CHAPTER XI NO WAY OUT

TheFairypalacesburstintoillumination,beforepalemorningshowedthemonstrousserpentsofsmoketrailingthemselvesoverCoketown.Aclatteringofclogsuponthepavementarapidringingofbellsandallthemelancholymadelephants,polishedandoiledupfortheday’smonotony,wereattheirheavyexerciseagain. Stephenbentoverhisloom,quiet,watchful,andsteady.Aspecialcontrast,aseverymanwasintheforestofloomswhereStephenworked,tothecrashing,smashing,tearingpieceofmechanismatwhichhelaboured.Neverfear,goodpeopleofananxiousturnofmind,thatArtwillconsignNaturetooblivion.Setanywhere,sidebyside,theworkofGodandtheworkofmanandtheformer,eventhoughitbeatroopofHandsofverysmallaccount,willgainindignityfromthecomparison. SomanyhundredHandsinthisMillsomanyhundredhorseSteamPower.Itisknown,totheforceofasinglepoundweight,whattheenginewilldobut,notallthecalculatorsoftheNationalDebtcantellmethecapacityforgoodorevil,forloveorhatred,forpatriotismordiscontent,forthedecompositionofvirtueintovice,orthereverse,atanysinglemomentinthesoulofoneoftheseitsquietservants,withthecomposedfacesandtheregulatedactions.Thereisnomysteryinitthereisanunfathomablemysteryinthemeanestofthem,forever.—Supposingweweretoreverseourarithmeticformaterialobjects,andtogoverntheseawfulunknownquantitiesbyothermeans! Thedaygrewstrong,andshoweditselfoutside,evenagainsttheflaminglightswithin.Thelightswereturnedout,andtheworkwenton.Therainfell,andtheSmoke-serpents,submissivetothecurseofallthattribe,trailedthemselvesupontheearth.Inthewaste-yardoutside,thesteamfromtheescapepipe,thelitterofbarrelsandoldiron,theshiningheapsofcoals,theasheseverywhere,wereshroudedinaveilofmistandrain. Theworkwenton,untilthenoon-bellrang.Moreclatteringuponthepavements.Thelooms,andwheels,andHandsalloutofgearforanhour. Stephencameoutofthehotmillintothedampwindandcoldwetstreets,haggardandworn.Heturnedfromhisownclassandhisownquarter,takingnothingbutalittlebreadashewalkedalong,towardsthehillonwhichhisprincipalemployerlived,inaredhousewithblackoutsideshutters,greeninsideblinds,ablackstreetdoor,uptwowhitesteps,Bounderby(inlettersverylikehimself)uponabrazenplate,andaroundbrazendoor-handleunderneathit,likeabrazenfull-stop. Mr.Bounderbywasathislunch.SoStephenhadexpected.WouldhisservantsaythatoneoftheHandsbeggedleavetospeaktohim?Messageinreturn,requiringnameofsuchHand.StephenBlackpool.TherewasnothingtroublesomeagainstStephenBlackpoolyes,hemightcomein. StephenBlackpoolintheparlour.Mr.Bounderby(whomhejustknewbysight),atlunchonchopandsherry.Mrs.Spars