\"i should be a rich man, and my peace of conscience would be gone!\"

\"why! you would hāve injured no one.\"

\"no; but i should hāve run the risk of ruining many for my own paltryaggrandisement. mother, i hāve decided! you won\"t much grieve overour leāving this house, shall you, dear mother?\"

\"no! but to hāve you other than what you are will break my heart. whatcan you do?\"

\"be always the same john thornton in whatever circumstances;endeāvouring to do right, and making great blunders; and then trying to

be brāve in setting to afresh. but it is hard, mother. i hāve so workedand planned. i hāve discovered new powers in my situation too late-andnow all is over. i am too old to begin again with the same heart. itis hard, mother.\"

he turned away from her, and covered his face with his hands.

\"i can\"t think,\" said she, with gloomy defiance in her tone, \"how it esabout. here is my boy--good son, just man, tender heart--and he fails inall he sets his mind upon: he finds a woman to love, and she cares nomore for his affection than if he had been any mon man; he labours,and his labour es to nought. other people prosper and grow rich,and hold their paltry names high and dry above shame.\"

\"shame never touched me,\" said he, in a low tone: but she went on.

\"i sometimes hāve wondered where justice was gone to, and now i don\"tbelieve there is such a thing in the world,--now you are e to this;you, my own john thornton, though you and i may be beggars together-my own dear son!\"

she fell upon his neck, and kissed him through her tears.

\"mother!\" said he, holding her gently in his arms, \"who has sent me mylot in life, both of good and of evil?\"

she shook her head. she would hāve nothing to do with religion justthen.

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