttothemsincethedaybefore。Thentheybegantowhisper；and，absorbedasMaryhadbeeninherownthoughts，shecouldnothelpbecomingawarethatitwasofhertheyspoke。AtlastSallyLeadbitteraskedMaryifshehadheardthenews？“No!Whatnews？“answeredshe。Thegirlslookedateachotherwithgloomymystery。Sallywenton。“HaveyounotbeardthatyoungMrCarsonwasmurderedlastnight？“Mary’slipscouldnotutteranegative，butnoonewholookedatherpaleandterror-strickenfacecouldhavedoubtedthatshehadnotheardbeforeofthefearfuloccurrence。Oh，itisterrible，thatsuddeninformation，thatoneyouhaveknownhasmetwithabloodydeath!Youseemtoshrinkfromtheworldwheresuchdeedscanbecommitted，andtogrowsickwiththeideaoftheviolentandwickedmenofearth。MuchasMaryhadlearnedtodreadhimlately，nowhewasdeadanddeadinsuchamannerherfeelingwasthatofoppressivesorrowforhim。Theroomwentroundandround，andshefeltasthoughsheshouldfaint；
　　butMissSimmondscamein，bringingawaftoffresherairassheopenedthedoor，torefreshthebody，andthecertaintyofascoldingforinattentiontobracethesinkingmind。She，too，wasfullofthemorning’snews。“Haveyouheardanymoreofthishorridaffair，MissBarton？“askedshe，asshesettledtoherwork。Marytriedtospeak；atfirstshecouldnot，andwhenshesucceededinutteringasentence，itseemedasthoughitwerenotherownvoicethatspoke。“No，ma’am，Ineverheardofittillthisminute。““Dear!that’sstrange，foreveryoneisupaboutit。Ihopethemurdererwillbefoundout，thatIdo。Suchahandsomeyoungmantobekilledashewas。IhopethewretchthatdiditmaybehangedashighasHaman。“Oneofthegirlsremindedthemthattheassizescameonnextweek。“Aye，“repliedMissSimmonds，“andthemilkmantoldmetheywillcatchthewretch，andhavehimtriedandhunginlessthanaweek。Servehimright，whoeverheis。Suchahandsomeyoungmanashewas。“TheneachbegantocommunicatetoMissSimmondsthevariousreportstheyhadheard。Suddenlysheburstout——“MissBarton!asIlive，droppingtearsonthatnewsilkgownofMrsHawkes’!
　　Don’tyouknowtheywillstain，andmakeitshabbyforever？Cryinglikeababy，becauseahandsomeyoungmanmeetswithanuntimelyend。Forshameofyourself；miss!Mindyourcharacterandyourwork，ifyouplease。Orifyoumustcry“seeingherscoldingratherincreasedtheflowofMary’stears，thanotherwise，“takethisprinttocryover。Thatwon’tbemarkedlikethisbeautifulsilk，“rubbingit，asifshelovedit，withacleanpocket-handkerchief；inordertosoftentheedgesofthehardrounddrops。Marytooktheprint，and，naturallyenough，havinghadleavegivenhertocryoverit，rathercheckedtheinclinationtoweep。Everybodywasfulloftheonesubject。Thegirlsentouttomatchsilk，camebackwiththeaccountgatheredattheshop，ofthecoroner’sinquestthensitting；theladieswhocalledtospeakaboutgownsfirstbeganaboutthemurder，andmingleddetailsofthat，withdirectionsfortheirdresses。
　　Maryfeltasthoughthehauntinghorrorwereanightmare，afearfuldream，fromwhichawakeningwouldrelieveher。Thepictureofthemurderedbody，farmoreghastlythanthereality，seemedtoswimintheairbeforehereyes。SallyLeadbitterlookedandspokeofher，almostaccusingly，andmadenosecretnowofMary’sconduct，moreblameabletoherfellow-workwomenforitslatterchangeableness，thanforitsformergiddyflirting。“Pooryounggentleman，“saidone，asSallyrecountedMary’slastinterviewwithMrCarson。“Whatashame!“exclaimedanother，lookingindignantlyatMary。“That’swhatIcallregularjilting，“saidathird。“Andhelyingcoldandbloodyinhiscoffinnow。Marywasmorethankfulthanshecouldexpress，whenMissSimmondsreturned，toputastoptoSally’scommunications，andtochecktheremarksofthegirls。ShelongedforthepeaceofAlice’ssickroom。NomorethinkingwithinfinitedelightofheranticipatedmeetingwithJem；shefelttoomuchshockedforthatnow；butlongingforpeaceandkindness，fortheimagesofrestandbeauty，andsinlesstimeslongago，whichthepooroldwoman’sramblingpresented，shewishedtobeasneardeathasAlice；andtohavestruggledthroughthisworld，whosesufferingsshehadearlylearnt，andwhosecrimesnowseemedpressingcloseuponher。OldtextsfromtheBible，thathermotherusedtoreadorratherspelloutaloudinthedaysofchildhood，cameuptohermemory。“Wherethewickedceasefromtroubling，andthewearyareatrest。““AndGodshallwipeawayalltearsfromtheireyes，“
　　etc。AnditwastothatworldAlicewashastening!Oh!thatshewereAlice!ImustreturntotheWilsons’house，whichwasfarfrombeingtheabodeofpeacethatMarywaspicturingittoherself。YouremembertherewardMrCarsonofferedfortheapprehensionofthemurdererofhisson？Itwasinitselfatemptation，andtoaiditsefficacycamethenaturalsympathyfortheagedparentsmourningfortheirchild，fortheyoungmancutoffintheflowerofhisdays；andbesidesthis，thereisalwaysapleasureinunravellingamystery，incatchingatthegossamercluewhichwillguidetocertainty。Thisfeeling，Iamsure，givesmuchimpetustothepolice。
　　Theirsensesareeverandalwaysonthequi-vive，andtheyenjoythecollectingandcollatingevidence，andthelifeofadventuretheyexperience；acontinualunwindingofJackSheppardromances，alwaysinterestingtothevulgaranduneducatedmindtowhichtheoutwardsignsandtokensofcrimeareeverexciting。Therewasnolackofclueorevidenceatthecoroner’sinquestthatmorning。