put yourself in his place-第16部分

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As　for　Jael；　she　brought　in　the　bust；　and　then　sat　down　with　her　bonnet　on；　quaking；　for　she　felt　sure　that；　in　such　a　dismal　dearth　of　conversation；　Miss　Carden　would　be　certain　to　turn　round　very　soon；　and　say；　〃Well；　Jael；　you　can　go　now。〃

But　this　Quaker's　meeting　was　interrupted　by　a　doctor　looking　in　to　prescribe　for　Miss　Carden's　cold。　　The　said　cold　was　imperceptible　to　vulgar　eyes；　but　Grace　had　detected　it；　and　had　written　to　her　friend；　Dr。　Amboyne；　to　come　and　make　it　as　imperceptible　to　herself　as　to　the　spectator。

In　rolled　the　doctor；　and　was　not　a　little　startled　at　sight　of　Little。

〃Hallo！〃　cried　be。　　〃What；　cured　already？　　Cairnhope　forever！〃　　He　then　proceeded　to　feel　his　pulse　instead　of　Miss　Carden's；　and　inspect　his　eye；　at　which　Grace　Carden　stared。

〃What；　is　he　unwell？〃

〃Why；　a　man　does　not　get　blown　up　with　gunpowder　without　some　little　disturbance　of　the　system。〃

〃Blown　up　with　gunpowder！　　What　DO　you　mean？〃

〃What；　have　you　not　heard　about　it？　　Don't　you　read　the　newspapers？〃

〃No；　never。〃

〃Merciful　powers！　　But　has　he　not　told　you？〃

〃No；　he　tells　us　nothing。〃

〃Then　I'll　tell　you；　it　is　of　no　use　your　making　faces　at　me。　　There　is　no　earthly　reason　why　she　should　be　kept　in　the　dark。　　These　Hillsborough　trades　want　to　drive　this　young　man　out　of　town：　why　is　too　long　and　intricate　for　you　to　follow。　　He　resists　this　tyranny；　gently；　but　firmly。〃

〃I'd　resist　it　furiously；〃　said　Grace。

〃The　consequence　is；　they　wrote　him　several　threatening　letters；　and；　at　last；　some　caitiff　put　gunpowder　into　his　forge；　it　exploded；　and　blew　him　out　of　a　second…floor　window。〃

〃Oh！　oh！〃　screamed　Grace　Carden　and　Jael；　and　by　one　womanly　impulse　they　both　put　their　hands　before　their　faces；　as　if　to　shut　out　the　horrible　picture。

〃What　is　that　for？〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃You　see　he　is　all　right　now。　But；　I　promise　you；　he　cut　a　very　different　figure　when　I　saw　him　directly　afterward；　he　was　scorched　as　black　as　a　coal〃

〃Oh；　doctor；　don't；　pray　don't。　　Oh；　sir；　why　did　you　not　tell　me？〃

〃And　his　face　bleeding；〃　continued　the　merciless　doctor。

〃Oh　dear！　oh　dear！〃　　And　the　sweet　eyes　were　turned；　all　swimming　in　water　upon　Henry；　with　a　look　of　angelic　pity。

〃His　nerves　were　terribly　shaken；　but　there　were　no　bones　broken。　　I　said　to　myself；　'He　must　sleep　or　go　mad；　and　he　will　not　sleep　in　the　town　that　has　blown　him　up。'　　I　just　drove　the　patient　off　to　peace　and　pure　air；　and　confided　him　to　one　of　the　best　creatures　in　EnglandMartha　Dence。〃

Jael　uttered　an　exclamation　of　wonder；　which　drew　attention　to　her　and　her　glowing　cheeks。

〃Oh　yes；　Miss　Jael；〃　said　Henry；　〃I　was　going　to　tell　you。　　I　have　been　a　fortnight　with　your　people；　and；　if　I　live　a　hundred　years；　I　shall　not　forget　their　goodness　to　me。　　God　bless　them。〃

〃'Twas　the　least　they　could　do；〃　said　Jael；　softly。

〃What　a　pity　you　are　going　out。　　I　should　have　liked　to　talk　to　you　about　your　father；　and　Martha；　and　George　the　blacksmith。　　Doctor；　who　would　live　in　a　town　after　Cairnhope？〃

Jael's　fingers　trembled　at　her　bonnet…strings；　and；　turning　a　look　of　piteous　supplication　on　Grace；　she　faltered　out；　〃If　you　please；　miss；　might　I　stay　over　to…day？〃

〃Of　course。　　And　then　he　will　tell　you　all　about　your　people；　and　that　will　do　just　as　well　as　you　going　to　see　them；　and　better。〃

