When the harvest time came, the family could not provide the men needed to harvest the lord's fields, so mother and children had to work. As they struggled, their own fields were neglected and they were fined for not being able to meet the quota for church tithe and lord's dues. Starving and at their wit's end, the final blow came when the mother fell ill and brought on the Church's ban on her home. She has waited since to die. The tragedy of the smallpox hut is the most melodramatic and pathos filled narratives Twain creates as a condemnation of the Catholic Church, feudalism and general injustice.
Twain uses to beat pity out of the reader.
For Hank, the episode was a turning point in his assessment of Arthur. Arthur's person embodies the courage and compassion that every century craves, and Hank's scheme for modernity cannot substitute or replace that charisma. The Tragedy of the Manor House King and minister watched over the house until the woman died at midnight. Covering the bodies with rags, they left the house and fastened the door. As they stepped out into the night, they heard footsteps approaching, causing them to dart for a safe hiding place.