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'I dragged on；' said Fern； after a moment's silence； 'somehow。 Neither
me nor any other man knows how； but so heavy； that I couldn't put a
cheerful face upon it； or make believe that I was anything but what I was。
Now； gentlemen … you gentlemen that sits at Sessions … when you see a
man with discontent writ on his face； you says to one another； 〃He's
suspicious。 I has my doubts；〃 says you； 〃about Will Fern。 Watch that
fellow！〃 I don't say； gentlemen； it ain't quite nat'ral； but I say 'tis so； and
from that hour； whatever Will Fern does； or lets alone … all one … it goes
against him。'
Alderman Cute stuck his thumbs in his waistcoat…pockets； and leaning
back in his chair； and smiling； winked at a neighbouring chandelier。 As
much as to say； 'Of course！ I told you so。 The common cry！ Lord
bless you； we are up to all this sort of thing … myself and human nature。'
'Now； gentlemen；' said Will Fern； holding out his hands； and flushing
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for an instant in his haggard face； 'see how your laws are made to trap and
hunt us when we're brought to this。 I tries to live elsewhere。 And I'm a
vagabond。 To jail with him！ I comes back here。 I goes a…nutting in
your woods； and breaks … who don't？ … a limber branch or two。 To jail
with him！ One of your keepers sees me in the broad day； near my own
patch of garden； with a gun。 To jail with him！ I has a nat'ral angry word
with that man； when I'm free again。 To jail with him！ I cuts a stick。
To jail with him！ I eats a rotten apple or a turnip。 To jail with him！
It's twenty mile away； and coming back I begs a trifle on the road。 To
jail with him！ At last； the constable； the keeper … anybody … finds me
anywhere； a…doing anything。 To jail with him； for he's a vagrant； and a
jail…bird known； and jail's the only home he's got。'
The Alderman nodded sagaciously； as who should say； 'A very good
home too！'
'Do I say this to serve MY cause！' cried Fern。 'Who can give me back
my liberty； who can give me back my good name； who can give me back
my innocent niece？ Not all the Lords and Ladies in wide England。 But；
gentlemen； gentlemen； dealing with other men like me； begin at the right
end。 Give us； in mercy； better homes when we're a…lying in our cradles；
give us better food when we're a… working for our lives； give us kinder
laws to bring us back when were a…going wrong； and don't set jail； jail； jail；
afore us； everywhere we turn。 There an't a condescension you can show
the Labourer then； that he won't take； as ready and as grateful as a man can
be； for； he has a patient； peaceful； willing heart。 But you must put his
rightful spirit in him first； for； whether he's a wreck and ruin such as me；
or is like one of them that stand here now； his spirit is divided from you at
this time。 Bring it back； gentlefolks； bring it back！ Bring it back； afore
the day comes when even his Bible changes in his altered mind； and the
words seem to him to read； as they have sometimes read in my own eyes …
in jail： 〃Whither thou goest； I can Not go； where thou lodgest； I do Not
lodge； thy people are Not my people； Nor thy God my God！'
A sudden stir and agitation took place in Hall。 Trotty thought at first；
that several had risen to eject the man； and hence this change in its
appearance。 But； another moment showed him that the room and all the
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company had vanished from his sight； and that his daughter was again
before him； seated at her work。 But in a poorer； meaner garret than
before； and with no Lilian by her side。
The frame at which she had worked； was put away upon a shelf and
covered up。 The chair in which she had sat； was turned against the wall。
A history was written in these little things； and in Meg's grief…worn face。
Oh！ who could fail to read it！
Meg strained her eyes upon her work until it was too dark to see the
threads； and when the night closed in； she lighted her feeble candle and
worked on。 Still her old father was invisible about her； looking down
upon her； loving her … how dearly loving her！ … and talking to her in a
tender voice about the old times； and the Bells。 Though he knew； poor
Trotty； though he knew she could not hear him。
A great part of the evening had worn away； when a knock came at her
door。 She opened it。 A man was on the threshold。 A slouching；
moody； drunken sloven； wasted by intemperance and vice； and with his
matted hair and unshorn beard in wild disorder； but； with some traces on
him； too； of having been a man of good proportion and good features in
his youth。
He stopped until he had her leave to enter； and she； retiring a pace of
two from the open door； silently and sorrowfully looked upon him。
Trotty had his wish。 He saw Richard。
'May I come in； Margaret？'
'Yes！ Come in。 Come in！'
It was well that Trotty knew him before he spoke； for with any doubt
remaining on his mind； the harsh discordant voice would have persuaded
him that it was not Richard but some other man。
There were but two chairs in the room。 She gave him hers； and stood
at some short distance from him； waiting to hear what he had to say。
He sat； however； staring vacantly at the floor； with a lustreless and
stupid smile。 A spectacle of such deep degradation； of such abject
hopelessness； of such a miserable downfall； that she put her hands before
her face and turned away； lest he should see how much it moved her。
Roused by the rustling of her dress； or some such trifling sound； he
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lifted his head； and began to speak as if there had been no pause since he
entered。
'Still at work； Margaret？ You work late。'
'I generally do。'
'And early？'
'And early。'
'So she said。 She said you