Theworthymerchant’shome，oneofthoselarge，substantialbrickmansionsfrequentlyjammedupinold-fashionedtowns，faceddirectlyontheHighStreet，nearlyoppositetothegroceryshopoftheJolliffes，anditnowbecamethepainofJoannatobeholdthewomanwhoseplaceshehadusurpedoutofpurecovetousness，lookingdownfromherpositionofcomparativewealthuponthehumbleshop-windowwithitsdustysugar-loaves，heapsofraisins，andcanistersoftea，overwhichitwasherownlottopreside。Thebusinesshavingsodwindled，Joannawasobligedtoserveintheshopherself；anditgalledandmortifiedherthatEmilyLester，sittinginherlargedrawing-roomovertheway，couldwitnessherowndancingsupanddownbehindthecounteratthebeckandcallofwretchedtwopennycustomers，whosepatronageshewasdriventowelcomegladly：personstowhomshewascompelledtobecivilinthestreet，whileEmilywasboundingalongwithherchildrenandhergoverness，andconversingwiththegenteelestpeopleofthetownandneighbourhood。ThiswaswhatshehadgainedbynotlettingShadrachJolliffe，whomshehadsofaintlyloved，carryhisaffectionelsewhere。
Shadrachwasagoodandhonestman，andhehadbeenfaithfultoherinheartandindeed。TimehadclippedthewingsofhisloveforEmilyinhisdevotiontothemotherofhisboys：hehadquiteliveddownthatimpulsiveearlierfancy，andEmilyhadbecomeinhisregardnothingmorethanafriend。ItwasthesamewithEmily’sfeelingsforhim。Possibly，hadshefoundtheleastcauseforjealousy，Joannawouldalmosthavebeenbettersatisfied。ItwasintheabsoluteacquiescenceofEmilyandShadrachintheresultssheherselfhadcontrivedthatherdiscontentfoundnourishment。
Shadrachwasnotendowedwiththenarrowshrewdnessnecessaryfordevelopingaretailbusinessinthefaceofmanycompetitors。Didacustomerinquireifthegrocercouldreallyrecommendthewondroussubstituteforeggswhichaperseveringbagmanhadforcedintohisstock，hewouldanswerthat’whenyoudidnotputeggsintoapuddingitwasdifficulttotastethemthere’；andwhenhewasaskedifhis’realMochacoffee’wasrealMocha，hewouldsaygrimly，’asunderstoodinsmallshops。’
Onesummerday，whenthebigbrickhouseoppositewasreflectingtheoppressivesun’sheatintotheshop，andnobodywaspresentbuthusbandandwife，JoannalookedacrossatEmily’sdoor，whereawealthyvisitor’scarriagehaddrawnup。TracesofpatronagehadbeenvisibleinEmily’smanneroflate。
’Shadrach，thetruthis，youarenotabusiness-man，’hiswifesadlymurmured。’Youwerenotbroughtuptoshopkeeping，anditisimpossibleforamantomakeafortuneatanoccupationhehasjumpedinto，asyoudidintothis。’