Sheisalwaysagrumbler！Iamsurenooneelsewouldcomplainofyourallbeingaslateasyouliked，’saidMrsGibson。’Whatdoyousay，Molly？’saidLadyHarriet，suddenlyturninghereyesonMolly’sface。’Don’tyouthinkwe’velostsomeofourpopularity，—
whichatthistimemeansvotes—bycomingsolate。Come，answerme！youusedtobeafamouslittletruth—teller。’’Idon’tknowaboutpopularityorvotes，’saidMolly，ratherunwillingly。
’ButIthinkmanypeopleweresorryyoudidnotcomesooner；andisn’tthatratheraproofofpopularity？’sheadded。’That’saveryneatanddiplomaticanswer，’saidLadyHarriet，smiling，andtappingMolly’scheekwithherfan。’’Mollyknowsnothingaboutit，’saidMrsGibson，alittleoffherguard。
’ItwouldbeveryimpertinentifsheoranyoneelsequestionedLadyCumnor’sperfectrighttocomewhenshechose。’’Well，allIknowis，Imustgobacktomammanow，butIshallmakeanotherraidintotheseregionsby—and—by，andyoumustkeepaplaceforme。Ah！
thereare—theMissBrownings；youseeIdon’tforgetmylesson，MissGibson。’’Molly，IcannothaveyouspeakingsotoLadyHarriet，’saidMrsGibson，assoonasshewasleftalonewithherstep—daughter。’Youwouldneverhaveknownheratallifithadnotbeenforme，anddon’tbealwaysputtingyourselfintoourconversation。’’ButImustspeakifsheasksmequestions，’pleadedMolly。’Well！ifyoumust，youmust，Iacknowledge。I’mcandidaboutthatatanyrate。Butthere’snoneedforyoutosetuptohaveanopinionatyourage。’’Idon’tknowhowtohelpit，’saidMolly。’She’ssuchawhimsicalperson；lookthere，ifshe’snottalkingtoMissPhoebe；andMissPhoebeissoweakshe’llbeeasilyledawayintofancyingsheishandandglovewithLadyHarriet。IfthereisonethingIhatemorethananother，itisthetryingtomakeoutanintimacywithgreatpeople。’Mollyfeltinnocentenough，sosheofferednojustificationofherself，andmadenoreply。IndeedshewasmoreoccupiedinwatchingCynthia。Shecouldnotunderstandthechangethatseemedtohavecomeoverthelatter。