Chapter XVIII

eople!Isn’titapityshewillwearshortskirts—mydear,herfeetandanklesarepositivelyawful.Ibelievetheywearoneanother’sbootsindiscriminately....Andhowareyou,dear?Ithinkyou’relookingmuchbetter.” Mrs.Brandertonsatinsuchapositionastohavefullviewofherselfinamirror. “Whatnicelooking-glassesyouhaveinyourroom,mylove.Nowomancandressproperlywithoutthem.Now,you’veonlygottolookatpoorFannyGlovertoknowthatshe’ssomodestasnevereventolookatherselfintheglasstoputherhaton.” Mrs.Brandertonchatteredon,thinkingthatshewasdoingBerthagood.“Awomandoesn’twantonetobesolemnwhenshe’sill.IknowwhenIhaveanythingthematter,Ilikesomeonetotalktomeaboutthefashions.Irememberinmyyoungdays,whenIwasill,IusedtogetoldMr.Crowhurst,theformervicar,tocomeandreadtheladies’paperstome.Hewassuchaniceoldman,notabitlikeaclergymanandheusedtosayIwashisonlyparishionerwhomhereallylikedvisiting....I’mnottiringyou,amI,dear?” “Oh,dear,no!”saidBertha. “NowIsupposetheGlovershavebeentalkingallsortsofstufftoyou.Ofcourseonehastoputupwithit,Isuppose,becauseitsetsagoodexampletothelowerordersbutImustsayIdothinktheclergynowadayssometimesforgettheirplace.Iconsideritmostobjectionablewhentheyinsistontalkingreligionwithyou,asifyouwereacommonperson....Butthey’renotnearlysoniceastheyusedtobe.Inmyyoungdaystheclergywerealwaysgentlemen’ssons—butthentheyweren’texpectedtotroubleaboutthepoor.Icanquiteunderstandthatnowagentlemanshouldn’tliketobecomeaclergymanhehastomixwiththelowerclasses,andthey’regrowingmorefamiliareveryday.” ButsuddenlyBertha,withoutwarning,burstintotears.Mrs.Brandertonwasflabbergasted! “Mydear,whatisthematter?Whereareyoursalts?ShallIringthebell?” Bertha,sobbingviolently,beggedMrs.Brandertontotakenonoticeofher.Thatfashionablecreaturehadasentimentalheart,andwouldhavebeendelightedtoweepwithBerthabutshehadseveralcallstomake,andcouldnotriskadisarrangementofherperson.Shewasalsocurious,andwouldhavegivenmuchtofindoutthecauseofBertha’soutburst.Shecomfortedherself,however,bygivingtheHancocks,whoseAtHomedayitwas,adetailedaccountoftheaffairandthey,shortlyafterwards,recounteditwithsundryembellishmentstoMrs.MaystonRyle. Mrs.MaystonRyle,magnificentlyimposingasever,snortedlikeachargereagerforbattle. “Mrs.Brandertonsendsmetosleepfrequently,”shesaid“ButIcanquiteunderstandthatifthepoorthingisn’twell,Mrs.Brandertonwouldmakehercry.IneverseehermyselfunlessI’minthemostrobusthealth,otherwiseIknowshe’dsimplymakemehowl.” “ButIwonderwhatwasthematterwithpoorMrs.Craddock,”saidMissHancock. “Idon’tknow,”answeredMrs.MaystonRyleinhermajesticmanner.“ButI’llfindout.Idaresaysheonlywantsalittlegoodsociety.Ishallgoandseeher.” Andshedid!