Likeabarkuponthesea，Lifeisfloatingoverdeath；Above，below，encirclingthee，Dangerlurksineverybreath。PartedartthoufromthegraveOnlybyaplankmostfrail；Tossedupontherestlesswave，Sportofeveryficklegale。Lettheskiesbee’ersoclear，Andsocalmandstillthesea，ShipwreckyethashetofearWholife’svoyagerwillbe。RUCKERT。TheearlytrainsforLiverpool，onMondaymorning，werecrowdedbyattorneys，attorneys’clerks，plaintiffs，defendants，andwitnesses，allgoingtotheAssizes。Theywereamotleyassembly，eachwithsomecauseforanxietystirringathisheart；though，afterall，thatissayinglittleornothing，forweareallofusinthesamepredicamentthroughlife；eachwithafearandahopefromchildhoodanddeath。AmongthepassengerstherewasMaryBarton，dressedinthebluegownandobnoxiousplaidshawl。Commonasrailroadsarenowinallplacesasameansoftransit，andespeciallyinManchester，Maryhadneverbeenononebefore；andshefeltbewilderedbythehurry，thenoiseofpeople，andbells，andhorns；thewhizandthescreamofthearrivingtrains。Theveryjourneyitselfseemedtoheramatterofwonder。Shehadabackseat，andlookedtowardsthefactory-chimneys，andthecloudorsmokewhichhoversoverManchester，withafeelingakintothe“Heimweh。“Shewaslosingsightofthefamiliarobjectsofherchildhoodforthefirsttime；andunpleasantastheseobjectsaretomost，sheyearnedafterthemwithsomeofthesamesentimentwhichgivespathostothethoughtsoftheemigrant。Thecloud-shadowswhichgivebeautytoChat-Moss，thepicturesqueoldhousesofNewton，whatweretheytoMary，whoseheartwasfullofmanythings？
Yetsheseemedtolookatthemearnestlyastheyglidedpast；butsheneithersawnorheard。Sheneithersawnorheardtillsomewell-knownnamesfelluponherear。Twolawyers’clerkswerediscussingthecasestocomeonthatAssizes；
ofcourse，“themurdercase，“asithadcometobetermed，heldaconspicuousplaceintheirconversation。Theyhadnodoubtoftheresult。“Juriesareveryunwillingtoconvictoncircumstantialevidence，itistrue，“saidone，“buttherecanhardlybeanydoubt。““Ifithadnotbeensoclearacase，“repliedtheother，“Ishouldhavesaidtheywereinjudiciousinhurryingonthetrialsomuch。Stillmoreevidencemighthavebeencollected。““Theytellme，“saidthefirstspeaker——“thepeopleinGardener’soffice，Imean——thatitwasreallyfearedtheoldgentlemanwouldhavegoneoutofhismindifthetrialhadbeendelayed。HewaswithMrGardenerasmanyasseventimesonSaturday，andcalledhimupatnighttosuggestthatsomelettershouldbewritten，orsomethingdonetosecuretheverdict。““Pooroldman，“answeredhiscompanion，whocanwonder？——anonlyson，——suchadeath，——thedisagreeablecircumstancesattendingit；IhadnottimetoreadtheGuardianonSaturday，butIunderstanditwassomedisputeaboutafactorygirl？““Yes，somesuchperson。Ofcourseshe’llbeexamined，andWilliamswilldoitinstyle。IshallslipoutfromourcourttohearhimifIcanhitthenickoftime。“Andifyoucangetaplace，youmean，fordependuponitthecourtwillbecrowded。““Aye，aye，theladiessweetsoulswillcomeinshoalstohearatrialformurder，andseethemurderer，andwatchthejudgeputonhisblackcap。““AndthengohomeandgroanovertheSpanishladieswhotakedelightinbull-fights——’suchunfemininecreatures!“Thentheywentontoothersubjects。ItwasbutanotherdroptoMary’scup；butshewasnearlyinthatstatewhichCrabbedescribes：Forwhensofullthecupofsorrowflows，Addbutadropitinstantlyo’erflows。