“I’m vastly happy to hear she is able for anything of the kind,” in a tone of vehement and overstrained joy, rather unsuitable to the occasion.

A well-feigned look of surprise from Lady Emily made her fear she had overshot her mark; she therefore, as if from delicacy, changed the conversation to her own affairs.  She soon contrived to let it be known that her son was going to be married to a Scotch Earl’s daughter; that she was to reside with them; and that she had merely come to Bath for the purpose of letting her house—­breaking up her establishment—­packing up her plate—­and, in short, making all those magnificent arrangements which wealthy dowagers usually have to perform on a change of residence.  At the end of this triumphant declaration, she added—­

“I fain would have the young people live by themselves, and let me just go on in my own way; but neither my son nor Lady Grace would hear of that, although her family are my son’s nearest neighbours, and most sensible, agreeable people they are.  Indeed, as I said to Lord Glenallan, a man’s happiness depends fully as much upon his wife’s family as upon herself.”

Mary was too noble-minded to suspect that Mrs. Downe Wright could intend to level innuendoes; but the allusion struck her; she felt herself blush; and, fearful Mrs. Downe Wright would attribute it to a wrong motive, she hastened to join in the eulogium on the Benmavis family in general, and Lady Grace in particular.

“Lady Benmavis is, indeed, a sensible, well-principled woman, and her daughters have been all well brought up.”

Again Mary coloured at the emphasis which marked the sensible, well-principled mother, and the well brought-up daughters; and in some confusion she said something about Lady Grace’s beauty.

“She certainly is a very pretty woman,” said Mrs. Downe Wright with affected carelessness; “but what is better, she is out of a good nest.  For my own part I place little value upon beauty now; commend me to principles.  If a woman is without principles the less beauty she has the better.”

“If a woman has no principles,” said Lady Emily, “I don’t think it signifies a straw whether she has beauty or not—­ugliness can never add to one’s virtue.”

“I beg your pardon, Lady Emily; a plain woman will never make herself so conspicuous in the world as one of your beauties.”

“Then you are of opinion wickedness lies all in the eye of the world, not in the depths of the heart?  Now I think the person who cherishes—­no matter how secretly—­pride, envy, hatred, malice, or any other besetting sin, must be quite as criminal in the sight of God as those who openly indulge their evil propensity.”

“I go very much by outward actions,” said Mrs. Downe Wright; “they are all we have to judge by.”

“But I thought we were forbidden to judge one another?”

“There’s no shutting people’s mouths, Lady Emily.”