BeforeJemhadendedhislittlepieceofbusiness，aformhadglidedintosight；awan，feeblefigure，bearingwithevidentandpainfullabourajugofwaterfromtheneighbouringpump。ItwentbeforeJem，turnedupthecourtatthecornerofwhichhewasstanding，passedintothebroad，calmlight；andthere，withbowedhead，sinkingandshrunkbody，JemrecognizedJohnBarton。Nohauntingghostcouldhavehadlessoftheenergyoflifeinitsinvoluntarymotionsthanhe，who，nevertheless，wentonwiththesamemeasuredclockworktreaduntilthedoorofhisownhousewasreached。Andthenhedisappeared，andthelatchfellfeeblyto，andmadeafaintandwaveringsound，breakingthesolemnsilenceofthenight。Thenallagainwasstill。ForaminuteortwoJemstoodmotionless，stunnedbythethoughtswhichthesightofMary’sfatherhadcalledup。Margaretdidnotknowhewasathome：hadhestolenlikeathiefbydeadofnightintohisowndwelling？DepressedasJemhadoftenandlongseenhim，thisnighttherewassomethingdifferentabouthimstill；beatendownbysomeinwardstorm，heseemedtogrovelalong，allself-respectlostandgone。MusthebetoldofMary’sstate？Jemfelthemustnot；andthisformanyreasons。Hecouldnotbeinformedofherillnesswithoutmanyotherparticularsbeingcommunicatedatthesametime，ofwhichitwerebetterheshouldbekeptinignorance；indeed，ofwhichMaryherselfcouldalonegivethefullexplanation。Nosuspicionthathewasthecriminalseemedhithertotohavebeenexcitedinthemindofanyone。AddedtothesereasonswasJem’sextremeunwillingnesstofacehim，withthebeliefinhisbreastthathe，andnoneother，haddonethefearfuldeed。ItwastruethathewasMary’sfather，andassuchhadeveryrighttobetoldofaconcerningher；butsupposinghewere，andthathefollowedtheimpulsesonaturaltoafather，andwishedtogotoher，whatmightbetheconsequences？Amongthemingledfeelingsshehadrevealedinherdelirium，aye，mingledevenwiththemosttenderexpressionsofloveforherfather，wasasortofhorrorofhim；adreadofhimasablood-shedder，whichseemedtoseparatehimintotwopersons，——one，thefatherwhohaddandledheronhisknee，andlovedherallherlifelong；theother，theassassin，thecauseofallhertroubleandwoe。Ifheresentedhimselfbeforeherwhilethisideaofhischaracterwasuppermost，whomighttelltheconsequence？Jemcouldnot，andwouldnot，exposehertoanysuchfearfulchance：andtotellthetruth，Ibelievehelookeduponherasmorehisown，toguardfromallshadowofinjurywithmostlovingcare，thanasbelongingtoanyoneelseinthisworld，thoughgirtwiththereverendnameofFather，andguiltlessofaughtthatmighthavelessenedsuchreverence。Ifyouthinkthisaccountofmineconfused，ofthehalf-feelings，half-reasons，whichpassedthroughJem’smind，ashestoodgazingontheemptyspace，wherethatcrushedformhadsolatelybeenseen，——ifyouareperplexedtodisentangletherealmotives，IdoassureyouitwasfromjustsuchaninvolvedsetofthoughtsthatJemdrewtheresolutiontoactasifhehadnotseenthatphantomlikenessofJohnBarton；himself，yetnothimself。
Dixwell。Forgiveness!Oh，forgiveness，andagrave!Mary。Godknowsthyheart，myfather!andIshudderTothinkwhatthouperchancehastacted。Dixwell。Oh!Mary。Nocommonloadofwoeisthine，myfather。ELLIOT’SKerhonah。MarystillhoveredbetweenlifeanddeathwhenJemarrivedatthehousewhereshelay；andthedoctorswereasyetunwillingtocompromisetheirwisdombyallowingtoomuchhopetobeentertained。Butthestateofthings，ifnotlessanxious，waslessdistressingthanwhenJemhadquittedher。
