’AndmayIask，ma’am，’retortedMrMeagles，alittleheightenedincolour，’whodoesexpecteverything？’
’Oh，nobody，nobody!’saidMrsGowan。’Iwasgoingtosay——butyouputmeout。YouinterruptingPapa，whatwasIgoingtosay？’
Droopingherlargegreenfan，shelookedmusinglyatMrMeagleswhileshethoughtaboutit；aperformancenottendingtothecoolingofthatgentleman’sratherheatedspirits。
’Ah!Yes，tobesure!’saidMrsGowan。’Youmustrememberthatmypoorfellowhasalwaysbeenaccustomedtoexpectations。Theymayhavebeenrealised，ortheymaynothavebeenrealised——’
’Letussay，then，maynothavebeenrealised，’observedMrMeagles。
TheDowagerforamomentgavehimanangrylook；buttosseditoffwithherheadandherfan，andpursuedthetenorofherwayinherformermanner。
’Itmakesnodifference。Mypoorfellowhasbeenaccustomedtothatsortofthing，andofcourseyouknewit，andwerepreparedfortheconsequences。Imyselfalwaysclearlyforesawtheconsequences，andamnotsurprised。Andyoumustnotbesurprised。
Infact，can’tbesurprised。Musthavebeenpreparedforit。’
MrMeagleslookedathiswifeandatClennam；bithislip；andcoughed。
’Andnowhere’smypoorfellow，’MrsGowanpursued，’receivingnoticethatheistoholdhimselfinexpectationofababy，andalltheexpensesattendantonsuchanadditiontohisfamily!PoorHenry!Butitcan’tbehelpednow；it’stoolatetohelpitnow。
Onlydon’ttalkofanticipatingmeans，PapaMeagles，asadiscovery；becausethatwouldbetoomuch。’
’Toomuch，ma’am？’saidMrMeagles，asseekinganexplanation。
’There，there!’saidMrsGowan，puttinghiminhisinferiorplacewithanexpressiveactionofherhand。’Toomuchformypoorfellow’smothertobearatthistimeofday。Theyarefastmarried，andcan’tbeunmarried。There，there!Iknowthat!Youneedn’ttellmethat，PapaMeagles。Iknowitverywell。WhatwasitIsaidjustnow？Thatitwasagreatcomforttheycontinuedhappy。Itistobehopedtheywillstillcontinuehappy。ItistobehopedPrettyOnewilldoeverythingshecantomakemypoorfellowhappy，andkeephimcontented。PapaandMamaMeagles，wehadbettersaynomoreaboutit。Weneverdidlookatthissubjectfromthesameside，andwenevershall。There，there!NowIamgood。’
Truly，havingbythistimesaideverythingshecouldsayinmaintenanceofherwonderfullymythicalposition，andinadmonitiontoMrMeaglesthathemustnotexpecttobearhishonoursofalliancetoocheaply，MrsGowanwasdisposedtoforgotherest。IfMrMeagleshadsubmittedtoaglanceofentreatyfromMrsMeagles，andanexpressivegesturefromClennam，hewouldhaveleftherintheundisturbedenjoymentofthisstateofmind。ButPetwasthedarlingandprideofhisheart；andifhecouldeverhavechampionedhermoredevotedly，orlovedherbetter，thaninthedayswhenshewasthesunlightofhishouse，itwouldhavebeennow，when，asitsdailygraceanddelight，shewaslosttoit。
’MrsGowan，ma’am，’saidMrMeagles，’Ihavebeenaplainmanallmylife。IfIwastotry——nomatterwhetheronmyself，onsomebodyelse，orboth——anygenteelmystifications，Ishouldprobablynotsucceedinthem。’
’PapaMeagles，’returnedtheDowager，withanaffablesmile，butwiththebloomonhercheeksstandingoutalittlemorevividlythanusualastheneighbouringsurfacebecamepaler，’probablynot。’
’Therefore，mygoodmadam，’saidMrMeagles，atgreatpainstorestrainhimself，’IhopeImay，withoutoffence，asktohavenosuchmystificationplayedoffuponme。’
’MamaMeagles，’observedMrsGowan，’yourgoodmanisincomprehensible。’
Herturningtothatworthyladywasanartificetobringherintothediscussion，quarrelwithher，andvanquishher。MrMeaglesinterposedtopreventthatconsummation。
’Mother，’saidhe，’youareinexpert，mydear，anditisnotafairmatch。Letmebegofyoutoremainquiet。Come，MrsGowan，come!
