"They destroy lives with work. What for? They rob men of their lives." This quote highlights the harsh reality faced by workers, illustrating how excessive labor can take a heavy toll on their lives. The narrator shares a personal story of losing their life to work in a textile mill, emphasizing the human cost behind material wealth and possessions.

The narrator describes how a wealthy mistress received a golden wash basin as a gift, which symbolically contains the narrator’s life blood. This reveals a critique of exploitation, where workers are sacrificed to benefit the luxurious lives of the rich. The story exposes the cruel consequences of relentless labor driven by greed and inequality.