Andnowtheywereinthetunnel!——andnowtheywereinLiverpool；andshemustrouseherselffromthetorporofmindandbodywhichwascreepingoverher；theresultofmuchanxietyandfatigue，andseveralsleeplessnights。SheaskedapolicemanthewaytoMilk-HouseYard，andfollowinghisdirectionswiththesavoirfaireofatown-bredgirl，shereachedalittlecourtleadingoutofabusy，throngedstreet，notfarfromtheDocks。Whensheenteredthequietlittleyard，shestopdtoregainherbreath，andtogatherstrength，forherlimbstrembled，andherheartbeatviolently。Alltheunfavourablecontingenciesshehad，untilnow，forbiddenherselftodwellupon，cameforwardtohermind——thepossibility，thebarepossibility，ofJembeinganaccompliceinthemurder——thestillgreaterpossibilitythathehadnotfulfilledhisintentionofgoingpartofthewaywithWill，buthadbeenledoffbysomelittleaccidentaloccurrencefromhisoriginalintention；andthathehadspenttheeveningwithIthosewhomitwasnowtoolatetobringforwardaswitnesses。Butsoonerorlatershemustknowthetruth；so，takingcourage，sheknockedatthedoorofahouse。“IsthisMrsJones’s？“sheinquired。“Nextdoorbutone，“wasthecurtanswer。Andeventhisextraminutewasareprieve。MrsJoneswasbusywashing，andwouldhavespokenangrilytothepersonwhoknockedsogentlyatthedoor，ifangerhadbeeninhernature；butshewasasoft，helplesskindofwoman，andonlysighedoverthemanyinterruptionsshehadhadtoherbusinessthatunluckyMondaymorning。Butthefeelingwhichwouldhavebeenangerinamoreimpatienttemper，tooktheformofprejudiceagainstthedisturber，whoeverheorshemightbe。Mary’sflutteredandexcitedappearancestrengthenedthisprejudiceinMrsJones’smind，asshestood，strip-pingthesoap-sudsoffherarms，whilesheeyedhervisitor，andwaitedtobetoldwhatherbusinesswas。Butnowordswouldcome。Mary’svoiceseemedchokedupinherthroat。“Praywhatdoyouwant，youngwoman？“coldlyaskedMrsJonesatlast。“Iwant——Oh!isWillWilsonhere？““No，heisnot，“repliedMrsJones，incliningtoshutthedoorinherface。“IshenotbackfromtheIsleofMan？“askedMary，sickening。“Heneverwent；hestayedinManchestertoolong；asperhapsyouknow，already。“Andagainthedoorseemedclosing。ButMarybentforwardswithsuppliantactionassomeyoungtreebends，whenblownbytherough，autumnalwind，andgaspedout，“Tellme——tellme——whereishe？“MrsJonessuspectedsomeloveaffair，and，perhaps，oneofnotthemostcreditablekind；butthedistressofthepaleyoungcreaturebeforeherwassoobviousandsopitiable，thatweresheeversosinful，MrsJonescouldnolongerupholdhershort，reservedmanner。“He’sgonethisverymorning，mypoorgirl。Stepin，andI’lltellyouaboutit。““Gone!“criedMary。“Howgone？Imustseehim——it’samatteroflifeanddeath：hecansavetheinnocentfrombeinghanged，——hecannotbegone，——howgone？““Sailed，mydear!SailedintheJohnCropperthisveryblessedmorning。““Sailed!“
Yonisourquay!Harktotheclamourinthatmiryroad，Boundedandnarrowedbyyonvessel’sload；Thelumberingwealthsheemptiesroundtheplace，Packageandparcel，hogshead，chest，andcase；Whiletheloudseamenandtheangryhind，Minglinginbusiness，bellowtothewind。CRABBE。Marystaggeredintothehouse。MrsJonesplacedhertenderlyinachair；
andtherestoodbewilderedbyherside。“Oh，father!father!“mutteredshe，“whathaveyoudone!——WhatmustIdo？