prospects；　since　he　failed　in　the　small　stationery　business　three
  years　ago；　are　worse；　if　possible；　than　mine。
  Not　that　I　mind　so　much　for　myself；　women；　in　all　ways　of　life；
  and　especially　in　my　dressmaking　way；　learn；　I　think；　to　be　more
  patient　than　men。　What　I　dread　is　Robert's　despondency；　and　the
  hard　struggle　he　will　have　in　this　cruel　city　to　get　his　bread；
  let　alone　making　money　enough　to　marry　me。　So　little　as　poor
  people　want　to　set　up　in　housekeeping　and　be　happy　together；　it
  seems　hard　that　they　can't　get　it　when　they　are　honest　and
  hearty；　and　willing　to　work。　The　clergyman　said　in　his　sermon
  last　Sunday　evening　that　all　things　were　ordered　for　the　best；
  and　we　are　all　put　into　the　stations　in　life　that　are　properest
  for　us。　I　suppose　he　was　right；　being　a　very　clever　gentleman　who
  fills　the　church　to　crowding；　but　I　think　I　should　have
  understood　him　better　if　I　had　not　been　very　hungry　at　the　time；
  in　consequence　of　my　own　station　in　life　being　nothing　but　plain
  needlewoman。
  March　4th。　Mary　Mallinson　came　down　to　my　room　to　take　a　cup　of
  tea　with　me。　I　read　her　bits　of　Robert's　letter；　to　show　her
  that；　if　she　has　her　troubles；　I　have　mine　too；　but　I　could　not
  succeed　in　cheering　her。　She　says　she　is　born　to　misfortune；　and
  that；　as　long　back　as　she　can　remember；　she　has　never　had　the
  least　morsel　of　luck　to　be　thankful　for。　I　told　her　to　go　and
  look　in　my　glass；　and　to　say　if　she　had　nothing　to　be　thankful
  for　then；　for　Mary　is　a　very　pretty　girl；　and　would　look　still
  prettier　if　she　could　be　more　cheerful　and　dress　neater。　However；
  my　compliment　did　no　good。　She　rattled　her　spoon　impatiently　in
  her　tea…cup；　and　said；　〃If　I　was　only　as　good　a　hand　at
  needle…work　as　you　are；　Anne；　I　would　change　faces　with　the
  ugliest　girl　in　London。〃　〃Not　you！〃　says　I；　laughing。　She　looked
  at　me　for　a　moment；　and　shook　her　head；　and　was　out　of　the　room
  before　I　could　get　up　and　stop　her。　She　always　runs　off　in　that
  way　when　she　is　going　to　cry；　having　a　kind　of　pride　about
  letting　other　people　see　her　in　tears。
  March　5th。　A　fright　about　Mary。　I　had　not　seen　her　all　day；　as
  she　does　not　work　at　the　same　place　where　I　do；　and　in　the
  evening　she　never　came　down　to　have　tea　with　me；　or　sent　me　word
  to　go　to　her；　so；　just　before　I　went　to　bed；　I　ran　upstairs　to
  say　good…night。
  She　did　not　answer　when　I　knocked；　and　when　I　stepped　softly　in
  the　room　I　saw　her　in　bed；　asleep；　with　her　work　not　half　done；
  lying　about　the　room　in　the　untidiest　way。　There　was　nothing
  remarkable　in　that；　and　I　was　just　going　away　on　tiptoe；　when　a
  tiny　bottle　and　wine…glass　on　the　chair　by　her　bedside　caught　my
  eye。　I　thought　she　was　ill　and　had　been　taking　physic；　and　looked
  at　the　bottle。　It　was　marked　in　large　letters；
  〃LaudanumPoison。〃
  My　heart　gave　a　jump　as　if　it　was　going　to　fly　out　of　me。　I　laid
  hold　of　her　with　both　hands；　and　shook　her　with　all　my　might。　She
  was　sleeping　heavily；　and　woke　slowly；　as　it　seemed　to　mebut
  still　she　did　wake。　I　tried　to　pull　her　out　of　bed；　having　heard
