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Gradgrind will permit me； I will offer to make it for you； as I have
often done。”
Miss Gradgrind readily permitting Mrs Sparsit to do anything
she pleased； that considerate lady made the beverage； and handed
it to Mr Bounderby。 “It will do you good； sir。 It will warm your
heart。 It is the sort of thing you want； and ought to take； sir。” And
when Mr Bounderby said； “Your health； ma’am！” she answered
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with great feeling。 “Thank you； sir。 The same to you； and
happiness also。” Finally； she wished him good night； with great
pathos； and Mr Bounderby went to bed； with a maudlin
persuasion that he had been crossed in something tender； though
he could not； for his life； have mentioned what it was。
Long after Louisa had undressed and lain down； she watched
and waited for her brother’s coming home。 That could hardly be；
she knew； until an hour past midnight； but in the country silence；
which did anything but calm the trouble of her thoughts； time
lagged wearily。 At last； when the darkness and stillness had
seemed for hours to thicken one another； she heard the bell at the
gate。 She felt as though she would have been glad that it rang on
until day…light； but it ceased； and the circles of its last sound
spread out fainter and wider in the air； and all was dead again。
She waited yet some quarter of an hour； as she judged。 Then
she arose； put on a loose robe； and went out of her room in the
dark； and up the staircase to her brother’s room。 His door being
shut； she softly opened it and spoke to him； approaching his bed
with a noiseless step。
She kneeled down beside it； passed her arm over his neck； and
drew his face to hers。 She knew that he only feigned to be asleep；
but she said nothing to him。
He started by and by as if he were just then awakened； and
asked who that was； and what was the matter？
“Tom； have you anything to tell me？ If ever you loved me in
your life； and have anything concealed from every one besides； tell
it to me。”
“I don’t know what you mean； Loo。 You have been dreaming。”
“My dear brother：” she laid her head down on his pillow； and
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her hair flowed over him as if she would hide him from every one
but herself： “is there nothing that you have to tell me？ Is there
nothing you can tell me if you will？ You can tell me nothing that
will change me。 O Tom； tell me the truth！”
“I don’t know what you mean； Loo！”
“As you lie here alone； my dear； in the melancholy night； so you
must lie somewhere one night； when even I； if I am living then；
shall have left you。 As I am here beside you； barefoot； unclothed；
undistinguishable in darkness； so must I lie through all the night
of my decay； until I am dust。 In the name of that time； Tom； tell me
the truth now！”
“What is it you want to know？”
“You may be certain；” in the energy of her love she took him to
her bosom as if he were a child； “that I will not reproach you。 You
may be certain that I will be compassionate and true to you。 You
may be certain that I will save you at whatever cost。 O Tom； have
you nothing to tell me？ Whisper very softly。 Say only ‘yes；’ and I
shall understand you！”
She turned her ear to his lips； but he remained doggedly silent。
“Not a word； Tom？”
“How can I say Yes； or how can I say No； when I don’t know
what you mean？ Loo； you are a brave； kind girl； worthy I begin to
think of a better brother than I am。 But I have nothing more to
say。 Go to bed； go to bed。”
“You are tired；” she whispered presently； more in her usual
way。
“Yes； I am quite tired out。”
“You have been so hurried and disturbed today。 Have any fresh
discoveries been made？”
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“Only those you have heard of； from—him。”
“Tom； have you said to any one that we made a visit to those
people； and that we saw those three together？”
“No。 Didn’t you yourself particularly ask me to keep it quiet；
when you asked me to go there with you？”
“Yes。 But I did not know then what was going to happen。”
“Nor I neither。 How could I？”
He was very quick upon her with this retort。
“Ought I to say； after what has happened；” said his sister；
standing by the bed—she had gradually withdrawn herself and
risen； “that I made that visit？ Should I say so？ Must I say so？”
“Good Heavens； Loo；” returned her brother； “you are not in the
habit of asking my advice。 Say what you like。 If you keep it to
yourself； I shall keep it to myself。 If you disclose it； there’s an end
of it。”
It was too dark for either to see the other’s face； but each
seemed very attentive； and to consider before speaking。
“Tom； do you believe the man I gave the money to； is really
implicated in this crime？”
“I don’t know。 I don’t see why he shouldn’t be。”
“He seemed to me an honest man。”
“Another person may seem to you dishonest； and yet not be so。”
There was a pause； for he had hesitated and stopped。
“In short；” resumed Tom； as if he had made up his mind； “if you
come to that； perhaps I was so far from being altogether in his
favour； that I took him outside the door to tell him quietly； that I
thought he might consider himself very well off to get such a
windfall as he had got from my sister； and that I hoped he would
make good use of it。 You remember whether I took him out or not。
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I say nothing against the man； he may be a very good fellow； for
anything I know； I hope