you’realmostasgoodaspapa；butstillyouknowyoudidgoandforgettoaskBiglandforthatrose，thatnewrosetheysayhehasgot。““No，Amy，Ididnotforget。Iaskedhim，andhehasgottheRose，sansreproche；butdoyouknow，littleMissExtravagance，averysmalloneishalfaguinea？““Oh，Idon’tmind。Papawillgiveitme，won’tdearfather？Heknowshislittledaughtercan’tlivewithoutflowersandscents？“MrCarsontriedtorefusehisdarling，butshecoaxedhimintoacquiescence，sayingshemusthaveit，itwasoneofhernecessaries。Lifewasnotworthhavingwithoutflowers。“Then，Amy，“saidherbrother，“tryandbecontentwithpeoniesanddandelions““Oh，youwretch!Idon’tcallthemflowers。Besides，youreeverybitasextravagant。Whogavehalf-a-crownforabunchofliliesofthevalleyatYates’，amonthago，andthenwouldnotlethispoorlittlesisterhavethem，thoughshewentonherkneestobegthem？Answermethat，MasterHal。““Notoncompulsion，“repliedherbrother，smilingwithhismouth，whilehiseyeshadanirritatedexpression，andhewentfirstred，thenpale，withvexedembarrassment。“Ifyouplease，sir，“saidaservant，enteringtheroom，“here’soneofthemillpeoplewantingtoseeyou；hisnameisWilson，hesays。““I’llcometohimdirectly；stay，tellhimtocomeinhere。“Amydancedoffintotheconservatorywhichopenedoutoftheroom，beforethegaunt，pale，unwashed，unshavenweaverwasusheredin。Therehe，stoodatthedoor，sleekinghishairwitholdcountryhabit，andeverynowandthenstealingaglanceroundatthesplendouroftheapartment。“Well，Wilson，andwhatdoyouwantto-day，man？““Please，sir，Davenport’sillofthefever，andI’mcometoknowifyou’vegotaninfirmaryorderforhim？““Davenport——Davenport；whoisthefellow？Idon’tknowthename？““He’sworkedinyourfactorybetternorthreeyear，sir。““Verylikely；Idon’tpretendtoknowthenamesofthemenIemploy；thatIleavetotheoverlooker。Sohe’sill，eh？““Aye，sir，he’sverybad；wewanttogethiminattheFeverWards。““IdoubtifI’veanin-patient’sordertospareatpresent；butI’llgiveyouanout-patient’sandwelcome。“Sosaying，beroseup，unlockedadrawer，ponderedaminute，andthengaveWilsonanout-patient’sordertobepresentedthefollowingMonday。Monday!HowmanydaystherewerebeforeMonday!Meanwhile，theyoungerMrCarsonhadendedhisreview，andbegantolistentowhatwasgoingon。Hefinishedhisbreakfast，gotupandpulledfiveshillingsoutofhispocket，whichhegavetoWilsonashepassedhim，forthe“poorfellow。“Hewentpastquickly，andcallingforhishorse，mountedgaily，androdeaway。HewasanxioustobeintimetohavealookandasmilefromlovelyMaryBarton，asshewenttoMissSimmonds’。Butto-dayhewastobedisappointed。Wilsonleftthehouse，notknowingwhethertobepleasedorgrieved。ItwaslongtoMonday，buttheyhadallspokenkindlytohim，andwhocouldtelliftheymightnotrememberthis，anddosomethingbeforeMonday。Besides，thecook，who，whenshehadhadtimetothink，afterbreakfastwassentin，hadnoticedhispaleness，hadhadmeatandbreadreadytoputinhishandwhenhecameoutoftheparlour；
andafullstomachmakeseveryoneofusmorehopeful。WhenhereachedBerryStreet，hehadpersuadedhimselfheboregoodnews，andfeltalmostelatedinhisheart。Butitfellwhenheopenedthecellar-door，andsawBartonandthewifebothbendingoverthesickman’scouchwithawe-struck，saddenedlook。“Comehere，“saidBarton。“There’sachangecomedoverhimsin’yoleft，istherenot？“Wilsonlooked。Thefleshwassunk，thefeaturesprominent，bony，andrigid。
Thefearfulclay-colourofdeathwasoverall。Buttheeyeswereopenandsensitive，thoughthefilmsofthegraveweresettlinguponthem。“Hewakenedfra’hissleep，asyolefthimin，andbegantomutterandmoan；buthesoonwentoffagain，andweneverknewhewereawaketillhecalledhiswife，butnowshe’sherehe’sgottennoughttosaytoher。“Mostprobably，astheyallfelt，hecouldnotspeak，forhisstrengthwasfastebbing。Theystoodroundhimstillandsilent；eventhewifecheckedhersobs，thoughherheartwasliketobreak。Sheheldherchildtoherbreast，totryandkeephimquiet。Theireyeswereallfixedontheyetlivingone，whosemomentsoflifewerepassingsorapidlyaway。Atlengthhebroughtwithjerkingconvulsiveefforthistwohandsintotheattitudeofprayer。Theysawhislipsmove，andbenttocatchthewords，whichcameingasps，andnotintones。“OhLordGod!Ithankthee，thatthehardstruggleoflivingisover。““Oh，BenBen!“wailedforthhiswife，“haveyounothoughtforme？Oh，Ben!Ben!dosayonewordtohelpmethroughlife。“Hecouldnotspeakagain。Thetrumpofthearchangelwouldsethistonguefree；butnotawordmorewouldituttertillthen。Yetheheard，heunderstood，andthoughsightfailed，hemovedhishandgropinglyoverthecovering。
Theyknewwhathemeant，andguidedittoherhead，bowedandhiddeninherhands，whenshehadsunkinherwoe。Itrestedtherewithafeeblepressureofendearment。Thefacegrewbeautiful，asthesoulnearedGod。
Apeacebeyondunderstandingcameoverit。Thehandwasaheavystiffweightonthewife’shead。Nomoregrieforsorrowforhim。Theyreverentlylaidoutthecorpse——Wilsonfetchinghisonlyspareshirttoarrayitin。Thewifestilllayhiddenintheclothes，inastuporofagony。Therewasaknockatthedoor，andBartonwenttoopenit。ItwasMary，whobadreceivedamessagefromherfather，throughaneighbour，tellingherwherehewas；andshehadsetoutearlytocomeandhaveawordwithhimbeforeherday’swork；butsomeerrandsshehadtodoforMissSimmondshaddetainedheruntilnow。“Comein，wench!“saidherfather。“Tryifthoucanstcomfortyonpoor，poorwoman，kneelingdownthere。Godhelpher!“Marydidnotknowwhattosay，orhowtocomfort；butshekneltdownbyher，andputherarmroundherneck，andinalittlewhilefelltocryingherselfsobitterlythatthesourceoftearswasopenedbysympathyinthewidow，andherfullheartwas，foratime，relieved。AndMaryforgotallpurposedmeetingwithhergaylover，HarryCarson；