Demos

hours were precious. He had his body well under control; six hours of sleep he found sufficient to keep

elf another hour. 'Arry would be down just in time to breakfast, not daring to be late.

. There was the gilt-framed mirror over the mantelpiece, with a yellow clock-which did not go-and glass ornaments in front. There was a small round table before the window, supporting wax fruit under a glass case. There was a hearthrug with a dazzling pattern of imaginary flowers. On the blue cloth of the middle table we

he Swiss type, an engraved portrait of Garibaldi, an unframed view of a certain insurance

g ago become only historically interesting, were for Richard an armoury whence he girded himself for the battles of the day; cheap reprints or translations of Malthus, of Robert Owen, of Volney's 'Ruins,' of Thomas Paine, of sundry works of Voltaire, ranked upon his shelves. Moreover, there was a large collection of pamphlets, titled wonderfully and of yet more remarkable contents, the authoritative utterances of contemporary gentlemen-and ladies-who made it the end of their existence to prove: that there cannot by any possibility be such a person as Satan; that the story of creation contained in the Book of Genesis is on no account to be received; that the begetting of children is a most deplorable oversight; that to eat flesh is wholly unworthy of a civilised being; that if every man and woman performed their quota of the world's

themselves about the world's future. One dreams of the age when free thought-in the popular sense-will have become universal, when art shall have lost its meaning, w

an's knock began to be heard in the square, coming from house to house, drawing nearer at each repetition. Richard paid no heed to it; he expected no letter. Yet it seemed there was one for some member of the family; the letter-car

He had never in his life been calmer; the early hour of study had kept his mind pleasantly active whilst

nd the Baptist Chapel. He was like a man whose face had been overflashed by lightning. He read again, then, holding the letter behind him, closed his right han

lone in the kitchen; she gave him his bloater and his cup of

ter for you?

delicacy. In five minutes Henry approached the table with a furtive glance at hi

nished, he rose and

lway-guide I broug

somewhere. Just lo

Richard consulted i

then observed. 'It's just possi

home for dinner. Richard did not show much interest in the matter; he went upstairs whistling,

of the following day. It was pres

alked to the kitchen fireplace, turned his back to it, and

lice, after a glance at him.

ick?' asked

ork likely

commented his mot

ndon. Pour me a cup,

ut, as

aving tea with you

hurry, if you must

anding. In five minutes Alice had bustled away for an evening

nd sit down,' began Richard. 'I

was an impressiveness in the young man's look an

ention waited upon him, 'since you heard

g of intelligence, an unwrinkling here a

sked in an undertone, lea

man's j

ion of a kind most unusual in her. He

nything of him latel

ce two years afore we was married. I'd always t

ng things to yourself. 'Twouldn't have been unlike you

law

s his houses and land-belongs to me; his personal property-that's his money-'ll have

laugh. Her palms were closely pressed together; still trem

as if she had not quite heard. 'What

could find utterance. She seeme

pressed, quivering at pauses. His eyes gleamed, and there was a centre of warm colour on each of his

sts of a couple of houses in Belwick, both let, and an estate at a place called Wanley. The old man had begun mining t

aged yearly from iron-works in Belwick, so much in f

ow what they mean. It's a mistake; they're leading you astray. Now, mind what I say-there's a m

appened just before his death, and he was going to make a new one. The will was burnt. He died in church on a Sunday morning; if he'd lived another day, he'd have made a new will. It's no mor

e quiet a bit, Dick. It's took m

water in a tea-cup from the filter. When she resumed her place, her

must say what I think. It upsets me; it frightens m

n and bred a mechanic, does that say I've got no common sense or self-respect? Are you afraid I shall go and drink myself to death? You talk like the people who make it th

in essentials, no appeal from her decision. Between her and Richard there had been many a sharp conflict in former days, invariably ending with the lad's submission; the respect which his mother exacted he in truth felt to be her due, and it was now long since they had openly been at issue on any point. Mrs. Mutimer's views were distinctly Conservative, and hitherto she had never taken Richard's Radicalism seriously; on the whole s

somewhat subsided; and he went on to explain the relations between old Mr. Mutimer

