Dostthouknowwhereheis，thoubadhussy，withthygreatblueeyesandyellowhair，toleadmenontoruin？Outupontheewiththyangel’sface，thouwhitedsepulchre!DostthouknowwhereJemis，allthroughthee？““No!“quiveredoutpoorMary，scarcelyconsciousthatshespoke，sodaunted，soterrifiedwasshebytheindignantmother’sgreeting。“He’slyinginth’NewBailey，“slowlyanddistinctlyspokethemother，watchingtheeffectofherwords，asifbelievingintheirinfinitepowertopain。“Therehelies，waitingtotakehistrialformurderingyoungMrCarson。“Noanswer；butsuchablanchedface，suchwild，distendedeyes，suchtremblinglimbs，instinctivelyseekingsupport!“DidyouknowMrCarsonasnowliesdead？“continuedthemercilesswoman。
“Folksayyoudid，andknewhimbuttoowell。Andthatforthesakeofsuchasyou，mypreciouschildshotyonchap。Buthedidnot。Iknowhedidnot。Theymayhanghim，buthismotherwillspeaktohisinnocencewithherlastdyingbreath。“Shestoppedmorefromexhaustionthanwantofwords。Maryspoke，butinsochangedandchokedavoicethattheoldwomanalmoststarted。Itseemedasifsomethirdpersonmustbeintheroom，thevoicewassohoarseandstrange。“Pleasesayitagain。Idon’tquiteunderstandyou。WhathasJemdone？
Pleasetotellme。““Ineversaidhehaddoneit。Isaid，andI’llswearthatheneverdiddoit。Idon’tcarewhoheard’emquarrel，orifitishisgunaswerefoundnearthebody。It’snotmyownJemaswouldgofortokillanyman，choosehowagirlhadjiltedhim。MyowngoodJem，aswasablessingsentuponthehousewherehewasborn。“Tearscameintothemother’sburningeyesasherheartrecurredtothedayswhenshehadrockedthecradleof“herfirst-born“；andthen，rapidlypassingoverevents，tillthefullconsciousnessofhispresentSituationcameuponher，andperhapsannoyedathavingshownanysoftnessofcharacterinthepresenceoftheDelilahwhohadluredhimtohisdanger，shespokeagain，andinasharpertone。“Itoldhim，andtoldhimtoleaveoffthinkingonthee；buthewouldn’tbeledbyme。Thee!wench!thouwerenotgoodenoughtowipethedustoffhisfeet。Avile，flirtingqueanasthouart。It’swellthymotherdoesnotknowpoorbodywhatagood-for-nothingthouart。““Mother!ohmother!“saidMary，asifappealingtothemercifuldead。“ButIwasnotgoodenoughforhim!IknowIwasnot，“addedshe，inavoiceoftouchinghumility。Forthroughherheartwenttollingtheominous，propheticwordshehadusedwhenbehadlastspokentoher：“Mary!you’llmaybehearofmeasadrunkard，andmaybeasathief；andmaybeasamurderer。Remember!whenallarespeakingillofme，youwillhavenorighttoblameme，forit’syourcrueltythatwillhavemademewhatIfeelIshallbecome。“Andshedidnotblamehim，thoughshedoubtednothisguilt；shefelthowmadlyshemightactifoncejealousofhim，andhowmuchcausehadshenotgivenhimforjealousy，miserableguiltywretchthatshewas!Speakon，desolatemother。Abuseherasyouwill。Herbrokenspiritfeelstohavemeritedall。Butherlasthumble，self-abasedwordshadtouchedMrsWilson’sheart，soreasitwas；andshelookedatthesnow-palegirlwiththosepiteouseyes，sohopelessofcomfort，andsherelentedinspiteofherself。“Thouseestwhatcomesoflightconduct，Mary!It’sthydoingthatsuspicionhaslightedonhim，whoisasinnocentasthebabeunborn。Thou’lthavemuchtoanswerforifhe’shung。Thou’lthavemydeathtooatthydoor!“Harshasthesewordsseem，shespoketheminamildertoneofvoicethanshehadyetused。ButtheideaofJemonthegallows，Jemdead，tookpossessionofMary，andshecoveredhereyeswithherwanhands，asifindeedtoshutoutthefearfulsight。Shemurmuredsomewords，which，thoughspokenlow，asifchokedupfromthedepthsofagony，JaneWilsoncaught。“Myheartisbreaking，“saidshe，feebly。“Myheartisbreaking。““Nonsense!“saidMrsWilson。“Don’ttalkinthatsillyway。Myhearthasabetterrighttobreakthanyours，andyetIholdup，yousee。But，ohdear!ohdear!“withasuddenrevulsionoffeeling，astherealityofthedangerinwhichhersonwasplacedpresseduponher。“WhatamIsaying？
HowcouldIholdupifthouwertgone，Jem？ThoughI’massureasIstandhereofthyinnocence，iftheyhangthee，mylad，Iwillliedownanddie!“Sheweptaloudwithbitterconsciousnessofthefearfulchanceawaitingherchild。Shecriedmorepassionatelystill。Maryrousedherselfup。“Oh，letmestaywithyou，atanyrate，tillweknowtheend。DearestMrsWilson，mayn’tIstay？“ThemoreobstinatelyandupbraidinglyMrsWilsonrefused，themoreMarypleaded，witheverthesamesoftentreatingcry，“Letmestaywithyou。“
Herstunnedsoulseemedtobounditswishes，forthehouratleast，toremainingwithonewholovedandsorrowedforthesamehumanbeingthatshedid。Butno。MrsWilsonwasinflexible。“I’vemaybebeenabithardonyou，Mary，I’llownthat。ButIcannotabideyouyetwithme。Icannotbutrememberit’syourgiddinessashaswroughtthiswoe。I’llstaywithAlice，andperhapsMrsDavenportmaycomehelpabit。Icannotputupwithyouaboutme。Goodnight。To-morrowImaylookonyoudifferent，maybe。Goodnight。“AndMaryturnedoutofthehouse，whichbadbeenhishome，wherehewasloved，andmournedfor，intothebusy，desolate，crowdedstreet，wheretheywerecryinghalfpennybroadsides，givinganaccountofthebloodymurder，thecoroner’sinquest，andaraw-head-and-bloody-bonespictureofthesuspectedmurderer，JamesWilson。ButMaryheardnot；sheheedednot。Shestaggeredonlikeoneinadream。