CHAPTER VII MRS. SPARSIT

Mr.Bounderbybeingabachelor,anelderlyladypresidedoverhisestablishment,inconsiderationofacertainannualstipend.Mrs.Sparsitwasthislady’snameandshewasaprominentfigureinattendanceonMr.Bounderby’scar,asitrolledalongintriumphwiththeBullyofhumilityinside. For,Mrs.Sparsithadnotonlyseendifferentdays,butwashighlyconnected.ShehadagreatauntlivingintheseverytimescalledLadyScadgers.Mr.Sparsit,deceased,ofwhomshewastherelict,hadbeenbythemother’ssidewhatMrs.Sparsitstillcalled‘aPowler.’StrangersoflimitedinformationanddullapprehensionweresometimesobservednottoknowwhataPowlerwas,andeventoappearuncertainwhetheritmightbeabusiness,orapoliticalparty,oraprofessionoffaith.Thebetterclassofminds,however,didnotneedtobeinformedthatthePowlerswereanancientstock,whocouldtracethemselvessoexceedinglyfarbackthatitwasnotsurprisingiftheysometimeslostthemselves—whichtheyhadratherfrequentlydone,asrespectedhorse-flesh,blind-hookey,Hebrewmonetarytransactions,andtheInsolventDebtors’Court. ThelateMr.Sparsit,beingbythemother’ssideaPowler,marriedthislady,beingbythefather’ssideaScadgers.LadyScadgers(animmenselyfatoldwoman,withaninordinateappetiteforbutcher’smeat,andamysteriouslegwhichhadnowrefusedtogetoutofbedforfourteenyears)contrivedthemarriage,ataperiodwhenSparsitwasjustofage,andchieflynoticeableforaslenderbody,weaklysupportedontwolongslimprops,andsurmountedbynoheadworthmentioning.Heinheritedafairfortunefromhisuncle,butoweditallbeforehecameintoit,andspentittwiceoverimmediatelyafterwards.Thus,whenhedied,attwenty-four(thesceneofhisdecease,Calais,andthecause,brandy),hedidnotleavehiswidow,fromwhomhehadbeenseparatedsoonafterthehoneymoon,inaffluentcircumstances.Thatbereavedlady,fifteenyearsolderthanhe,fellpresentlyatdeadlyfeudwithheronlyrelative,LadyScadgersand,partlytospiteherladyship,andpartlytomaintainherself,wentoutatasalary.Andhereshewasnow,inherelderlydays,withtheCoriolanianstyleofnoseandthedenseblackeyebrowswhichhadcaptivatedSparsit,makingMr.Bounderby’steaashetookhisbreakfast. IfBounderbyhadbeenaConqueror,andMrs.SparsitacaptivePrincesswhomhetookaboutasafeatureinhisstate-processions,hecouldnothavemadeagreaterflourishwithherthanhehabituallydid.Justasitbelongedtohisboastfulnesstodepreciatehisownextraction,soitbelongedtoittoexaltMr