"That's my case," said Bridget. "The Lord knows just how poor we are, and how hard it is for us to get along; and He knows how the rich folks crowds on us, and He pities us. And He knows how they lie, and cheat, and steal from each other,--and He won't punish us any more nor He does them." "It will make no difference to you what they do to each other, or what He does to them. You will not have to answer for their misconduct, nor be punished for it. You will only suffer for the commands which you break." "We shall get into their company once where they can't put on airs over us; and that'll be a great comfort. I hope I shall be there when some of 'em go to judgment." "If you are you may have enough to do to attend to your own affairs." "If I was in the lower end of the d--l's kitchen, I shouldn't be too busy to see them sprinkled with brimstone." "Hush, Bridget! that is revenge!" "We can't help it," said the ever ready O'Brien. "I'd like to pay them back what they've done to me. Don't you suppose we've got human feelings? Only think what that miserable Hardhack has made me suffer in solitary. Wouldn't I make her suffer back again? I'd beat her till she couldn't stand, the first time I meet her, if it wasn't for getting another sentence. One girl did give her an awful pommeling, and scratched her face; and she got another six months for it." "O Annie, that is a bad temper!" but I thought I would study her still further. "I don't see why just the idea of being punished should make you so angry. I had you punished. What would tempt you to strike me?" "Nothing on earth, ma'am! I would stand between you and a blow if it broke my head." "But I had you locked in solitary." "Yes, ma'am, and you was sorry for it, and I deserved it. But when they lock me up for nothing it makes me mad." "Who is to be judge of when you deserve it? It would not do to leave it to you. You would never think you deserved it." "You are mistaken there, ma'am. Didn't I tell you to report me when I was locked up? Didn't I say that I deserved it? You might have some of us locked up every day, if you were a mind to; but it wouldn't make us a bit better." "It would make me very unhappy to do that. It would make me sick at heart to see you such bad women as that." "We know it, and that keeps us from a great many things. But you might, for what we do, if you had a mind to, just to show your authority. You don't get mad, and we don't. You try to make us better, and we wouldn't any of us be mean enough to do wrong on purpose." "I could not have you punished when I see that you are trying to do right. It is when you do wrong, and are determined to do wrong, that I shall have you punished. I see that you are improving in governing your temper, Annie. You don't get angry so easily as you used to, and you don't give way to it when you are angry, as you did two or three weeks ago."