out the three fishermen creeping through some rank grass； and all the gravestones in the churchyardit was a large churchyard that they were in lookingon like ghosts in white； while the church tower itself looked on like the ghost of a monstrous giant。 They did not creep far； before they stopped and stood upright。 And then they began to fish。
They fished with a spade； at first。 Presently the honoured parent appeared to be adjusting some instrument like a great corkscrew。 Whatever tools they worked with； they worked hard； until the awful striking of the church clock so terrified Young； Jerry； that he made off； with his hair as stiff as his father's。
But； his long…cherished desire to know more about these matters； not only stopped him in his running away； but lured him back again。 They were still fishing perseveringly； when he peeped in at the gate for the second time； but； now they seemed to have got a bite。 There was a screwing and complaining sound down below； and their bent figures were strained； as if by a weight。 By slow degrees the weight broke away the earth upon it； and came to the surface。 Young Jerry very well knew what it would be； but； when he saw it； and saw his honoured parent about to wrench it open； he was so frightened； being new to the sight； that he made off again； and never stopped until he had run a mile or more。
He would not have stopped then for anything less necessary than breath； it being a spectral sort of race that he ran； and one highly desirable to get to the end of。 He had a strong idea that the coffin he had seen was running after him； and； pictured as hopping on behind him； bolt upright； upon its narrow end； always on the point of overtaking him and hopping on at his sideperhaps taking his armit was a pursuer to shun。 It was an inconsistent and ubiquitous fiend too； for； while it was making the whole night behind him dreadful； he darted out into the roadway to avoid dark alleys； fearful of its coming hopping out of them like a dropsical boy's Kite without tail and wings。 It hid in doorways too； rubbing its horrible shoulders against doors； and drawing them up to its ears； as if it were laughing。 It got into shadows on the road； and lay cunningly on its back to trip him up。 All this time it was incessantly hopping on behind and gaining on him； so that when the boy got to his own door lie had reason for being half dead。 And even then it would not leave him； but followed him upstairs with a bump on every Stair； scrambled into bed with him； and bumped down； dead and heavy； on his breast when he fell asleep。
From his oppressed slumber； Young Jerry in his closet was awakened after daybreak and before sunrise； by the presence of his father in the family room。 Something had gone bong with him； at least； so Young Jerry inferred； from the circumstance of his holding Mrs。 Cruncher by the ears； and knocking the back of her head against the headboard of the bed。
‘I told you I would；' said Mr。 Cruncher； ‘and I did。'
‘Jerry； Jerry； Jerry！' his wife implored。
‘You oppose yourself to the profit of the business；' said Jerry； ‘and me and my partners suffer。 You was to honour and obey； why the devil don't you？'
‘I try to be a good wife； Jerry；' the poor woman protested； with tears。
‘Is it being a good wife to oppose your husband's business？ Is it honouring your husband to dishonour his business？ Is it obeying your husband to disobey him on the wital subject of his business？'
‘You hadn't taken to the dreadful business then； Jerry。'
‘It's enough for you；' retorted Mr。 Cruncher； ‘to be the wife of a honest tradesman； and not to occupy your female mind with calculations when he took to his trade or when he didn't。 A honouring and obeying wife would let his trade alone altogether。 Call yourself a religious woman？ If you're a religious woman； give me a irreligious one！ You have no more nat'ral sense of duty than the bed of this here Thames river has of a pile； and similarly it must be knocked into you。'
The altercation was conducted in a low tone of voice； and terminated in the honest tradesman's kicking off his clay…soiled boots； and lying down at his length on the floor。 After taking a timid peep at him lying on his back； with his rusty hands under his head for a pillow； his son lay down too； and fell asleep again。
There was no fish for breakfast； and not much of anything else。 Mr。 Cruncher was out of spirits； and out of temper； and kept an iron pot…lid by him as a projectile for the correction of Mrs。 Cruncher； in case he should observe any symptoms of her saying Grace。 He was brushed and washed at the usual hour； and set off with his son to pursue his ostensible calling。
Young Jerry； walking with the stool under his arm at his father's side along sunny and crowded Fleet Street； was a very different Young Jerry from him of the previous night； running home through darkness and solitude from his grim pursuer。 His cunning was fresh with the day； and his qualms were gone with the nightin which particulars it is not improbable that he had compeers in Fleet Street and the City of London； that fine morning。
