第43章

“Listen！listentome！AnselCoffinisdead，Itellyou。Iknowit。Iknowallaboutit。ThatwaswhatIwantedtoseeyouabout。

DidKeziahtellyouoftheSanJoseandthesailorwhodiedofsmallpoxinthisverybuilding？Inthatroomthere？“

“Yes。John，you——“

“I’mnotraving。It’sthetruth。ThatsailorwasAnselCoffin。I

watchedwithhimandonenight，thenightbeforehedied，hespokeKeziah’sname。HespokeofNewBedfordandofTrumetandofher，overandoveragain。Iwassurewhohewasthen，butIcalledinEbenezerCapen，whousedtoknowCoffininNewBedford。Andherecognizedhim。Nat，assureasyouandIareherethisminute，AnselCoffin，AuntKeziah’shusband，isburiedintheTrumetcemetery。“

CHAPTERXXI

INWHICHMR。STONEWASHESHISHANDS

Mr。AbnerStone，ofStone&Barker，marineoutfittersandshipchandlers，withaplaceofbusinessonCommercialStreetinBoston，andabankaccountwhichcommandedrespectthroughoutthecity，wasfeelingratherirritableandoutofsorts。Poorrelationsarealwaysanuisance。Theyareforeverexpectingsomething，eithermoney——inMr。Stone’scasethisparticularexpectationwasusuallyfruitless——oremploymentorinfluenceorsomething。Mr。Stonewasrich，hehadbecomesobyhisownabilityandunaidedeffort。Hewassureofthat——oftenmentionedit，withmoreorlessmodesty，inthespeecheswhichhedeliveredtohisSunday-schoolclassandatthedinnersofvarioussocietiestowhichhebelonged。Hewasaself-mademanandwasconsciousthathehaddoneagoodjob。

Therefore，beingself-made，hesawnoparticularreasonwhyheshouldaidinthemakingofothers。Ifpeoplewerepoortheyoughttogetoverit。Povertywasadiseaseandhewasnodoctor。Hehadbeenpooroncehimself，andnoonehadhelpedhim。“Ihelpedmyself，“hewaswonttosay，withpride。Someofhisrivalsinbusiness，repeatingthisremark，smiledandaddedthathehadbeen“helpinghimself“eversince。

Mr。Stonehad“washedhishands“ofhiscousin，KeziahCoffin，orthoughthehad。AfterherbrotherSolomondiedshehadwrittentohim，askinghimtofindherapositionofsomekindinBoston。“I

don’twantmoney，Idon’twantcharity，“wroteKeziah。“WhatI

wantiswork。Canyougetitforme，Abner？Iwritetoyoubecausefatherusedtotellofwhatyousaidtohimaboutgratitudeandhowyouwouldneverrestuntilyouhaddonesomethinginreturnforwhathedidforyou。“

CaptainBenHall’skindnesswastheonethingMr。Stoneforgotwhenhesaidnoonehadeverhelpedhim。Hedislikedtoberemindedofit。Itwasalongwhileagoandthecaptainwasdead。However，beingreminded，hehadcalleduponafriendinthetailoringlineandhadobtainedforKeziahtheplaceofsewingwoman。ShedecidedtobecomehousekeeperattheTrumetparsonageandsonotifiedhim。

Thenhewashedhishandsofher。

Butnowhewascompelledtosoilthemagain。Keziahhadappearedathisoffice，withoutwarning，anddemandedthathefindheraposition。“Demanded“wastheproperword。Certainlyshehadnotbegged。Sheseemedtofeelthatherdemandwasrightandproper，andhisaccedingtoittheleasthecoulddo。

“Whatafineplaceyou’vegothere，Abner！“shesaid，inspectingtheofficeandthestore。“Ideclareit’sfinerthantheoneyouhadwhenyoufirstwentintobusiness，aforeyoufailed。Iwishfathercouldhavelivedtoseeit。He’dhaverealizedthathisjudgmentwasgood，eventhoughhisinvestmentwasn’t。“

CaptainHallhadinvestedlargelyinthatfirstbusiness，theonewhichfailed。Mr。Stonechangedthesubject。Laterinthedayheagainsoughthisfriend，thetailor，andKeziahwasinstalledintheloftofthelatter’sWashingtonStreetshop，besidetheotherwomenandgirlswhosewedandsewedfromseveninthemorninguntilsixatnight。Mr。Stonehadleftherthereandcomeaway，feelin

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