Sosayinghereplacedthebottleinthecupboard。Itwashewho，inafirmcommandingvoice，atlasttoldJemandMarytobeoff，ortheywouldbetoolate。MrsSturgishadkeptuptillthen；butastheyleftherhouse，shecouldnolongerrestrainhertears，andcriedaloudinspiteofherhusband’supbraiding。“Perhapsthey’llbetoolateforthetrain!“exclaimedshe，withadegreeofhope，astheclockstrucktwo。“What!andcomebackagain？No!no!thatwouldneverdo。We’vedoneourpart，andcriedourcry；it’snousegoingoverthesamegroundagain。
Ishouldha’togive’emmoreoutofyonbottlewhennextpartingtimecame，andthemthreeglassestheyha’madeaholeinthestuff，Icantellyou。TimeJackwasbackfromHamburghwithsomemore。WhentheyreachedManchester，Marylookedverywhite，andtheexpressionofherfacewasalmoststern。Shewasinfactsummoningupherresolutiontomeetherfatherifhewereathome。JemhadnevernamedhismidnightglimpseofJohnBartontohumanbeing；butMaryhadasortofpresentiment，thatwanderwherehewould，hewouldseekhishomeatlast。Butinwhatmoodshedreadedtothink。Fortheknowledgeofherfather’scapabilityofguiltseemedtohaveopenedadarkgulfinhischaracter，intothedepthsofwhichshetrembledtolook。Atonemomentshewouldfainhaveclaimedprotectionagainstthelifeshemustlead，forsometimeatleast，alonewithamurderer!Shethoughtofhisgloom，beforehismindwashauntedbythememoryofsoterribleacrime；hismoody，irritableways。Sheimaginedtheeveningsasofold；she，toilingatsomework，longafterhouseswereshut，andfolksabed；he，moresavagethanhehadeverbeenbeforewiththeinwardgnawingofhisremorse。Atsuchtimesshecouldhavecriedaloudwithterror，atthescenesherfancyconjuredup。Butherfilialduty，nay，herloveandgratitudeformanydeedsofkindnessdonetoherasalittlechild，conqueredallfear。Shewouldendureallimaginableterrors，althoughofdailyoccurrence。Andshewouldpatientlybearallwaywardviolenceoftemper；morethanpatientlywouldshebearit——pitifully，asonewhoknewofsomeawfulcurseawaitingtheblood-shedder。
Shewouldwatchoverhimtenderly，astheInnocentshouldwatchovertheGuilty；awaitingthegraciousseasons，whereintopouroilandbalmintothebitterwounds。Withtheuntroubledpeacewhichtheresolvetoenduretotheendgives，sheapproachedthehousethatfromhabitshestillcalledhome，butwhichpossessedtheholinessofhomenolonger。“Jem!“saidshe，astheystoodattheentrancetothecourt，closebyJobLegh’sdoor，“youmustgointhereandwaithalfanhour。Notless。IfinthattimeIdon’tcomeback，yougoyourwaystoyourmother。Givehermydearlove。IwillsendbyMargaretwhenIwanttoseeyou。“Shesighedheavily。“Mary!Mary!Icannotleaveyou。Youspeakascoldlyasifweweretobenoughttoeachother。Andmyheart’sboundupinyou。Iknowwhyyoubidmekeepaway，but——“Sheputherhandonhisarm，ashespokeinaloudagitatedtone；shelookedintohisfacewithupbraidingloveinhereyes，andthenshesaid，whileherlipsquivered，andhefeltherwholeframetrembling：“DearJem!Ioftencouldhavetoldyoumoreoflove，ifIhadnotoncespokenoutsofree。Rememberthattime，Jem，ifeveryouthinkmecold。
Then，thelovethat’sinmyheartwouldoutinwords；butnow，thoughI’msilentonthepainI’mfeelinginquittingyou，theloveisinmyheartallthesame。Butthisisnotthetimetospeakonsuchthings。IfIdonotdowhatIfeeltoberightnow，Imayblamemyselfallmylifelong!
Jem，youpromised——“Andsosayingshelefthim。Shewentquickerthanshewouldotherwisehavepassedoverthosefewyardsofground，forfearheshouldstilltrytoaccompanyher。Herhandwasonthelatch，andinabreaththedoorwasopened。Theresatherfather，stillandmotionless——noteventurninghisheadtoseewhohadentered；butperhapsherecognisedthefootstep——thetrickofaction。Hesatbythefire；thegrateIshouldsay，forfiretherewasnone。Somedullgreyashes，negligentlyleft，longdaysago，coldlychokedupthebars。Hehadtakentheaccustomedseatfrommereforceofhabit，whichruledhisautomatonbody。Forallenergy，bothphysicalandmental，seemedtohaveretreatedinwardstosomeofthegreatcitadelsoflife，theretodobattleagainsttheDestroyer，Conscience。Hishandswerecrossed，hisfingersinterlaced；usuallyapositionimplyingsomedegreeofresolutionorstrength；butinhimitwassofaintlymaintained，thatitappearedmoretheresultofchance；anattituderequiringsomeapplicationofoutwardforcetoalter，——andablowwithastrawseemedasthoughitwouldbesufficient。Andasforhisface，itwassunkandworn，——likeaskull，withyetasufferingexpressionthatskullshavenot!Yourheartwouldhaveachedtohaveseentheman，howeverhardlyyoumighthavejudgedhiscrime。Butcrimeandallwasforgottenbyhisdaughter，asshesawhisabashedlook，hissmittenhelplessness。AllalongshehadfeltitdifficultasImayhavesaidbeforetoreconcilethetwoideas，ofherfatherandablood-shedder。Butnowitwasimpossible。Hewasherfather!herowndearfather!andinhissufferings，whatevertheircause，moredearlylovedthaneverbefore。Hiscrimewasathingapart，nevermoretobeconsideredbyher。Andtenderlydidshetreathim，andfondlydidsheservehimineverywaythatheartcoulddevise，orhandexecute。Shehadsomemoneyabouther，thepriceofherstrangeservicesasawitness；