The whole Crawley family was thus
before them when Mrs. Robarts and Lucy entered the sitting-room.
"This is my sister-in-law, Lucy," said Mrs. Robarts. "Pray don't move
now, Mrs. Crawley; or if you do, let me take baby." And she put out
her arms and took the infant into them, making him quite at home
there; for she had work of this kind of her own, at home, which she
by no means neglected, though the attendance of nurses was more
plentiful with her than at Hogglestock. Mrs. Crawley did get up, and
told Lucy that she was glad to see her, and Mr. Crawley came forward,
grammar in hand, looking humble and meek. Could we have looked into
the innermost spirit of him and his life's partner, we should have
seen that mixed with the pride of his poverty there was some feeling
of disgrace that he was poor, but that with her, regarding this
matter, there was neither pride nor shame. The realities of life had
become so stern to her that the outward aspects of them were as
nothing. She would have liked a new gown because it would have been
useful; but it would have been nothing to her if all the county knew
that the one in which she went to church had been turned three times.
It galled him, however, to think that he and his were so poorly
dressed.
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