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house；' said Mr。 Fish； 'and blew his brains out。 No motive。
Princely circumstances！'
'Circumstances！' exclaimed the Alderman。 'A man of noble fortune。
One of the most respectable of men。 Suicide； Mr。 Fish！ By his own
hand！'
'This very morning；' returned Mr。 Fish。
'Oh the brain； the brain！' exclaimed the pious Alderman； lifting up
his hands。 'Oh the nerves； the nerves； the mysteries of this
machine called Man！ Oh the little that unhinges it： poor
creatures that we are！ Perhaps a dinner； Mr。 Fish。 Perhaps the
conduct of his son； who； I have heard； ran very wild； and was in
the habit of drawing bills upon him without the least authority！ A
most respectable man。 One of the most respectable men I ever knew！
A lamentable instance； Mr。 Fish。 A public calamity！ I shall make
a point of wearing the deepest mourning。 A most respectable man！
But there is One above。 We must submit； Mr。 Fish。 We must
submit！'
What； Alderman！ No word of Putting Down？ Remember； Justice； your
high moral boast and pride。 Come； Alderman！ Balance those scales。
Throw me into this； the empty one； no dinner； and Nature's founts
in some poor woman； dried by starving misery and rendered obdurate
to claims for which her offspring HAS authority in holy mother Eve。
Weigh me the two； you Daniel； going to judgment； when your day
shall come！ Weigh them； in the eyes of suffering thousands；
audience （not unmindful） of the grim farce you play。 Or supposing
that you strayed from your five wits … it's not so far to go； but
that it might be … and laid hands upon that throat of yours；
warning your fellows （if you have a fellow） how they croak their
comfortable wickedness to raving heads and stricken hearts。 What
then？
The words rose up in Trotty's breast； as if they had been spoken by
some other voice within him。 Alderman Cute pledged himself to Mr。
Fish that he would assist him in breaking the melancholy
catastrophe to Sir Joseph when the day was over。 Then； before they
parted； wringing Mr。 Fish's hand in bitterness of soul； he said；
'The most respectable of men！' And added that he hardly knew （not
even he）； why such afflictions were allowed on earth。
'It's almost enough to make one think； if one didn't know better；'
said Alderman Cute； 'that at times some motion of a capsizing
nature was going on in things； which affected the general economy
of the social fabric。 Deedles Brothers！'
The skittle…playing came off with immense success。 Sir Joseph
knocked the pins about quite skilfully； Master Bowley took an
innings at a shorter distance also； and everybody said that now；
when a Baronet and the Son of a Baronet played at skittles； the
country was coming round again； as fast as it could come。
At its proper time； the Banquet was served up。 Trotty
involuntarily repaired to the Hall with the rest； for he felt
himself conducted thither by some stronger impulse than his own
free will。 The sight was gay in the extreme； the ladies were very
handsome； the visitors delighted； cheerful； and good…tempered。
When the lower doors were opened； and the people flocked in； in
their rustic dresses； the beauty of the spectacle was at its
height； but Trotty only murmured more and more； 'Where is Richard！
He should help and comfort her！ I can't see Richard！'
There had been some speeches made； and Lady Bowley's health had
been proposed； and Sir Joseph Bowley had returned thanks； and had
made his great speech； showing by various pieces of evidence that
he was the born Friend and Father； and so forth； and had given as a
Toast； his Friends and Children； and the Dignity of Labour； when a
slight disturbance at the bottom of the Hall attracted Toby's
notice。 After some confusion； noise； and opposition； one man broke
through the rest； and stood forward by himself。
Not Richard。 No。 But one whom he had thought of； and had looked
for； many times。 In a scantier supply of light； he might have
doubted the identity of that worn man； so old； and grey； and bent；
but with a blaze of lamps upon his gnarled and knotted head； he
knew Will Fern as soon as he stepped forth。
'What is this！' exclaimed Sir Joseph； rising。 'Who gave this man
admittance？ This is a criminal from prison！ Mr。 Fish； sir； WILL
you have the goodness … '
'A minute！' said Will Fern。 'A minute！ My Lady； you was born on
this day along with a New Year。 Get me a minute's leave to speak。'
She made some intercession for him。 Sir Joseph took his seat
again； with native dignity。
The ragged visitor … for he was miserably dressed … looked round
upon the company； and made his homage to them with a humble bow。
'Gentlefolks！' he said。 'You've drunk the Labourer。 Look at me！'
'Just come from jail；' said Mr。 Fish。
'Just come from jail；' said Will。 'And neither for the first time；
nor the second； nor the third； nor yet the fourth。'
Mr。 Filer was heard to remark testily； that four times was over the
average； and he ought to be ashamed of himself。
'Gentlefolks！' repeated Will Fern。 'Look at me！ You see I'm at
the worst。 Beyond all hurt or harm； beyond your help； for the time
when your kind words or kind actions could have done me good；' … he
struck his hand upon his breast； and shook his head； 'is gone； with
the scent of last year's beans or clover on the air。 Let me say a
word for these；' pointing to the labouring people in the Hall； 'and
when you're met together； hear the real Truth spoke out for once。'
'There's not a man here；' said the host； 'who would have him for a
spokesman。'
'Like enough； Sir Joseph。 I believe it。 Not the less true；
perhaps； is what I say。 Perhaps that's a proof on it。
Gentlefolks； I've lived many a year in this place。 You may see the
cottage from the sunk fence over yonder。 I've seen the ladies draw
it in their books； a hundred times。 It looks well in a picter；
I've heerd say； but there an't weather in picters； and maybe 'tis
fitter for that； than for a place to live in。 Well！ I lived
there。 How hard … how bitter hard； I lived there； I won't say。
Any day in the year； and every day； you can judge for your own
selves。'
He spoke as he had spoken on the night when Trotty found him in the
street。 His voice was deeper and more husky； and had a trembling
in it now and then； but he never raised it passionately； and seldom
lifted it above the firm stern level of the homely facts he stated。
''Tis harder than you think for； gentlefolks； to grow up decent；
commonly decent； in such a place。 That I growed up a man and not a
brute； says something for me … as I was then。 As I am now； there's
nothing can be said for me or done for me。 I'm past it。'
'I am glad this man has entered；' observed Sir Joseph； looking
round serenely。 'Don't disturb him。 It appears to be Ordained。
He is an example： a living example。 I hope and trust； and
confidently expect； that it will not be lost upon my Friends here。'
'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 f