Letustrytobesensible；letustrytobegood-natured；letustrytobefair。Don’tyoupityHenry，andIwon’tpityPet。Anddon’tbeone-sided，mydearmadam；it’snotconsiderate，it’snotkind。Don’tletussaythatwehopePetwillmakeHenryhappy，oreventhatwehopeHenrywillmakePethappy，’MrMeagleshimselfdidnotlookhappyashespokethewords，’butletushopetheywillmakeeachotherhappy。’
’Yes，sure，andthereleaveit，father，’saidMrsMeaglesthekind-
heartedandcomfortable。
’Why，mother，no，’returnedMrMeagles，’notexactlythere。I
can’tquiteleaveitthere；Imustsayjusthalf-a-dozenwordsmore。MrsGowan，IhopeIamnotover-sensitive。IbelieveI
don’tlookit。’
’Indeedyoudonot，’saidMrsGowan，shakingherheadandthegreatgreenfantogether，foremphasis。
’Thankyou，ma’am；that’swell。Notwithstandingwhich，Ifeelalittle——Idon’twanttouseastrongword——nowshallIsayhurt？’
askedMrMeaglesatoncewithfranknessandmoderation，andwithaconciliatoryappealinhistone。
’Saywhatyoulike，’answeredMrsGowan。’Itisperfectlyindifferenttome。’
’No，no，don’tsaythat，’urgedMrMeagles，’becausethat’snotrespondingamiably。IfeelalittlehurtwhenIhearreferencesmadetoconsequenceshavingbeenforeseen，andtoitsbeingtoolatenow，andsoforth。’
’Doyou，PapaMeagles？’saidMrsGowan。’Iamnotsurprised。’
’Well，ma’am，’reasonedMrMeagles，’Iwasinhopesyouwouldhavebeenatleastsurprised，becausetohurtmewilfullyonsotenderasubjectissurelynotgenerous。’
’Iamnotresponsible，’saidMrsGowan，’foryourconscience，youknow。’
PoorMrMeagleslookedaghastwithastonishment。
’IfIamunluckilyobligedtocarryacapaboutwithme，whichisyoursandfitsyou，’pursuedMrsGowan，’don’tblamemeforitspattern，PapaMeagles，Ibeg!’
’Why，goodLord，ma’am!’MrMeaglesbrokeout，’that’sasmuchastostate——’
’Now，PapaMeagles，PapaMeagles，’saidMrsGowan，whobecameextremelydeliberateandprepossessinginmannerwheneverthatgentlemanbecameatallwarm，’perhapstopreventconfusion，Ihadbetterspeakformyselfthantroubleyourkindnesstospeakforme。
It’sasmuchastostate，youbegin。Ifyouplease，Iwillfinishthesentence。Itisasmuchastostate——notthatIwishtopressitorevenrecallit，foritisofnousenow，andmyonlywishistomakethebestofexistingcircumstances——thatfromthefirsttothelastIalwaysobjectedtothismatchofyours，andataverylateperiodyieldedamostunwillingconsenttoit。’
’Mother!’criedMrMeagles。’Doyouhearthis!Arthur!Doyouhearthis!’
