Sowhatwithherfailingsight，andhertear-blindedeyes，shegaveuptheattemptoflearninghisfacebyheartthroughthemediumofthatsense，andtriedanother。Shepassedhersodden，shrivelledhands，alltremblingwitheagerness，overhismanlyface，bentmeeklydowninorderthatshemightmoreeasilymakeherstrangeinspection。Atlast，hersoulwassatisfied。Aftertea，Maryfeelingsuretherewasmuchtobesaidonbothsides，atwhichitwouldbebetternooneshouldbepresent，notevenanintimatefriendlikeherself，gotuptogoaway。ThisseemedtoarouseAlicefromherdreamyconsciousnessofexceedinghappiness，andshehastilyfollowedMarytothedoor。There，standingoutside，withthelatchinherhand，shetookholdofMary’sarm，andspokenearlythefirstwordsshehadutteredsincehernephew’sreturn。“Mydear!Ishallneverforgivemysel，ifmywickedwordsto-nightareanystumbling-blockinyourpath。SeehowtheLordhasputcoalsoffireonmyhead!Oh!Mary，don’tletmybeinganunbelievingThomasweakenyourfaith。WaitpatientlyontheLord，whateveryourtroublemaybe。“
ThemermaidsatupontherocksAlldaylong，AdmiringherbeautyandcombingherlocksAndsingingamermaidsong。Andhearthemermaid’ssongyoumay，Assureassurecanbe，Ifyouwillbutfollowthesunallday，Andsousewithhimintothesea。W。S。LANDOR。Itwasperhapsfourorfivedaysaftertheeventsmentionedinthelastchapter，thatoneevening，asMarystoodlostinreverieatthewindow，shesawWillWilsonenterthecourt，andcomequicklyuptoherdoor。Shewasgladtoseehim，forhehadalwaysbeenafriendofhers，perhapstoomuchlikeherincharacterevertobecomeanythingnearerordearer。Sheopenedthedoorinreadinesstoreceivehisfrankgreeting，whichsheasfranklyreturned。“ComeMary!onwithbonnetandshawl，orwhateverriggingyouwomenrequirebeforeleavingthehouse。I’msenttofetchyou，andIcan’tlosetimewhenI’munderorders。““WhereamItogoto？“askedMary，asherheartleapedupatthethoughtofwhomightbewaitingforher。“Notveryfar，“repliedhe。“OnlytooldJobLegh’sroundthecornerthere。
Auntwouldhavemecomeandseethesenewfriendsofhers，andthenwemeanttoha’comeonheretoseeyouandyourfather，buttheoldgentlemanseemsinclinedtomakeanightofit，andhaveyouallthere。Whereisyourfather？Iwanttoseehim。Hemustcometoo。““He’sout，butI’llleavewordnextdoorforhimtofollowme；that’stosay，ifhecomeshomeaforelong。“Sheadded，hesitatingly，“IsanyoneelseatJob’s？““No!MyauntJanewouldnotcome，forsomemaggotorother；andasforJem!Idon’tknowwhatyou’veallbeendoingtohim，buthe’sasdown-heartedachapasI’dwishtosee。He’shadhissorrowssureenough，poorlad!
Butit’stimeforhimtobeshakingoffhisdulllooks，andnotgomopinglikeagirl。““Thenhe’scomefra’Halifax，ishe？“askedMary。“Yes!hisbody’scome，butIthinkhe’slefthisheartbehindhim。HistongueI’msurehehas，asweusedtosaytochilder，whentheywouldnotspeak。Itrytorousehimupabit，andIthinkhelikeshavingmewithhim，butstillhe’sasgloomyanddullascanbe。’Twasonlyyesterdayhetookmetotheworks，andyou’dha’thoughtustwoQuakersasthespirithadn’tmoved，allthewaydownweweresomum。It’saplacetocrazeaman，certainly；suchanoisyblackhole!Therewereoneortwothingsworthlookingat，thebellowsforinstance，orthegaletheycalledabellows。
Icouldha’stoodnearitawholeday；andifI’daberthinthatplace，Ishouldliketobebellows-man，ifthereissuchaone。ButJemweren’tdivertedevenwiththat；hestoodasgraveasajudgewhileitblewmyhatouto’myhand。He’slostallrelishforhisfood，too，whichfretsmyauntsadly。Come!Mary，ar’n’tyouready？“ShehadnotbeenabletogatherifsheweretoseeJematJobLegh’s；butwhenthedoorwasopened，sheatoncesawandfelthewasnotthere。Theeveningthenwouldbeablank；atleastsoshethoughtforthefirstfiveminutes；butshesoonforgotherdisappointmentinthecheerfulmeetingofoldfriends，all，exceptherself，withsomecauseforrejoicingatthatverytime。Margaret，whocouldnotheidle，wasknittingaway，withherfacelookingfullintotheroom，awayfromherwork。Alicesatmeekandpatientwithherdimmedeyesandgentlelook，tryingtoseeandtohear，butnevercomplaining；indeed，inherinnerselfshewasblessingGodforherhappiness；forthejoyofhavinghernephew，herchild，nearher，wasfarmorepresenttohermind，thanherdeprivationsofsightandhearing。Jobwasinthefullgloryofhostandhostesstoo，forbyatacitagreementhehadrousedhimselffromhishabitualabstraction，andhadassumedmanyofMargaret’slittlehouseholdduties。Whilehemovedabouthewasdeepinconversationwiththeyoungsailor，tryingtoextractfromhimanycircumstancesconnectedwiththenaturalhistoryofthedifferentcountrieshehadvisited。“Oh!ifyouarefondofgrubs，andflies，andbeetles，there’snoplaceor’emlikeSierraLeone。Iwishyou’dhadsomeofours；wehadrathertoomuchofagoodthing；wedrankthemwithourdrink，andcouldscarcelykeepfromeatingthemwithourfood。Ineverthoughtanyfolkcouldcareforsuchfatgreenbeastsasthose，orIwouldha’broughtyouthembythethousand。Aplatefullo’pea-soupwouldha’beenfullenoughforyou，Idaresay；itwereoftentoofullforus。““Iwouldha’givenagooddealforsomeon’em，“saidJob。“Well，Iknewfolkathomelikedsomeo’thequeerthingsonemeetswithabroad；butIneverthoughtthey’dcareforthemnastyslimythings。I