‘Father；' said Young Jerry； as they walked along： taking care to keep at arm's length and to have the stool well between them： ‘what's a ResurrectionMan？'
Mr。 Cruncher came to a stop on the pavement before lie answered； ‘How should I know？'
‘I thought you knowed everything； father；' said the artless boy。
‘Hem！ Well；' returned Mr。 Cruncher； going on again； and lifting off his hat to give his spikes free play； ‘he's a tradesman。'
‘What‘s his goods； father？' asked the brisk Young Jerry。
‘His goods；' said Mr。 Cruncher； after turning it over in his mind； is a branch of Scientific goods。'
‘Persons' bodies； ain't it； father？' asked the lively boy。
‘I believe it is something of that sort；' said Mr。 Cruncher。
‘Oh； father； I should so like to be a Resurrectionman when I ‘m quite growed up！'
Mr。 Cruncher was soothed； but shook his head in a dubious and moral way。 ‘It depends upon how you dewelop your talents。 Be careful to dewelop your talents； and never to say no more than you can help to nobody； and there's no telling at the present time what you may not come to be fit for。' As Young Jerry； thus encouraged； went on a few yards in advance； to plant the stool in the shadow of the Bar； Mr。 Cruncher added to himself： ‘Jerry； you honest tradesman； there's hopes wot that boy will yet be a blessing to you； and a recompense to you for his mother！
CHAPTER XVII
One Night
NEVER did the sun go down with a brighter glory on the quiet comer in Soho； than one memorable evening when Doctor and his daughter sat under the plane…tree together。 Never did the moon rise with a milder radiance over great London； than on that night when it found them still seated under the tree； and shone upon their faces through its leaves。
Lucie was to be married to…morrow。 She had reserved this last evening for her father； and they sat alone under the plane…tree。
‘You are happy； my dear father？'
‘Quite； my child。'
They had said little though they had been there a long time。 When it was yet light enough to work and read； she had neither engaged herself in her usual work； nor had she read to him。 She had employed herself in both ways； at his side under the tree； many and many a time； but； this time was not quite like any other； and nothing could make it so。
And I am very happy to…night； dear father。 I am deeply happy in the love that Heaven has so blessedmy love for Charles； and Charles's love for me。 But； if my life were not to be still consecrated to you； or if my marriage were so arranged as that it would part us； even by the length of a few of these streets； I should be more unhappy and self…reproachful now than I can tell you。 Even as it is…'
Even as it was； she could not command her voice。
In the sad moonlight； she clasped him by the neck； and lad her face upon his breast。 In the moonlight which is always sad； as the light of the sun itself Bas the light called human life is…at its coming and its going。
‘Dearest dear！ Can you tell me； this last time； that you feel quite； quite sure； no new affections of mine； and no new duties of mine； will ever interpose between us？ I know it well； but do you know it？ In your own heart； do you feel quite certain？'
Her father answered； with a cheerful firmness of conviction he could scarcely have assumed； ‘Quite sure； my darling！ More than that；' he added； as he tenderly kissed her： ‘my future is far brighter； Lucie； seen through your marriage； than it could have beennay； than it ever waswithout it。'
‘If I could hope that； my father！…'
‘Believe it； love！ Indeed it is so。 Consider how natural and how plain it is； my dear； that it should be so。 You； devoted and young； cannot fully appreciate the anxiety I have felt that your life should not be wasted'
She moved her hand towards his lips； but he took it in his； and repeated the word。
‘wasted； my childshould not be wasted； struck aside from the natural order of thingsfor my sake。 Your unselfishness cannot entirely comprehend how much my mind has gone on this； but； only ask yourself how could my happiness be perfect； while yours was incomplete？'
‘If I had never seen Charles； my father； I should have been quite happy with you。'
He smiled at her unconscious admission that she would have been unhappy without Charles； having seen him； and replied：
‘My child； you did see him； and it is Charles。 If it had not been Charles； it would have been another。 Or； if it had been no other； I should have been the cause； and then the dark part of my life would have cast its shadow beyond myself and would have fallen on you。'
It was the first time； except at the trial； of her ever hearing him refer to the period of his suffering。 It gave her a strange and new sensation while his words were in her ears； and she remembered it long afterwards。
‘See！' said the Doctor of Beauvais； raising his hand towards the moon。 ‘I have looked at her from my prison…window； when I could not bear her light。 I have looked at her when it has been such torture to me to think of her shining upon what I had lost； that I have beaten my head against my prison…walls。 I have looked at her； in a state so dull and lethargic； t