theworld；aye，anddon’tknowwheret’getanotherwhenthatrag’sdone，thoughthey’returningoutmileso’calicoeveryday；andmanyamileo’tislyinginwarehouses，stoppinguptradeforwanto’purchasers。Yetakemyadvice，JohnBarton，andaskParliamenttosettradefree，soasworkmencanearnadecentwage，andbuytheirtwo，ayeandthree，shirtsa-year；
thatwouldmakeweavingbrisk。“Heputhispipeinhismouthagain，andredoubledhispuffing，tomakeupforlosttime。“I’mafeard，neighbours，“saidJohnBarton，“I’venotmuchchanceo’telling’emallyosay；whatIthinkon，isjustspeakingoutaboutthedistressthattheysayisnought。Whentheyhearo’childrenbornonwetflags，withoutaragt’cover’emorabito’foodforth’mother；whentheybearoffolklyingdowntodiei’th’streets，orhidingtheirwanti’someholeo’acellartilldeathcometoset’emfree；andwhentheyhearo’
allthisplague，pestilence，andfamine，they’llsurelydosomewhatwiserforusthanwecanguessatnow。Howe’er，Ihannoobjection，ifsobethere’sanopening，tospeakupforwhatyosay；anyhow，I’lldomybest，andyoseenow，ifbettertimesdon’tcomeafterParliamentknowsall。“Someshooktheirheads，butmorelookedcheery：andthenonebyonedroppedoff，leavingJohnandhisdaughteralone。“DidstthoumarkbowpoorlyJaneWilsonlooked？“askedhe，astheywounduptheirhardday’sworkbyasuppereatenoverthefire，whichglowedandglimmeredthroughtheroom，andformedtheironlylight。“No，Ican’tsayasIdid。Butshe’sneverrightlyheldupherheadsincethetwinsdied；andallalongshehasneverbeenastrongwoman。“Neversin’heraccident。AforethatImindherlookingasfreshandlikelyagirlase’eraoneinManchester。““Whataccident，father？““Shecotchedhersideagainawheel。Itwereaforewheelswereboxedup。
Itwerejustwhensheweretohavebeenmarried，andmanyaonethoughtGeorgewouldha’beenoffhisbargain；butIknewhewern’tthechapforthattrick。Prettynearthefirstplaceshewenttowhenshewereabletogoaboutagain，wasth’OudChurch；poorwench，allpaleandlimpingshewentuptheaisle，Georgeholdingherupastenderasamother，andwalkingasslowase’erhecould，nottohurryher，thoughtherewereplentyenowofrudeladstocasttheirjestsathimandher。Herfacewerewhitelikeasheetwhenshecameinchurch，butaforeshegottoth’altarshewerealloneflush。Butfora’thatit’sbeenahappymarriage，andGeorgehasstuckbymethroughlifelikeabrother。He’llneverholduphisheadagainifhelosesJane。Ididn’tlikeherlookstonight。“Andsohewenttobed，thefearofforthcomingsorrowtohisfriendminglingwithhisthoughtsofto-morrow，andhishopesforthefuture。Marywatchedhimsetoff，withherhandsoverhereyestoshadethemfromthebrightslantingraysofthemorningsun，andthensheturnedintothehousetoarrangeitsdisorderbeforegoingtoherwork。Shewonderedifsheshouldlikeordisliketheeveningandmorningsolitude；forseveralhourswhentheclockstruckshethoughtofherfather，andwonderedwherehewas；
shemadegoodresolutionsaccordingtoherlights；andby-and-bycamethedistractionsandeventsofthebroadfulldaytooccupyherwiththepresent，andtodeadenthememoryoftheabsent。OneofMary’sresolutionswas，thatshewouldnotbepersuadedorinducedtoseeMrHarryCarsonduringherfather’sabsence。Therewassomethingcrookedinherconscienceafterall；forthisveryresolutionseemedanacknowledgmentthatitwaswrongtomeethimatanytime；andyetshehadbroughtherselftothinkherconductquiteinnocentandproper，foralthoughunknowntoherfather，andcertain，evendidheknowit，tofailofobtaininghissanction，sheesteemedherlove-meetingswithMrCarsonassuretoendinherfather’sgoodandhappiness。Butnowthathewasaway，shewoulddonothingthathewoulddisapproveof；no，noteventhoughitwasforhisowngoodintheend。Now，amongstMissSimmonds’youngladieswasonewhohadbeenfromthebeginningaconfidanteinMary’sloveaffair，madesobyMrCarsonhimself。