Mrs. Harold Smith was not there, much to his
satisfaction; and the others who were did not seem to pay any special
attention to it. The subject had lost its novelty, except with the
ordinary church congregation, the farmers and labourers of the
parish; and the "quality" in the squire's great pew were content
to show their sympathy by a moderate subscription. Miss Dunstable,
however, gave a ten-pound note, which swelled up the sum total to a
respectable amount--for such a place as Chaldicotes.
"And now I hope I may never hear another word about New Guinea," said
Mr. Sowerby, as they all clustered round the drawing-room fire after
church. "That subject may be regarded as having been killed and
buried; eh, Harold?"
"Certainly murdered last night," said Mrs. Harold, "by that awful
woman, Mrs. Proudie."
"I wonder you did not make a dash at her and pull her out of the
arm-chair," said Miss Dunstable. "I was expecting it, and thought
that I should come to grief in the scrimmage."
"I never knew a lady do such a brazen-faced thing before," said Miss
Kerrigy, a travelling friend of Miss Dunstable's.
"Nor I--never; in a public place, too," said Dr. Easyman, a medical
gentleman, who also often accompanied her.
"As for brass," said Mr.
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