Richard's lips curled in scorn. 'I don't know whether the lawyer thought we ought to offer to give everything up; he seemed precious anxious to make me understand that the old man had

ce was here?' inquired his mother, see

Alice and 'Arry wait a while before they know what'll come to them. The

s eye. He felt that this prudential cou

can see that. We shall have to take another house, of course, and we can't keep them from knowing that there's money fallen to me. But there's no need to talk about the figures, and if we can make them think it's only me that's better off, so much the better. Alice needn't g

of finding two sureties on taking out letters of administration. Mr. Yottle had offered himse

little attention to the wider aspects of the change, but to fix on the det

r life won't and can't be what it has been. There's no choice. You've worked hard all your life, mother, and it's only

ughed

say. Just take a night to turn it over. Most like

fter bending her head to bit

l tell

go round

t present he was well-disposed to all men; even against capitalists and 'profitmongers' he could not have railed heartily Capitalists? Was he not one himself? Aye, but he would prove himself such a one as you do not meet with every day; and the foresight of deeds which should draw the eyes of men upon him, which should shout his name abroad, softened his judgments with the charity of satisfied ambition. He would be the glorified representative of his class. He would show the world how a

lked more slowly towards the house in which Emma Vine and her sisters lived. Having reached the door, he paused, but again took a

to him. The dim light showed a

?' she said. 'She hasn't been

hear it. Ca

ll

ma closed the door

aid, moving back along the passage. 'Mind

ing prevailed a distinct odour; first came the damp smell of newly-washed clothes, then the scent of fried onions,

en lay asleep; before the window stood a sewing-machine, about which was heaped a quantity of linen; a table in the midst was half covered with a cloth, on which was placed a

n dead a year or more. She was about thirty years of age, and had a slatternly appearance;

said. 'We're in & regular pig-stye, an

eous articles on to the

had the earache; he's been crying all day. What with him and Jane we've h

ther's reply. 'Won't yo

u may cut a slice and put it on the ma

regard for decency; the growing up of himself and of his brothers and sister had brought additional resources to meet extended needs, and the Mutim

o have a fir

er room,' replied Kate.

can't coo

and that's about all the co

oom, took advantage of Richard's back being turned to make ce

eatables to the cupboard, came near to Richard and placed

e,' she said, in a tone of excuse. '

hings like you do,

spital this afternoon, and the doctor says he must have-I forget the name, somebody's food. But

y will,' said Rich

mma knelt down by him, and rest

he Minories to-day. I'm so afraid I shan't be able to

celess soothing to let her forehead repose against the heart whose love was the one and sufficient blessing of her life. Her brown hair was very soft and fine; a lover of another kind would have pressed his lips upon it. Richard was thinking of matters more practi

ter give up you

elids had drooped with growing heaviness; she looked at h

work? H

And Jane had better not begin again after this. Don't you think it would be better if

at are you t

, on account of the

urs; they could let a room or two if they chose. Then you and I could go where we liked. I was down in the Midland Counties yesterday; had to go on business;

uredly; for he did not often talk in the lighter way. She had read of such houses in the week

earnes

ed her to gaze

'and I'll tell you somethi

was so close to his, the warmth of her drooping frame w

oubled a little, wishing to smile, yet not quite venturing. And he told his story, told it in al

' he said, 'mi

the depth of old forests, of castles against the sunset, of lakes beneath the quiet moon? Know you how light gathers in the eyes dreaming on vision after vision, ever more intensely realised, yet ever of an unknow

ess, looking about the room, incredulous. Had she be

to the bedside, bent for a moment, saw that all was well again, and came back on tip

country house no

say. It's more than I

other did, that it was the worst

ther sai

ht passed lightly over some dang

ne thing I'm a little anxious about, myself. I don't care for either Alice or 'Arry to know the details of this windfall. They won't come in

on Mrs. Mutimer's remark;

that mother and the rest of them shall go into a larger house, and that you and Kate and Jane shall take our place. I don't know how long it'll be before th

lly live in t

as far as I can see at present. The furniture belongs to Mrs.

my sisters

e you this five-pound note to go on with. You must get Jane whatever the doctor says. And throw all that sewi

l this

sent needs. Now it's getting late, I must go. I'l

braced him with the restrained tender

lad, Emma?

d, for yo

bit for yo

y,' she answered. 'It was q

he simpl