Hard Times Charles Dickens (motivational books for men .TXT) đ
- Author: Charles Dickens
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Louisa approached him; but he could not see her, lying with his face turned up to the night sky.
âIf aw thâ things that tooches us, my dear, was not so muddled, I shouldân haâ hadân need to coom heer. If we was not in a muddle among ourseln, I shouldân haâ been, by my own fellow weavers and workinâ brothers, so mistook. If Mr. Bounderby had ever knowâd me rightâ âif heâd ever knowâd me at awâ âhe wouldân haâ tookân offence wiâ me. He wouldân haâ suspectân me. But look up yonder, Rachael! Look aboove!â
Following his eyes, she saw that he was gazing at a star.
âIt haâ shined upon me,â he said reverently, âin my pain and trouble down below. It haâ shined into my mind. I haâ lookân at ât and thowt oâ thee, Rachael, till the muddle in my mind have cleared awa, above a bit, I hope. If soom haâ been wantinâ in unnerstanâin me better, I, too, haâ been wantinâ in unnerstanâin them better. When I got thy letter, I easily believen that what the yoong ledy sen and done to me, and what her brother sen and done to me, was one, and that there were a wicked plot betwixt âem. When I fell, I were in anger wiâ her, anâ hurryin on tâ be as onjust tâ her as oothers was tâ me. But in our judgments, like as in our doins, we mun bear and forbear. In my pain anâ trouble, lookin up yonderâ âwiâ it shinin on meâ âI haâ seen more clear, and haâ made it my dyin prayer that aw thâ world may onây coom toogether more, anâ get a better unnerstanâin oâ one another, than when I were in ât my own weak seln.â
Louisa hearing what he said, bent over him on the opposite side to Rachael, so that he could see her.
âYou haâ heard?â he said, after a few momentsâ silence. âI haâ not forgot you, ledy.â
âYes, Stephen, I have heard you. And your prayer is mine.â
âYou haâ a father. Will yo takâ a message to him?â
âHe is here,â said Louisa, with dread. âShall I bring him to you?â
âIf yo please.â
Louisa returned with her father. Standing hand-in-hand, they both looked down upon the solemn countenance.
âSir, yo will clear me anâ mak my name good wiâ aw men. This I leave to yo.â
Mr. Gradgrind was troubled and asked how?
âSir,â was the reply: âyor son will tell yo how. Ask him. I mak no charges: I leave none ahint me: not a single word. I haâ seen anâ spokân wiâ yor son, one night. I ask no more oâ yo than that yo clear meâ âanâ I trust to yo to do ât.â
The bearers being now ready to carry him away, and the surgeon being anxious for his removal, those who had torches or lanterns, prepared to go in front of the litter. Before it was raised, and while they were arranging how to go, he said to Rachael, looking upward at the star:
âOften as I coom to myseln, and found it shininâ on me down there in my trouble, I thowt it were the star as guided to Our Saviourâs home. I awmust think it be the very star!â
They lifted him up, and he was overjoyed to find that they were about to take him in the direction whither the star seemed to him to lead.
âRachael, beloved lass! Donât let go my hand. We may walk toogether tânight, my dear!â
âI will hold thy hand, and keep beside thee, Stephen, all the way.â
âBless thee! Will soombody be pleased to coover my face!â
They carried him very gently along the fields, and down the lanes, and over the wide landscape; Rachael always holding the hand in hers. Very few whispers broke the mournful silence. It was soon a funeral procession. The star had shown him where to find the God of the poor; and through humility, and sorrow, and forgiveness, he had gone to his Redeemerâs rest.
VII Whelp-HuntingBefore the ring formed round the Old Hell Shaft was broken, one figure had disappeared from within it. Mr. Bounderby and his shadow had not stood near Louisa, who held her fatherâs arm, but in a retired place by themselves. When Mr. Gradgrind was summoned to the couch, Sissy, attentive to all that happened, slipped behind that wicked shadowâ âa sight in the horror of his face, if there had been eyes there for any sight but oneâ âand whispered in his ear. Without turning his head, he conferred with her a few moments, and vanished. Thus the whelp had gone out of the circle before the people moved.
When the father reached home, he sent a message to Mr. Bounderbyâs, desiring his son to come to him directly. The reply was, that Mr. Bounderby having missed him in the crowd, and seeing nothing of him since, had supposed him to be at Stone Lodge.
âI believe, father,â said Louisa, âhe will not come back to town tonight.â Mr. Gradgrind turned away, and said no more.
In the morning, he went down to the Bank himself as soon as it was opened, and seeing his sonâs place empty (he had not the courage to look in at first) went back along the street to meet Mr. Bounderby on his way there. To whom he said that, for reasons he would soon explain, but entreated not then to be asked for, he had found it necessary to employ his son at a distance for a little while. Also, that he was charged with the duty of vindicating Stephen Blackpoolâs memory, and declaring the thief. Mr. Bounderby quite confounded, stood stock-still in the street after his
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