’Iamtheyoungestinresidence，andconsequentlyamnotlookedupto。ButwhenMrs。Quinchmakesahappyrelease，therewillbeonebelowme。NorisittobeexpectedthatMrs。Saggerswillproveherselfimmortal。’
’True。NorMr。Battens。’
’Regardingtheoldgentlemen，’saidmywidowslightingly，’theycountamongthemselves。Theydonotcountamongus。Mr。Battensisthatexceptionalthathehavewrittentothegentlemenmanytimesandhaveworkedthecaseagainstthem。Thereforehehavetookahigherground。Butwedonot，asarule，greatlyreckontheoldgentlemen。’
Pursuingthesubject，Ifoundittobetraditionallysettledamongthepoorladiesthatthepoorgentlemen，whatevertheirages，wereallveryoldindeed，andinastateofdotage。Ialsodiscoveredthatthejuniorsandnewcomerspreserved，foratime，awaningdispositiontobelieveinTitbullandhistrustees，butthatastheygainedsocialstandingtheylostthisfaith，anddisparagedTitbullandallhisworks。
Improvingmyacquaintancesubsequentlywiththisrespectedlady，whosenamewasMrs。Mitts，andoccasionallydroppinginuponherwithalittleofferingofsoundFamilyHysoninmypocket，I