Collins.  Well, what could he do, maam?  Three times out of four the men would bring her back the same evening and no harm done.  Other times theyd run away from her.  What could any man with a heart do but comfort her when she came back crying at the way they dodged her when she threw herself at their heads, pretending they was too noble to accept the sacrifice she was making.  George told her again and again that if she’d only stay at home and hold off a bit theyd be at her feet all day long.  She got sensible at last and took his advice.  George always liked change of company.

Mrs Bridgenorth.  What an odious woman, Collins!  Dont you think so?

Collins [judicially] Well, many ladies with a domestic turn thought so and said so, maam.  But I will say for Mrs George that the variety of experience made her wonderful interesting.  Thats where the flighty ones score off the steady ones, maam.  Look at my old woman!  She’s never known any man but me; and she cant properly know me, because she dont know other men to compare me with.  Of course she knows her parents in—­well, in the way one does know one’s parents not knowing half their lives as you might say, or ever thinking that they was ever young; and she knew her children as children, and never thought of them as independent human beings till they ran away and nigh broke her heart for a week or two.  But Mrs George she came to know a lot about men of all sorts and ages; for the older she got the younger she liked em; and it certainly made her interesting, and gave her a lot of sense.  I have often taken her advice on things when my own poor old woman wouldnt have been a bit of use to me.

Mrs Bridgenorth.  I hope you dont tell your wife that you go elsewhere for advice.

Collins.  Lord bless you, maam, I’m that fond of my old Matilda that I never tell her anything at all for fear of hurting her feelings.  You see, she’s such an out-and-out wife and mother that she’s hardly a responsible human being out of her house, except when she’s marketing.

Mrs Bridgenorth.  Does she approve of Mrs George?

Collins.  Oh, Mrs George gets round her.  Mrs George can get round anybody if she wants to.  And then Mrs George is very particular about religion.  And shes a clairvoyant.

Mrs Bridgenorth [surprised] A clairvoyant!

Collins [calm] Oh yes, maam, yes.  All you have to do is to mesmerize her a bit; and off she goes into a trance, and says the most wonderful things! not things about herself, but as if it was the whole human race giving you a bit of its mind.  Oh, wonderful, maam, I assure you.  You couldnt think of a game that Mrs George isnt up to.

Lesbia Grantham comes in through the tower.  She is a tall, handsome, slender lady in her prime; that is, between 36 and 55.  She has what is called a well-bred air, dressing very carefully to produce that effect without the least regard for the latest fashions, sure of herself, very terrifying to the young and shy, fastidious to the ends of her long finger-tips, and tolerant and amused rather than sympathetic.