Shelaynowinastupor，whichwaspartlydisease，andpartlyexhaustionafterthepreviousexcitement。AndnowJemfoundthedifficultywhicheveryonewhohaswatchedbyasickbedknowsfullwell；andwhichisperhapsmoreinsurmountabletomenthanitistowomen，——thedifficultyofbeingpatient，andtryingnottoexpectanyvisiblechangeforlong，longhoursofsadmonotony。Butafterawhiletherewardcame。Thelabouredbreathingbecamelowerandsofter，theheavylookofoppressivepainmeltedawayfromtheface，andalanguorthatwasalmostpeacetooktheplaceofsuffering。Shesleptanaturalsleep；andtheystoleaboutontip-toe，andspokelow，andsoftly，andhardlydaredtobreathe，howevermuchtheylongedtosighouttheirthankfulrelief。Sheopenedhereyes。Hermindwasinthetenderstateofalately-borninfant’s。Shewaspleasedwiththegaybutnotdazzlingcoloursofthepaper；soothedbythesubduedlight；andquitesufficientlyamusedbylookingatalltheobjectsintheroom——thedrawingoftheships，thefestoonsofthecurtain，thebrightflowersonthepaintedbacksofthechairs——tocareforanystrongerexcitement。Shewonderedattheballofglass，containingvarious-colouredsandsfromtheIsleofWight，orsomeotherplace，whichhungsuspendedfromthemiddleofthelittlevalanceoverthewindow。Butshedidnotcaretoexertherselftoaskanyquestions，althoughshesawMrsSturgisstandingatthebedsidewithsometea，readytodropitintohermouthbyspoonfuls。Shedidnotseethefaceofhonestjoy，ofearnestthankfulness，——theclaspedhands，——thebeamingeyes，——thetremblingeagernessofgesture，ofonewhohadlongawaitedherwakening，andwhonowstoodbehindthecurtainswatchingthroughsomelittlechinkhereveryfaintmotion；orifshehadcaughtaglimpseofthatloving，peepingface，shewasintooexhaustedastatetohavetakenmuchnotice，orhavelongretainedtheimpressionthatheshelovedsowellwashangingabouther，andblessingGodforeveryconsciouslookwhichstoleoverhercountenance。Shefellsoftlyintoslumber，withoutawordhavingbeenspokenbyanyoneduringthathalfhourofinexpressiblejoy。Andagainthestillnesswasenforcedbysignandwhisperedword，butwitheyesthatbeamedouttheirbrightthoughtsofhope。Jemsatbythesideofthebed，holdingbackthelittlecurtain，andgazingasifhecouldnevergazehisfillatthepale，wastedface，somarbledandsochiselledinitswanoutline。Shewakenedoncemore；hersofteyesopened，andmethisover-bendinglook。
Shesmiledgently，asababydoeswhenitseesitsmothertendingitslittlecot；andcontinuedherinnocent，infantinegazeintohisface，asifthesightgavehermuchunconsciouspleasure。Butbyandbyadifferentexpressioncameintohersweeteyes；alookofmemoryandintelligence；herwhitefleshflushedthebrightestrosyred，andwithfeeblemotionshetriedtohideherheadinthepillow。ItrequiredallJem’sself-controltodowhatheknewandfelttobenecessary，tocallMrsSturgis，whowasquietlydozingbythefireside；andthatdone，hefeltalmostobligedtoleavetheroomtokeepdownthehappyagitationwhichwouldgushoutineveryfeature，everygesture，andeverytone。Fromthattimeforward，Mary’sprogresstowardshealthwasrapid。Therewaseveryreason，butone，infavourofherspeedyremovalhome。
AllJem’sdutieslayinManchester。Itwashismother’sdwelling-place，andtherehisplansforlifehadbeentobeworkedoutplans，whichthesuspicionandimprisonmenthehadfalleninto，hadthrownforatimeintoachaos，whichhispresencewasrequiredtoarrangeintoform。Forhemightfind，inspiteofajury’sverdict，thattoostrongataintwasonhischaracterforhimevertolabourinManchesteragain。Herememberedthemannerinwhichsomeonesuspectedofhavingbeenaconvictwasshunnedbymastersandmen，whenhehadaccidentallymetwithworkintheirfoundry；