Off　came　Jael's　bonnet　with　wonderful　celerity。

〃Get　the　whole　story　out　of　him；〃　said　Dr。　Amboyne。　　〃It　is　well　worth　your　attention。　　As　for　me；　I　must　go　as　soon　as　I　have　prescribed　for　you。　　What　is　the　matter？〃

〃The　matter　is　that　there's　nothing　the　matter；　prescribe　for　that。　And　that　I'm　a　gooseprescribe　for　thatand　don't　read　the　newspapers；　prescribe　for　that。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　prescribe　the　Hillsborough　Liberal。　　It　has　drawn　a　strong　picture　of　this　outrage；　and　shown　its　teeth　to　the　Trades。　And；　if　I　might　advise　a　lady　of　your　age　and　experience；　I　would　say；　in　future　always　read　the　newspapers。　　They　are；　compared　with　books；　what　machinery　is　compared　with　hand…labor。　　But；　in　this　one　instance；　go　to　the　fountain…head；　and　ask　Mr。　Henry　Little　there；　to　tell　you　his　own　tragedy；　with　all　the　ins　and　outs。〃

〃Ah！　if　he　would；〃　said　Grace；　turning　her　eyes　on　Henry。　　〃But　he　is　not　so　communicative　to　poor　us。　　Is　he；　Jael？〃

〃No；　miss。〃

〃He　never　even　told　us　his　name。　　Did　he；　Jael？〃

〃No；　miss。　　He　is　very　close。〃

〃Open　him　then；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃Come；　come；　there　are　a　pair　of　you；　and　evidently　disposed　to　act　in　concert；　if　you　can　not　turn　a　man　inside　out；　I　disown　you；　you　are　a　discredit　to　your　sex。〃　　He　then　shook　hands　with　all　three　of　them；　and　rolled　away。

〃Jael；〃　said　Miss　Carden；　〃oblige　me　by　ringing　the　bell。〃

A　servant　entered。

〃Not　at　home　to　any　human　creature；〃　said　the　young　lady。

The　servant　retired。

〃And；　if　they　see　me　at　the　window；　all　the　worsefor　THEM。　　Now；　Mr。　Little？〃

Henry　complied；　and　told　the　whole　story；　with　the　exception　of　the　threat　to　his　sweetheart；　and　passed　two　delightful　hours。　　Who　is　so　devoid　of　egotism　as　not　to　like　to　tell　his　own　adventures　to　sympathizing　beauty？　　He　told　it　in　detail；　and　even　read　them　portions　of　the　threatening　letters；　and；　as　he　told　it；　their　lovely　eyes　seemed　on　fire；　and　they　were　red；　and　pale；　by　turns。　He　told　it；　like　a　man；　with　dignity；　and　sobriety；　and　never　used　an　epithet。　　It　was　Miss　Carden　who　supplied　the　〃Monsters！〃　〃Villains！〃　〃Cowards！〃　〃Wretches！〃　at　due　intervals。　　And　once　she　started　from　her　seat；　and　said　she　could　not　bear　it。　　〃I　see　through　it　all；〃　she　cried。　　〃That　Jobson　is　a　hypocrite；　and　he　is　at　the　bottom　of　it　all。　　I　hate　him；　and　Parkin　worse。　　As　for　the　assassin；　I　hope　God；　who　saw　him；　will　punish　him。　　What　I　want　to　do　is　to　kill　Jobson　and　Parkin；　one　after　another；　kill　themkill　themkill　themI'll　tell　papa。〃

As　for　Jael；　she　could　not　speak　her　mind；　but　she　panted　heavily；　and　her　fingers　worked　convulsively；　and　clutched　themselves　very　tight　at　last。

When　he　had　done　his　narrative；　he　said　sadly；　〃I　despise　these　fellows　as　much　as　you　do；　but　they　are　too　many　for　me。　　I　am　obliged　to　leave　Hillsborough。〃

〃What；　let　the　wretches　drive　you　away？　　I　would　never　do　thatif　I　was　a　man。〃

〃What　would　you　do；　then？〃　asked　Henry；　his　eye　sparkling。

〃Do？　　Why　fight　them；　and　beat　them；　and　kill　them；　it　is　not　as　if　they　were　brave　men。　　They　are　only　cunning　cowards。　　I'd　meet　cunning　with　cunning。　　I'd　outwit　them　somehow。　　I'd　change　my　lodging　every　week；　and　live　at　little　inns　and　places。　　I'd　lock　up　every　thing　I　used；　as　well　as　the　rooms。　　I'd　consult　wiser　heads；　the　editor　of　the　Liberal；　and　the　Head　of　the　police。　　I'd　carry　fire…arms；　and　have　a　bodyguard；　night　and　day；　but　they　should　never　say　they　had　frightened　me　out　of　Hillsboroughif　I　was　a　man。〃

