XXI + 

The key turned, the heavy door of the cell swung open, and the constable who had just come on guard-duty looked in upon Abner. + 

тАЬTheyтАЩve put her in,тАЭ he said. тАЬItтАЩs all over.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ said Abner, without lifting his gaze. He understood what was meant. + 

тАЬTheyтАЩve planted her,тАЭ said the constable; his words to us would have sounded hard and cruel in their bareness and naked meaning, but he meant kindly. тАЬTheyтАЩve planted her.тАЭ + 

Mary Shaw had been interred. Abner still said nothing. + 

тАЬHer was buried in oak,тАЭ continued the constable. тАЬNot many of her sort as has oak planking.тАЭ + 

тАЬWho did that?тАЭ asked the prisoner, looking up. + 

тАЬMiss Goring paid for it. Leastways her had it done; sтАЩpose Mr.┬аGoring paid for it. She said she could not abear her to be buried in deal like the workhouse folk. So her lies in oak. The kid is all right; Miss Goring have had it seed to. DonтАЩt you fret; there ainтАЩt no case agen you when it comes to a full bench.тАЭ + 

Abner had been simply remanded by Cornleigh Cornleigh till the day of the magistratesтАЩ meeting. + 

тАЬI knows that,тАЭ said the prisoner. тАЬYou knows I didnтАЩt do it; they must be fools as says so.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, I told you IтАЩd tell you all as there was,тАЭ said the constable, preparing to lock the door. тАЬShe could not have been buried nicer if sheтАЩd been a young lady. YouтАЩll be discharged directly you sees the Bench.тАЭ The cell-door was closed. + 

The prisonerтАЩs chin drooped on his broad chest. Out from his silent sorrow flowed warm tears, tears which neither the bitter loss of Mary nor the insult and injustice of his confinement could cause, but which flowed at a touch of kindness, FeliseтАЩs kindness went to his heart, already growing stubborn under the stony handling of fate. + 

To the dead there is no difference between deal and oak, or elmтБатАФa ditch is the same as a tomb; but to the living, who will one day die, there is every difference. Depend upon it, too great respect cannot be paid to the dead. Therein the deepest, the most subtle of the chords of human nature is touched. + 

In London the coffins of the тАЬpauperтАЭ dead (let the word тАЬpauperтАЭ be accursed!) have been seen to tumble into the stony street; a heap of the dead carted at once, like the carcases of animals, till they broke down the carriage. What terrible folly our boasted self-government of boards is capable ofтБатАФthis uttermost folly of destroying respect for the dead to save a few miserable shillings! + 

Abner Brown was by nature loyal and trueтБатАФof that тАЬgritтАЭ and character of which NelsonтАЩs worthies were made. He was willing to work and to laugh in his work, and to serve with faithful service for three score years and ten. Do you not think he had cause to be grateful? He had three principal causes of gratitude. + 

His aged and helpless parents were to be turned into the road. + 

His sweetheart had committed suicide because her parents should not be punished for her disgrace. + 

He was himself in prison, labelled forever as a suspected murderer, simply because he was poor; for no man who wore broadcloth and gold watch-chain would have been committed on so unsupported a charge. + 