‘Don’t take on so, there’s a dear lass. Do just as you like about the relief. Say nothing to me about it, and I shall know nothing about it. There’s a reason why I can take neither bit nor sup from young Mallory--a reason I can’t tell you, and that will never be removed. A crumb of his bread would choke me.’ ‘Why, has he done thee any wrong?’ ‘None at all, and means me no wrong; it’s what they call circumstances, Molly. They come rather hard upon a fellow sometimes, that’s all. Come! the dinner must be well-nigh cold. Let’s have it, and then I’ll go up and sit wi’ poor Ned a bit.’ It was a dark prospect which opened before them; yet, after this conversation, they both felt lighter of heart, and better prepared to meet it. CHAPTER II. ‘RATHE SCHLAGEN.’ Sebastian Mallory, Mr. Sutcliffe, and Wilson, holding a council of war together, late in the afternoon of that eventful day, discussed the means to be taken for the preservation of order, and the best distribution of relief. Sebastian, in the course of the debate, asked how many exactly there were to be relieved. Wilson ran his eye over some long lists of names and addresses. ‘The number of hands is seven hundred and thirty, sir, all in all; but it’s with the heads of families we shall have to deal. About a dozen won’t require relief, and four have taken their names off the books altogether.’ ‘Which are they?’ asked Sebastian. ‘Frank Mitchell, weaver; he’s got a brother in Canada, who offered to pay his passage out if he’ll go and help him on his farm; so, as soon as he heard work was stopped, he decided to go. That’s one. Myles and Mary Heywood----’ ‘What! Any reasons given for their leaving?’ asked Sebastian, quickly. ‘Well, sir, relief would be a hard nut for Myles Heywood to crack, at the best of times. He’s uncommon proud, and he came up to me, after I’d read your notice, and told me very stiff indeed to take his name and his sister’s off the books. I did hexpostulate with him, but he were quite determined.’ ‘Did he give any reasons?’ ‘No, sir. He doesn’t generally give his reasons for what he does, leastways not to me; but I’m not his master.’ ‘Is he one of my tenants?’ ‘No, sir. He lives on the Townfield, at Number 16.’ ‘Oh, very well!’ said Sebastian, and the business went on for some time uninterruptedly. In the evening Sebastian, calling at Stonegate, and asking if Miss Blisset could see him, was admitted, and taken to the drawing-room, where he found Adrienne alone, seated at her piano. She rose, coming forward to greet him, and he saw that her face was pale, and her eyes sad and heavy. ‘I hope you are in a good-natured and self-sacrificing mood,’ said he, ‘for I am come to ask a very great favour.’ ‘I shall be delighted if I can help you in any way.’ ‘Did you know we cease to work at all after Friday?’ ‘Cease to work at all! What will become--oh, I am very sorry--what will the work-people do?’ ‘I thought,’ began Sebastian, and bit his lips.