Тяжёлые времена

           They’venotdoonmeakindness,ma’am,asIknowandfeel.Butthere’snotadozenmenamoong’em,ma’am—adozen?Notsix—butwhatbelievesashehasdoonhisdutybytherestandbyhimseln.GodforbidasI,thatha’known,andhad’nexperienceo’thesemenawmylife—I,thatha’ett’nan’droonkenwi’’em,an’seet’nwi’’em,andtoil’nwi’’em,andlov’n’em,shouldfailfurtostanby’emwi’thetruth,let’emha’doontomewhattheymay!’

           Hespokewiththeruggedearnestnessofhisplaceandcharacter—deepenedperhapsbyaproudconsciousnessthathewasfaithfultohisclassunderalltheirmistrust;buthefullyrememberedwherehewas,anddidnotevenraisehisvoice.

           ‘No,ma’am,no.They’retruetooneanother,faithfo’tooneanother,’fectionatetooneanother,e’entodeath.Bepooramoong’em,besickamoong’em,grieveamoong’emforonnyo’th’monnycausesthatcarriesgrieftothepoorman’sdoor,an’they’llbetenderwi’yo,gentlewi’yo,comfortablewi’yo,Chrisenwi’yo.Besureo’that,ma’am.They’dberiventobits,ereeverthey’dbedifferent.’

           ‘Inshort,’saidMr.Bounderby,‘it’sbecausetheyaresofullofvirtuesthattheyhaveturnedyouadrift.Gothroughwithitwhileyouareaboutit.Outwithit.’

           ‘How’tis,ma’am,’resumedStephen,appearingstilltofindhisnaturalrefugeinLouisa’sface,‘thatwhatisbestinusfok,seemstoturnusmosttotroublean’misfort’nan’mistake,Idunno.