’Theroombeingofaconvenientsize，’saidMrsGowan，lookingaboutasshefannedherself，’andquitecharminglyadaptedinallrespectstoconversation，IshouldimagineIamaudibleinanypartofit。’
Somemomentspassedinsilence，beforeMrMeaglescouldholdhimselfinhischairwithsufficientsecuritytopreventhisbreakingoutofitatthenextwordhespoke。Atlasthesaid：
’Ma’am，Iamveryunwillingtorevivethem，butImustremindyouwhatmyopinionsandmycoursewere，allalong，onthatunfortunatesubject。’
’O，mydearsir!’saidMrsGowan，smilingandshakingherheadwithaccusatoryintelligence，’theywerewellunderstoodbyme，Iassureyou。’
’Inever，ma’am，’saidMrMeagles，’knewunhappinessbeforethattime，Ineverknewanxietybeforethattime。Itwasatimeofsuchdistresstomethat——’ThatMrMeaglescouldreallysaynomoreaboutit，inshort，butpassedhishandkerchiefbeforehisFace。
’Iunderstoodthewholeaffair，’saidMrsGowan，composedlylookingoverherfan。’AsyouhaveappealedtoMrClennam，ImayappealtoMrClennam，too。HeknowswhetherIdidornot。’
’Iamveryunwilling，’saidClennam，lookedtobyallparties，’totakeanyshareinthisdiscussion，moreespeciallybecauseIwishtopreservethebestunderstandingandtheclearestrelationswithMrHenryGowan。Ihaveverystrongreasonsindeed，forentertainingthatwish。MrsGowanattributedcertainviewsoffurtheringthemarriagetomyfriendhere，inconversationwithmebeforeittookplace；andIendeavouredtoundeceiveher。I
representedthatIknewhimasIdidanddotobestrenuouslyopposedtoit，bothinopinionandaction。’
’Yousee？’saidMrsGowan，turningthepalmsofherhandstowardsMrMeagles，asifshewereJusticeherself，representingtohimthathehadbetterconfess，forhehadnotalegtostandon。’Yousee？Verygood!NowPapaandMamaMeaglesboth!’heresherose；
’allowmetotakethelibertyofputtinganendtothisratherformidablecontroversy。Iwillnotsayanotherworduponitsmerits。Iwillonlysaythatitisanadditionalproofofwhatoneknowsfromallexperience；thatthiskindofthingneveranswers——
asmypoorfellowhimselfwouldsay，thatitneverpays——inoneword，thatitneverdoes。’
MrMeaglesasked，Whatkindofthing？
’Itisinvain，’saidMrsGowan，’forpeopletoattempttogetontogetherwhohavesuchextremelydifferentantecedents；whoarejumbledagainsteachotherinthisaccidental，matrimonialsortofway；andwhocannotlookattheuntowardcircumstancewhichhasshakenthemtogetherinthesamelight。Itneverdoes。’
MrMeagleswasbeginning，’Permitmetosay，ma’am——’
’No，don’t，’returnedMrsGowan。’Whyshouldyou!Itisanascertainedfact。Itneverdoes。Iwilltherefore，ifyouplease，gomyway，leavingyoutoyours。Ishallatalltimesbehappytoreceivemypoorfellow’sprettywife，andIshallalwaysmakeapointofbeingonthemostaffectionatetermswithher。Butastotheseterms，semi-familyandsemi-stranger，semi-goringandsemi-
boring，theyformastateofthingsquiteamusinginitsimpracticability。Iassureyouitneverdoes。’
TheDowagerheremadeasmilingobeisance，rathertotheroomthantoanyoneinit，andtherewithtookafinalfarewellofPapaandMamaMeagles。ClennamsteppedforwardtohandhertothePill-BoxwhichwasattheserviceofallthePillsinHamptonCourtPalace；
andshegotintothatvehiclewithdistinguishedserenity，andwasdrivenaway。
ThenceforththeDowager，withalightandcarelesshumour，oftenrecountedtoherparticularacquaintancehow，afterahardtrial，shehadfounditimpossibletoknowthosepeoplewhobelongedtoHenry’swife，andwhohadmadethatdesperatesettocatchhim。
Whethershehadcometotheconclusionbeforehand，thattogetridofthemwouldgiveherfavouritepretenceabetterair，mightsavehersomeoccasionalinconvenience，andcouldrisknolosstheprettycreaturebeingfastmarried，andherfatherdevotedtoher，wasbestknowntoherself。Thoughthishistoryhasitsopiniononthatpointtoo，anddecidedlyintheaffirmative。
AppearanceandDisappearance’Arthur，mydearboy，’saidMrMeagles，ontheeveningofthefollowingday，’MotherandIhavebeentalkingthisover，andwedon’tfeelcomfortableinremainingasweare。Thatelegantconnectionofours——thatdearladywhowashereyesterday——’
’Iunderstand，’saidArthur。
’Eventhataffableandcondescendingornamentofsociety，’pursuedMrMeagles，’maymisrepresentus，weareafraid。Wecouldbearagreatdeal，Arthur，forhersake；butwethinkwewouldrathernotbearthat，ifitwasallthesametoher。’
’Good，’saidArthur。’Goon。’
’Yousee，’proceededMrMeagles’itmightputuswrongwithourson-in-law，itmightevenputuswrongwithourdaughter，anditmightleadtoagreatdealofdomestictrouble。Yousee，don’tyou？’
’Yes，indeed，’returnedArthur，’thereismuchreasoninwhatyousay。’HehadglancedatMrsMeagles，whowasalwaysonthegoodandsensibleside；andapetitionhadshoneoutofherhonestfacethathewouldsupportMrMeaglesinhispresentinclinings。