“I mean to insinuate nothing, my dear Mrs. Newt.  I say plainly what I mean to say, so let us keep as cool as we can for the sake of all parties.  They are married—­that’s settled.  How are they going to live?”

Mrs. Newt opened her mouth with amazement.

“I believe the husband usually supports the wife,” ejaculated the dragon behind the glasses.

“I understand you to say, then, my dear Mrs. Newt,” continued Mrs. Dinks, with a superb disregard of the older lady, who had made the remark, “that the husband usually supports the family.  Now in this matter, you know, we are going to be perfectly cool and sensible.  You know as well as I that Alfred has no profession, but that be will by-and-by inherit a fortune from his grand-uncle—­”

At this point Mrs. Dagon coughed in an incredulous and contemptuous manner.  Mrs. Dinks put her handkerchief to her nose, which she patted gently, and waited for Mrs. Dagon to stop.

“As I was saying—­a fortune from his grand-uncle.  Now until then provision must be made—­”

“Really,” said Mrs. Dagon, for Mrs. Newt was bewildered into silence by the rapid conversation of Mrs. Dinks—­“really, these are matters of business which, I believe, are usually left to gentlemen.”

“I know, of course, Mrs. Newt,” continued the intrepid Mrs. Dinks, utterly regardless of Mrs. Dagon, for she had fully considered her part, and knew her own intentions, “that such things are generally arranged by the gentlemen.  But I think sensible women like you and I, mothers, too, are quite as much interested in the matter as fathers can be.  Our honor is as much involved in the happiness of our children as their fathers’ is.  So I have come to ask you, in a purely friendly and private manner, what the chances for our dear children are?”

“I am sure I know nothing,” answered Mrs. Newt; “I only know that Mr. Newt is furious.”

“Perfectly lunatic,” added Aunt Dagon, in full view of Mrs. Dinks.

“Pity, pity!” returned Mrs. Dinks, with an air of compassionate unconcern; “because these things can always be so easily settled.  I hope Mr. Newt won’t suffer himself to be disturbed.  Every thing will come right.”

“What does Mr. Dinks say?” feebly inquired Mrs. Newt.

“I really don’t know,” replied Mrs. Dinks, with a cool air of surprise that any body should care what he thought—­which made Mrs. Dagon almost envious of her enemy, and which so impressed Mrs. Newt, who considered the opinion of her husband as the only point of importance in the whole affair, that she turned pale.

“I mean that his mind is so engrossed with other matters that he rarely attends to the domestic details,” added Mrs. Dinks, who had no desire of frightening any of her new relatives.  “Have you been to see Fanny yet?”

“No,” returned Mrs. Newt, half-sobbing again, “I have only just heard of it; and—­and—­I don’t think Mr. Newt would wish me to go.”