  that　people　ought　to　be　always　walked　up　and　down　when　they　have
  taken　laudanum　but　she　resisted；　and　pushed　me　away　violently。
  〃Anne！〃　says　she；　in　a　fright。　〃For　gracious　sake；　what's　come　to
  you！　Are　you　out　of　your　senses？〃
  〃Oh；　Mary！　Mary！〃　says　I；　holding　up　the　bottle　before　her；　〃if　I
  hadn't　come　in　when　I　did〃　And　I　laid　hold　of　her　to　shake　her
  again。
  She　looked　puzzled　at　me　for　a　momentthen　smiled　（the　first
  time　I　had　seen　her　do　so　for　many　a　long　day）then　put　her　arms
  round　my　neck。
  〃Don't　be　frightened　about　me；　Anne；〃　she　says；　〃I　am　not　worth
  it；　and　there　is　no　need。〃
  〃No　need！〃　says　I；　out　of　breath〃no　need；　when　the　bottle　has
  got　Poison　marked　on　it！〃
  〃Poison；　dear；　if　you　take　it　all；〃　says　Mary；　looking　at　me　very
  tenderly；　〃and　a　night's　rest　if　you　only　take　a　little。〃
  I　watched　her　for　a　moment；　doubtful　whether　I　ought　to　believe
  what　she　said　or　to　alarm　the　house。　But　there　was　no　sleepiness
  now　in　her　eyes；　and　nothing　drowsy　in　her　voice；　and　she　sat　up
  in　bed　quite　easily；　without　anything　to　support　her。
  〃You　have　given　me　a　dreadful　fright；　Mary；〃　says　I；　sitting　down
  by　her　in　the　chair；　and　beginning　by　this　time　to　feel　rather
  faint　after　being　startled　so。
  She　jumped　out　of　bed　to　get　me　a　drop　of　water；　and　kissed　me；
  and　said　how　sorry　she　was；　and　how　undeserving　of　so　much
  interest　being　taken　in　her。　At　the　same　time；　she　tried　to
  possess　herself　of　the　laudanum　bottle　which　I　still　kept　cuddled
  up　tight　in　my　own　hands。
  〃No；〃　says　I。　〃You　have　got　into　a　low…spirited；　despairing　way。
  I　won't　trust　you　with　it。〃
  〃I　am　afraid　I　can't　do　without　it；〃　says　Mary；　in　her　usual
  quiet；　hopeless　voice。　〃What　with　work　that　I　can't　get　through
  as　I　ought；　and　troubles　that　I　can't　help　thinking　of；　sleep
  won't　come　to　me　unless　I　take　a　few　drops　out　of　that　bottle。
  Don't　keep　it　away　from　me；　Anne；　it's　the　only　thing　in　the
  world　that　makes　me　forget　myself。〃
  〃Forget　yourself！〃　says　I。　〃You　have　no　right　to　talk　in　that
  way；　at　your　age。　There's　something　horrible　in　the　notion　of　a
  girl　of　eighteen　sleeping　with　a　bottle　of　laudanum　by　her
  bedside　every　night。　We　all　of　us　have　our　troubles。　Haven't　I
  got　mine？〃
  〃You　can　do　twice　the　work　I　can；　twice　as　well　as　me；〃　says
  Mary。　〃You　are　never　scolded　and　rated　at　for　awkwardness　with
  your　needle；　and　I　always　am。　You　can　pay　for　your　room　every
  week；　and　I　am　three　weeks　in　debt　for　mine。〃
  〃A　little　more　practice；〃　says　I；　〃and　a　little　more　courage；　and
  you　will　soon　do　better。　You　have　got　all　your　life　before　you〃
  〃I　wish　I　was　at　the　end　of　it；〃　says　she；　breaking　in。　〃I　am
  alone　in　the　world；　and　my　life's　no　good　to　me。〃
  〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself　for　saying　so；〃　says　I。
  〃Haven't　you　got　me　for　a　friend？　Didn't　I　take　a　fancy　to　you
  when　first　you　left　your　step…mother　and　came　to　lodge　in　this
  house？　And　haven't　I　been　sisters　with　you　ever　since？　Suppose
  you　are　alone　in　the　world；　am　I　much　better　off？　I'm　an　orphan
  like　you。　I've　almost　as　many　things　in　pawn　as　you；　and；　if　your
