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creature dearest to your heart； how bad the bad are born。 See every bud
and leaf plucked one by one from off the fairest stem； and know how bare
and wretched it may be。 Follow her！ To desperation！'
Each of the shadowy figures stretched its right arm forth； and pointed
downward。
'The Spirit of the Chimes is your companion；' said the figure。
'Go！ It stands behind you！'
Trotty turned； and saw … the child！ The child Will Fern had carried in
the street； the child whom Meg had watched； but now； asleep！
'I carried her myself； to…night；' said Trotty。 'In these arms！'
'Show him what he calls himself；' said the dark figures； one and all。
The tower opened at his feet。 He looked down； and beheld his own
form； lying at the bottom； on the outside： crushed and motionless。
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'No more a living man！' cried Trotty。 'Dead！'
'Dead！' said the figures all together。
'Gracious Heaven！ And the New Year … '
'Past；' said the figures。
'What！' he cried； shuddering。 'I missed my way； and coming on the
outside of this tower in the dark； fell down … a year ago？'
'Nine years ago！' replied the figures。
As they gave the answer； they recalled their outstretched hands； and
where their figures had been； there the Bells were。
And they rung； their time being come again。 And once again； vast
multitudes of phantoms sprung into existence； once again； were
incoherently engaged； as they had been before； once again； faded on the
stopping of the Chimes； and dwindled into nothing。
'What are these？' he asked his guide。 'If I am not mad； what are
these？'
'Spirits of the Bells。 Their sound upon the air；' returned the child。
'They take such shapes and occupations as the hopes and thoughts of
mortals； and the recollections they have stored up； give them。'
'And you；' said Trotty wildly。 'What are you？'
'Hush； hush！' returned the child。 'Look here！'
In a poor； mean room； working at the same kind of embroidery which
he had often； often seen before her； Meg； his own dear daughter； was
presented to his view。 He made no effort to imprint his kisses on her face；
he did not strive to clasp her to his loving heart； he knew that such
endearments were； for him； no more。 But； he held his trembling breath；
and brushed away the blinding tears； that he might look upon her； that he
might only see her。
Ah！ Changed。 Changed。 The light of the clear eye； how dimmed。
The bloom； how faded from the cheek。 Beautiful she was； as she had
ever been； but Hope； Hope； Hope； oh where was the fresh Hope that had
spoken to him like a voice！
She looked up from her work； at a companion。 Following her eyes；
the old man started back。
In the woman grown； he recognised her at a glance。 In the long
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silken hair； he saw the self…same curls； around the lips； the child's
expression lingering still。 See！ In the eyes； now turned inquiringly on
Meg； there shone the very look that scanned those features when he
brought her home！
Then what was this； beside him！
Looking with awe into its face； he saw a something reigning there： a
lofty something； undefined and indistinct； which made it hardly more than
a remembrance of that child … as yonder figure might be … yet it was the
same： the same： and wore the dress。
Hark。 They were speaking！
'Meg；' said Lilian； hesitating。 'How often you raise your head from
your work to look at me！'
'Are my looks so altered； that they frighten you？' asked Meg。
'Nay； dear！ But you smile at that； yourself！ Why not smile； when
you look at me； Meg？'
'I do so。 Do I not？' she answered： smiling on her。
'Now you do；' said Lilian； 'but not usually。 When you think I'm busy；
and don't see you； you look so anxious and so doubtful； that I hardly like
to raise my eyes。 There is little cause for smiling in this hard and
toilsome life； but you were once so cheerful。'
'Am I not now！' cried Meg； speaking in a tone of strange alarm； and
rising to embrace her。 'Do I make our weary life more weary to you；
Lilian！'
'You have been the only thing that made it life；' said Lilian； fervently
kissing her； 'sometimes the only thing that made me care to live so； Meg。
Such work； such work！ So many hours； so many days； so many long；
long nights of hopeless； cheerless； never… ending work … not to heap up
riches； not to live grandly or gaily； not to live upon enough； however
coarse； but to earn bare bread； to scrape together just enough to toil upon；
and want upon； and keep alive in us the consciousness of our hard fate！
Oh Meg； Meg！' she raised her voice and twined her arms about her as she
spoke； like one in pain。 'How can the cruel world go round； and bear to
look upon such lives！'
'Lilly！' said Meg； soothing her； and putting back her hair from her wet
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face。 'Why； Lilly！ You！ So pretty and so young！'
'Oh Meg！' she interrupted； holding her at arm's…length； and looking in
her face imploringly。 'The worst of all； the worst of all！ Strike me old；
Meg！ Wither me； and shrivel me； and free me from the dreadful thoughts
that tempt me in my youth！'
Trotty turned to look upon his guide。 But the Spirit of the child had
taken flight。 Was gone。
Neither did he himself remain in the same place； for； Sir Joseph
Bowley； Friend and Father of the Poor； held a great festivity at Bowley
Hall； in honour of the natal day of Lady Bowley。 And as Lady Bowley
had been born on New Year's Day （which the local newspapers considered
an especial pointing of the finger of Providence to number One； as Lady
Bowley's destined figure in Creation）； it was on a New Year's Day that this
festivity took place。
Bowley Hall was full of visitors。 The red…faced gentleman was there；
Mr。 Filer was there； the great Alderman Cute was there … Alderman Cute
had a sympathetic feeling with great people； and had considerably
improved his acquaintance with Sir Joseph Bowley on the strength of his
attentive letter： indeed had become quite a friend of the family since
then … and many guests were there。 Trotty's ghost was there； wandering
about； poor phantom； drearily； and looking for its guide。
There was to be a great dinner in the Great Hall。 At which Sir Joseph
Bowley； in his celebrated character of Friend and Father of the Poor； was
to make his great speech。 Certain plum…puddings were to be eaten by his
Friends and Children in another Hall first； and； at a given signal； Friends
and Children flocking in among their Friends and Fathers； were to form a
family assemblage； with not one manly eye therein unmoistened by
emotion。
But； there was more than this to happen。 Even more than this。 Sir
Joseph Bowley； Baronet and Member of Parliament； was to play a match
at skittles … real skittles … with his tenants！
'Which quite reminds me；' said Alderman Cute； 'of the days of old
King Hal； stout King Hal； bluff King Hal。 Ah！ Fine character！'
'Very；' said Mr。 Filer； dryly。 'For marrying women and murdering 'em。
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Considerably more than the average number of wives by the bye。'
'You'll marry the beautiful ladies； and not murder 'em； eh？' said
Alderman Cute to the heir of Bowley； aged twelve。 'Sweet boy！ We
shall have this little gentleman in Parliament now；' said the Alderman；
holding him by the shoulders； and looking as ref