Asforherstep—mother，MarynotunnaturallyflewintoapassionthemomentIspokeofher。Shekeepsaneating—houseatHammersmith，andcouldhavegivenMarygoodemploymentinit；butsheseemsalwaystohavehatedher，andtohavemadeherlifesowretchedwithabuseandillusagethatshehadnorefugeleftbuttogoawayfromhome，anddoherbesttomakealivingforherself。Herhusband（Mary’sfather）appearstohavebehavedbadlytoher，and，afterhisdeath，shetookthewickedcourseofrevengingherselfonherstep—daughter。Ifelt，afterthis，thatitwasimpossibleMarycouldgoback，andthatitwasthehardnecessityofherposition，asitisofmine，thatsheshouldstruggleontomakeadecentlivelihoodwithoutassistancefromanyofherrelations。Iconfessedasmuchasthistoher；butI
addedthatIwouldtrytogetheremploymentwiththepersonsforwhomIwork，whopayhigherwages，andshowalittlemoreindulgencetothoseunderthemthanthepeopletowhomsheisnowobligedtolookforsupport。
IspokemuchmoreconfidentlythanIfeltaboutbeingabletodothis，andlefther，asIthought，inbetterspiritsthanusual。
Shepromisedtobebackto—nighttoteaatnineo’clock，andnowitisnearlyoneinthemorning，andsheisnothomeyet。IfitwasanyothergirlIshouldnotfeeluneasy，forIshouldmakeupmymindthattherewasextraworktobedoneinahurry，andthattheywerekeepingherlate，andIshouldgotobed。ButMaryissounfortunateineverythingthathappenstoher，andherownmelancholytalkaboutherselfkeepshangingonmymindso，thatI
havefearsonheraccountwhichwouldnotdistressmeaboutanyoneelse。Itseemsinexcusablysillytothinksuchathing，muchmoretowriteitdown；butIhaveakindofnervousdreaduponmethatsomeaccident——