  pockets　are　empty；　mine　have　only　got　ninepence　in　them；　to　last
  me　for　all　the　rest　of　the　week。〃
  〃Your　father　and　mother　were　honest　people；〃　says　Mary；
  obstinately。　〃My　mother　ran　away　from　home；　and　died　in　a
  hospital。　My　father　was　always　drunk；　and　always　beating　me。　My
  step…mother　is　as　good　as　dead；　for　all　she　cares　about　me。　My
  only　brother　is　thousands　of　miles　away　in　fore　ign　parts；　and
  never　writes　to　me；　and　never　helps　me　with　a　farthing。　My
  sweetheart〃
  She　stopped；　and　the　red　flew　into　her　face。　I　knew；　if　she　went
  on　that　way；　she　would　only　get　to　the　saddest　part　of　her　sad
  story；　and　give　both　herself　and　me　unnecessary　pain。
  〃_My_　sweetheart　is　too　poor　to　marry　me；　Mary；〃　I　said；　〃so　I'm
  not　so　much　to　be　envied　even　there。　But　let's　give　over
  disputing　which　is　worst　off。　Lie　down　in　bed；　and　let　me　tuck
  you　up。　I'll　put　a　stitch　or　two　into　that　work　of　yours　while
  you　go　to　sleep。〃
  Instead　of　doing　what　I　told　her；　she　burst　out　crying　（being
  very　like　a　child　in　some　of　her　ways）；　and　hugged　me　so　tight
  round　the　neck　that　she　quite　hurt　me。　I　let　her　go　on　till　she
  had　worn　herself　out；　and　was　obliged　to　lie　down。　Even　then；　her
  last　few　words　before　she　dropped　off　to　sleep　were　such　as　I　was
  half　sorry；　half　frightened　to　hear。
  〃I　won't　plague　you　long；　Anne；〃　she　said。　〃I　haven't　courage　to
  go　out　of　the　world　as　you　seem　to　fear　I　shall；　but　I　began　my
  life　wretchedly；　and　wretchedly　I　am　sentenced　to　end　it。〃
  It　was　of　no　use　lecturing　her　again；　for　she　closed　her　eyes。
  I　tucked　her　up　as　neatly　as　I　could；　and　put　her　petticoat　over
  her；　for　the　bedclothes　were　scanty；　and　her　hands　felt　cold。　She
  looked　so　pretty　and　delicate　as　she　fell　asleep　that　it　quite
  made　my　heart　ache　to　see　her；　after　such　talk　as　we　had　held
  together。　I　just　waited　long　enough　to　be　quite　sure　that　she　was
  in　the　land　of　dreams；　then　emptied　the　horrible　laudanum　bottle
  into　the　grate；　took　up　her　half…done　work；　and；　going　out
  softly；　left　her　for　that　night。
  March　6th。　Sent　off　a　long　letter　to　Robert；　begging　and
  entreating　him　not　to　be　so　down…hearted；　and　not　to　leave
  America　without　making　another　effort。　I　told　him　I　could　bear
  any　trial　except　the　wretchedness　of　seeing　him　come　back　a
  helpless；　broken…down　man；　trying　uselessly　to　begin　life　again
  when　too　old　for　a　change。
  It　was　not　till　after　I　had　posted　my　own　letter；　and　read　over
  part　of　Robert's　again；　that　the　suspicion　suddenly　floated
  across　me；　for　the　first　time；　that　he　might　have　sailed　for
  England　immediately　after　writing　to　me。　There　were　expressions
  in　the　letter　which　seemed　to　indicate　that　he　had　some　such
  headlong　project　in　his　mind。　And　yet；　surely；　if　it　were　so；　I
  ought　to　have　noticed　them　at　the　first　reading。　I　can　only　hope
  I　am　wrong　in　my　present　interpretation　of　much　of　what　he　has
  written　to　mehope　it　earnestly　for　both　our　sakes。
  This　has　been　a　doleful　day　for　me。　I　have　been　uneasy　about
  Robert　and　uneasy　about　Mary。　My　mind　is　haunted　by　those　last
  words　of　he