〃You　are　all　right；〃　cried　Henry。　　〃I'll　do　all　you　advise　me；　and　I　won't　be　driven　out　of　this　place。　　I　love　it。　　I'll　live　in　it　or　I'll　die　in　it。　　I'll　never　leave　it。〃

This　was　almost　the　last　word　that　passed　this　delightful　afternoon；　when　the　sense　of　her　own　past　injustice；　the　thrilling　nature　of　the　story　told　by　the　very　sufferer；　and；　above　all；　the　presence　and　the　undisguised　emotion　of　another　sympathizing　woman；　thawed　Grace　Carden's　reserve；　warmed　her　courage；　and　carried　her；　quite　unconsciously；　over　certain　conventional　bounds；　which　had；　hitherto；　been　strictly　observed　in　her　intercourse　with　this　young　workman。

Henry　himself　felt　that　this　day　was　an　era　in　his　love。　　When　he　left　the　door；　he　seemed　to　tread　on　air。　　He　walked　to　the　first　cab…stand；　took　a　conveyance　to　his　mother's　door；　and　soon　he　was　locked　in　her　arms。

She　had　been　fretting　for　hours　at　his　delay；　but　she　never　let　him　know　it。　　The　whole　place　was　full　of　preparations　for　his　comfort；　and　certain　delicacies　he　liked　were　laid　out　on　a　little　side　board；　and　the　tea…things　set；　including　the　silver　teapot；　used　now　on　high　occasions　only。

She　had　a　thousand　questions　to　ask；　and　he　to　answer。　　And；　while　he　ate；　the　poor　woman　leaned　back；　and　enjoyed　seeing　him　eat；　and；　while　he　talked；　her　fine　eyes　beamed　with　maternal　joy。　　She　reveled　deliciously　in　his　health；　his　beauty；　and　his　safe　return　to　her；　and　thought；　with　gentle　complacency；　they　would　soon　return　to　London　together。

In　the　morning；　she　got　out　a　large；　light　box；　and　said。　　〃Harry；　dear；　I　suppose　I　may　as　well　begin　to　pack　up。　　You　know　I　take　longer　than　you　do。〃

Henry　blushed。　　〃Pack　up？〃　said　he；　hesitatingly。　　〃We　are　not　going　away。〃

〃Not　going　away；　love？　　Why　you　agreed　to　leave；　on　account　of　those　dreadful　Unions。〃

〃Oh；　I　was　ill；　and　nervous；　and　out　of　spirits；　but　the　air　of　Cairnhope　has　made　a　man　of　me。　　I　shall　stay　here；　and　make　our　fortune。〃

〃But　the　air　of　Cairnhope　has　not　made　you　friends　with　the　unions。〃　She　seemed　to　reflect　a　moment；　then　asked　him　at　what　time　he　had　left　Cairnhope。

〃Eleven　o'clock。〃

〃Ah！　　And　whom　did　you　visit　before　you　came　to　me？〃

〃You　question　me　like　a　child；　mother。〃

〃Forgive　me；　dear。　　I　will　answer　my　own　question。　　You　called　on　some　one　who　gave　you　bad　advice。〃

〃Oh；　did　I？〃

〃On　some　woman。〃

〃Say；　a　lady〃

〃What　does　it　matter　to　me？〃　cried　Mrs。　Little；　wildly。　　〃They　are　all　my　enemies。　　And　this　one　is　yours。　　It　is　a　woman；　who　is　not　your　mother；　for　she　thinks　more　of　herself　than　of　you。〃


CHAPTER　VII。


Henry　had　now　to　choose　between　his　mother's　advice；　and　Miss　Carden's　commands；　and　this　made　him　rather　sullen　and　irritable。　He　was　glad　to　get　out　of　his　mother's　house；　and　went　direct　to　the　works。　　Bayne　welcomed　him　warmly；　and；　after　some　friendly　congratulations　and　inquiries；　pulled　out　two　files　of　journals；　and　told　him　he　had　promised　to　introduce　him　to　the　editor　of　the　Liberal。　　He　then　begged　Henry　to　wait　in　the　office；　and　read　the　fileshe　would　not　be　gone　many　minutes。

The　Constitutional　gave　a　dry　narrative　of　the　outrage；　and　mourned　the　frequency　of　such　incidents。

The　Liberal　gave　a　dramatic　narrative；　and　said　the　miscreant　must　have　lowered　himself　by　a　rope　from　the　parapet；　and　passed　the　powder　inside　without　entering。　　〃He　periled　his　lif