I’llgowhereyouseefit，sir。He’sinnocent，“faintlyindicatingJem，ashefellbackinhischair。“Neverfear!Theycannottouchhim，“saidJobLegh，inalowvoice。ButasMrCarsonwasonthepointofleavingthehousewithnosignofrelentingabouthim，hewasagainstoppedbyJohnBarton，whohadrisenoncemorefromhischair，andstoodsupportinghimselfonJem，whilehespoke。“Sir，oneword!Myhairsaregreywithsuffering，andyourswithyears——““AndhaveIhadnosuffering？“askedMrCarson，asifappealingforsympathy，eventothemurdererofhischild。Andthemurdererofhischildansweredtotheappeal，andgroanedinspiritovertheanguishhehadcaused。“HaveIhadnoinwardsufferingtoblanchthesehairs？HavenotItoiledandstruggledeventotheseyearswithhopesinmyheartthatallcentredinmyboy？Ididnotspeakofthem，butweretheynotthere？Iseemedhardandcold；andsoImightbetoothers，butnottohim!——whoshalleverimaginetheloveIboretohim？Evenheneverdreamedhowmyheartleaptupatthesoundofhisfootstep，andhowprecioushewastohispooroldfather。Andheisgone——killed——outofthehearingofalllovingwords——outofmysightforever。Hewasmysunshine，andnowitisnight!Oh，myGod!
comfortme，comfortme!“criedtheoldman，aloud。TheeyesofJohnBartongrewdimwithtears。Richandpoor，mastersandmen，werethenbrothersinthedeepsufferingoftheheart；forwasnotthistheveryanguishhehadfeltforlittleTominyearssolonggoneby，thattheyseemedlikeanotherlife!Themournerbeforehimwasnolongertheemployer；abeingofanotherrace，eternallyplacedinantagonisticattitude；goingthroughtheworldglitteringlikegold，withastonyheartwithin，whichknewnosorrowbutthroughtheaccidentsofTrade；nolongertheenemy，theoppressor，butaverypooranddesolateoldman。Thesympathyforsuffering，formerlysoprevalentafeelingwithhim，againfilledJohnBarton’sheart，andalmostimpelledhimtospeakasbesthecouldsomeearnesttenderwordstothesternman，shakinginhisagony。Butwhowasbe，thatheshoulduttersympathyorconsolation？Thecauseofallthiswoe。Oh，blasting。thought!Oh，miserableremembrance!Hehadforfeitedallrighttobinduphisbrother’swounds。Stunnedbythethought，hesankupontheseat，almostcrushedwiththeknowledgeoftheconsequencesofhisownaction；forhehadnomoreimaginedtohimselftheblightedhome，andthemiserableparents，thandoesthesoldier，whodischargeshismusket，picturetohimselfthedesolationofthewife，andthepitifulcriesofthehelplesslittleones，whoareinaninstanttobemadewidowedandfatherless。Tointimidateaclassofmen，knownonlytothosebelowthemasdesiroustoobtainthegreatestquantityofworkforthelowestwages，——atmosttoremoveanoverbearingpartnerfromanobnoxiousfirm，whostoodinthewayofthosewhostruggledaswellastheywereabletoobtaintheirrights，——thiswasthelightinwhichJohnBartonhadviewedhisdeed；andevensoviewingit，aftertheexcitementhadpassedaway，theAvenger，thesureAvenger，hadfoundhimout。Butnowheknewthathehadkilledaman，andabrother，——nowheknewthatnogoodthingcouldcomeoutofthisevil，eventothesuffererswhosecausehehadsoblindlyespoused。Helayacrossthetable，broken-hearted。EveryfreshquiveringsobofMrCarson’sstabbedhimtohissoul。Hefeltexecratedbyall；andasifhecouldneverlaybarethepervertedreasoningswhichhadmadetheperformanceofundoubtedsinappearaduty。
Thetopleadsomefaintexcusegrewstrongerandstronger。Hefeeblyraisedhishead，andlookingatJobLegh，hewhisperedout，“IdidnotknowwhatIwasdoing，JobLegh；GodknowsIdidn’t!Oh，sir!“
saidhe，wildly，almostthrowinghimselfatMrCarson’sfeet，“sayyouforgivemetheanguishInowseeIhavecausedyou。Icarenotforpain，ordeath，youknowIdon’t；butoh，man!forgivemethetrespassIhavedone!““Forgiveusourtrespassesasweforgivethemthattrespassagainstus，“
saidJob，solemnlyandlow，asifinprayer：asifthewordsweresuggestedbythoseJohnBartonhadused。MrCarsontookhishandsawayfromhisface。Iwouldratherseedeaththantheghastlygloomwhichdarkenedthatcountenance。“Letmytrespassesbeunforgiven，sothatImayhavevengeanceformyson’smurder。“Thereareblasphemousactionsaswellasblasphemouswords：allunloving，crueldeedsareactedblasphemy。MrCarsonleftthehouse。AndJohnBartonlayonthegroundasonedead。Theyliftedhimup，andalmosthopingthatthatdeeptrancemightbetohimtheendofallearthlythings，theyborehimtohisbed。Foratimetheylistenedwithdividedattentiontohisfaintbreathings；