Theelderlylady，whenIwaspresentedtoher，provedtobeMissFairlie’sformergoverness，MrsVesey，whohadbeenbrieflydescribedtomebymylivelycompanionatthebreakfast-table，aspossessedof`allthecardinalvirtues，andcountingfornothing。’IcandolittlemorethanoffermyhumbletestimonytothetruthfulnessofMissHalcombe’ssketchoftheoldlady’scharacter。MrsVeseylookedthepersonificationofhumancomposureandfemaleamiability。Acalmenjoymentofacalmexistencebeamedindrowsysmilesonherplump，placidface。Someofusrushthroughlife，andsomeofussaunterthroughlife。MrsVeseysatthroughlife。Satinthehouse，earlyandlate；satinthegarden；satinunexpectedwindow-seatsinpassages；
satonacamp-stoolwhenherfriendstriedtotakeheroutwalking；satbeforeshelookedatanything，beforeshetalkedofanything，beforesheansweredYes，orNo，tothecommonestquestion——alwayswiththesameserenesmileonherlips，thesamevacantly-attentiveturnofthehead，thesamesnugly-comfortablepositionofherhandsandarms，undereverypossiblechangeofdomesticcircumstances。Amild，acompliant，anunutterablytranquilandharmlessoldlady，whoneverbyanychancesuggestedtheideathatshehadbeenactuallyalivesincethehourofherbirth。Naturehassomuchtodointhisworld，andisengagedingeneratingsuchavastvarietyofco-existentproductions，thatshemustsurelybenowandthentooflurriedandconfusedtodistinguishbetweenthedifferentprocessesthatsheiscarryingonatthesametime。Startingfromthispointofview，itwillalwaysremainmyprivatepersuasionthatNaturewasabsorbedinmakingcabbageswhenMrsVeseywasborn，andthatthegoodladysufferedtheconsequencesofavegetablepreoccupationinthemindoftheMotherofusall。
`Now，MrsVesey，’saidMissHalcombe，lookingbrighter，sharper，andreadierthanever，bycontrastwiththeundemonstrativeoldladyatherside，`whatwillyouhave？Acutlet？’
MrsVeseycrossedherdimpledhandsontheedgeofthetable，smiledplacidly，andsaid，`Yes。dear。’
`WhatisthatoppositeMrHartright？Boiledchicken，isitnot？Ithoughtyoulikedboiledchickenbetterthancutlet，MrsVesey？’