ACynicalChapterOurdutynowtakesusbackforabriefspacetosomeoldHampshireacquaintancesofours，whosehopesrespectingthedisposaloftheirrichkinswoman’spropertyweresowoefullydisappointed。Aftercountinguponthirtythousandpoundsfromhissister，itwasaheavyblow。toButeCrawleytoreceivebutfive；outofwhichsum，whenhehadpaidhisowndebtsandthoseofJim，hissonatcollege，averysmallfragmentremainedtoportionoffhisfourplaindaughters。Mrs。Buteneverknew，oratleastneveracknowledged，howfarherowntyrannousbehaviourhadtendedtoruinherhusband。Allthatwomancoulddo，shevowedandprotestedshehaddone。Wasitherfaultifshedidnotpossessthosesycophanticartswhichherhypocriticalnephew，PittCrawley，practised？Shewishedhimallthehappinesswhichhemeritedoutofhisill-gottengains。”Atleastthemoneywillremaininthefamily。”shesaidcharitably。”Pittwillneverspendit，mydear，thatisquitecertain；foragreatermiserdoesnotexistinEngland，andheisasodious，thoughinadifferentway，ashisspendthriftbrother，theabandonedRawdon。”
SoMrs。Bute，afterthefirstshockofrageanddisappointment，begantoaccommodateherselfasbestshecouldtoheralteredfortunesandtosaveandretrenchwithallhermight。Sheinstructedherdaughtershowtobearpovertycheerfully，andinventedathousandnotablemethodstoconcealorevadeit。Shetookthemabouttoballsandpublicplacesintheneighbourhood，withpraiseworthyenergy；nay，sheentertainedherfriendsinahospitablecomfortablemannerattheRectory，andmuchmorefrequentlythanbeforedearMissCrawley’slegacyhadfallenin。Fromheroutwardbearingnobodywouldhavesupposedthatthefamilyhadbeendisappointedintheirexpectations，orhaveguessedfromherfrequentappearanceinpublichowshepinchedandstarvedathome。Hergirlshadmoremilliners’furniturethantheyhadeverenjoyedbefore。TheyappearedperseveringlyattheWinchesterandSouthamptonassemblies；theypenetratedtoCowesfortherace-ballsandregatta-gaietiesthere；andtheircarriage，withthehorsestakenfromtheplough，wasatworkperpetually，untilitbeganalmosttobebelievedthatthefoursistershadhadfortunesleftthembytheiraunt，whosenamethefamilynevermentionedinpublicbutwiththemosttendergratitudeandregard。I
knownosortoflyingwhichismorefrequentinVanityFairthanthis，anditmayberemarkedhowpeoplewhopractiseittakecredittothemselvesfortheirhypocrisy，andfancythattheyareexceedinglyvirtuousandpraiseworthy，becausetheyareabletodeceivetheworldwithregardtotheextentoftheirmeans。
Mrs。ButecertainlythoughtherselfoneofthemostvirtuouswomeninEngland，andthesightofherhappyfamilywasanedifyingonetostrangers。Theyweresocheerful，soloving，sowell-educated，sosimple！Marthapaintedflowersexquisitelyandfurnishedhalfthecharitybazaarsinthecounty。EmmawasaregularCountyBulbul，andherversesintheHampshireTelegraphwerethegloryofitsPoet’sCorner。FannyandMatildasangduetstogether，Mammaplayingthepiano，andtheothertwosisterssittingwiththeirarmsroundeachother’swaistsandlisteningaffectionately。Nobodysawthepoorgirlsdrummingattheduetsinprivate。NoonesawMammadrillingthemrigidlyhourafterhour。Inaword，Mrs。Buteputagoodfaceagainstfortuneandkeptupappearancesinthemostvirtuousmanner。
EverythingthatagoodandrespectablemothercoulddoMrs。Butedid。ShegotoveryachtingmenfromSouthampton，parsonsfromtheCathedralCloseatWinchester，andofficersfromthebarracksthere。ShetriedtoinveigletheyoungbarristersatassizesandencouragedJimtobringhomefriendswithwhomhewentouthuntingwiththeH。H。Whatwillnotamotherdoforthebenefitofherbelovedones？