"I don't believe he'd ever heard of
it; he weren't a man to keep still in such a matter, if he had."
"Besides," said Job, "the reason he gave on his death-bed, so to
speak, was enough; 'specially to those who knew him."
"You mean his feelings regarding the treatment of the workmen by the
masters; you think he acted from motives of revenge, in consequence
of the part my son had taken in putting down the strike?"
"Well, sir," replied Job, "it's hard to say: John Barton was not
a man to take counsel with people; nor did he make many words about
his doings. So I can only judge from his way of thinking and
talking in general, never having heard him breathe a syllable
concerning this matter in particular. You see he were sadly put
about to make great riches and great poverty square with Christ's
Gospel"--Job paused, in order to try and express what was clear
enough in his own mind, as to the effect produced on John Barton by
the great and mocking contrasts presented by the varieties of human
condition. Before he could find suitable words to explain his
meaning, Mr.
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