“Andthe’WasherwomanofFinchleyCommon，’
Mamma。”saidLadyEmily。”Itisaswelltobeginsoothinglyatfirst。”
“Stop，mydearladies。”saidPitt，thediplomatist。
“WitheverydeferencetotheopinionofmybelovedandrespectedLadySouthdown，IthinkitwouldbequiteunadvisabletocommencesoearlyuponserioustopicswithMissCrawley。Rememberherdelicatecondition，andhowlittle，howverylittleaccustomedshehashithertobeentoconsiderationsconnectedwithherimmortalwelfare。”
“Canwethenbegintooearly，Pitt？”saidLadyEmily，risingwithsixlittlebooksalreadyinherhand。
“Ifyoubeginabruptly，youwillfrightenheraltogether。
Iknowmyaunt’sworldlynaturesowellastobesurethatanyabruptattemptatconversionwillbetheveryworstmeansthatcanbeemployedforthewelfareofthatunfortunatelady。Youwillonlyfrightenandannoyher。
Shewillverylikelyflingthebooksaway，andrefuseallacquaintancewiththegivers。”
“YouareasworldlyasMissCrawley，Pitt。”saidLadyEmily，tossingoutoftheroom，herbooksinherhand。
“AndIneednottellyou，mydearLadySouthdown。”
Pittcontinued，inalowvoice，andwithoutheedingtheinterruption，“howfatalalittlewantofgentlenessandcautionmaybetoanyhopeswhichwemayentertainwithregardtotheworldlypossessionsofmyaunt。Remembershehasseventythousandpounds；thinkofherage，andherhighlynervousanddelicatecondition；Iknowthatshehasdestroyedthewillwhichwasmadeinmybrother’sColonelCrawley’sfavour：itisbysoothingthatwoundedspiritthatwemustleaditintotherightpath，andnotbyfrighteningit；andsoIthinkyouwillagreewithmethat——that——’
“Ofcourse，ofcourse。”LadySouthdownremarked。
“Jane，mylove，youneednotsendthatnotetoMr。Irons。
Ifherhealthissuchthatdiscussionsfatigueher，wewillwaitheramendment。IwillcalluponMissCrawleytomorrow。”
“AndifImightsuggest，mysweetlady。”Pittsaidinablandtone，“itwouldbeaswellnottotakeourpreciousEmily，whoistooenthusiastic；butratherthatyoushouldbeaccompaniedbyoursweetanddearLadyJane。”
“Mostcertainly，Emilywouldruineverything。”LadySouthdownsaid；andthistimeagreedtoforegoherusualpractice，whichwas，aswehavesaid，beforesheboredownpersonallyuponanyindividualwhomsheproposedtosubjugate，tofireinaquantityoftractsuponthemenacedpartyasachargeoftheFrenchwasalwaysprecededbyafuriouscannonade。LadySouthdown，wesay，forthesakeoftheinvalid’shealth，orforthesakeofhersoul’sultimatewelfare，orforthesakeofhermoney，agreedtotemporise。
Thenextday，thegreatSouthdownfemalefamilycarriage，withtheEarl’scoronetandthelozengeuponwhichthethreelambstrottantargentuponthefieldvertoftheSouthdowns，werequarteredwithsableonabendor，threesnuff-mullsgules，thecognizanceofthehouseofBinkie，droveupinstatetoMissCrawley’sdoor，andthetallseriousfootmanhandedintoMr。BowlsherLadyship’scardsforMissCrawley，andonelikewiseforMissBriggs。Bywayofcompromise，LadyEmilysentinapacketintheeveningforthelatterlady，containingcopiesofthe“Washerwoman。”andothermildandfavouritetractsforMissB。’sownperusal；andafewfortheservants’hall，viz。：“CrumbsfromthePantry。”“TheFryingPanandtheFire。”and“TheLiveryofSin。”ofamuchstrongerkind。
JamesCrawley’sPipeIsPutOutTheamiablebehaviourofMr。Crawley，andLadyJane’skindreceptionofher，highlyflatteredMissBriggs，whowasenabledtospeakagoodwordforthelatter，afterthecardsoftheSouthdownfamilyhadbeenpresentedtoMissCrawley。ACountess’scardleftpersonallytooforher，Briggs，wasnotalittlepleasingtothepoorfriendlesscompanion。”WhatcouldLadySouthdownmeanbyleavingacarduponyou，Iwonder，MissBriggs？”saidtherepublicanMissCrawley；uponwhichthecompanionmeeklysaid“thatshehopedtherecouldbenoharminaladyofranktakingnoticeofapoorgentlewoman。”andsheputawaythiscardinherwork-boxamongsthermostcherishedpersonaltreasures。Furthermore，MissBriggsexplainedhowshehadmetMr。Crawleywalkingwithhiscousinandlongaffiancedbridethedaybefore：andshetoldhowkindandgentle-lookingtheladywas，andwhataplain，nottosaycommon，dressshehad，allthearticlesofwhich，fromthebonnetdowntotheboots，shedescribedandestimatedwithfemaleaccuracy。
MissCrawleyallowedBriggstoprattleonwithoutinterruptinghertoomuch。Asshegotwell，shewaspiningforsociety。Mr。Creamer，hermedicalman，wouldnothearofherreturningtoheroldhauntsanddissipationinLondon。TheoldspinsterwastoogladtofindanycompanionshipatBrighton，andnotonlywerethecardsacknowledgedtheverynextday，butPittCrawleywasgraciouslyinvitedtocomeandseehisaunt。Hecame，bringingwithhimLadySouthdownandherdaughter。ThedowagerdidnotsayawordaboutthestateofMissCrawley’ssoul；buttalkedwithmuchdiscretionabouttheweather：aboutthewarandthedownfallofthemonsterBonaparte：andaboveall，aboutdoctors，quacks，andtheparticularmeritsofDr。Podgers，whomshethenpatronised。
DuringtheirinterviewPittCrawleymadeagreatstroke，andonewhichshowedthat，hadhisdiplomaticcareernotbeenblightedbyearlyneglect，hemighthaverisentoahighrankinhisprofession。WhentheCountessDowagerofSouthdownfellfouloftheCorsicanupstart，asthefashionwasinthosedays，andshowedthathewasamonsterstainedwitheveryconceivablecrime，acowardandatyrantnotfittolive，onewhosefallwaspredicted，&c。，PittCrawleysuddenlytookupthecudgelsinfavourofthemanofDestiny。HedescribedtheFirstConsulashesawhimatParisatthepeaceofAmiens；whenhe，PittCrawley，hadthegratificationofmakingtheacquaintanceofthegreatandgoodMr。Fox，astatesmanwhom，howevermuchhemightdifferwithhim，itwasimpossiblenottoadmirefervently——astatesmanwhohadalwayshadthehighestopinionoftheEmperorNapoleon。Andhespokeintermsofthestrongestindignationofthefaithlessconductofthealliestowardsthisdethronedmonarch，who，aftergivinghimselfgenerouslyuptotheirmercy，wasconsignedtoanignobleandcruelbanishment，whileabigotedPopishrabblewastyrannisingoverFranceinhisstead。
ThisorthodoxhorrorofRomishsuperstitionsavedPittCrawleyinLadySouthdown’sopinion，whilsthisadmirationforFoxandNapoleonraisedhimimmeasurablyinMissCrawley’seyes。HerfriendshipwiththatdefunctBritishstatesmanwasmentionedwhenwefirstintroducedherinthishistory。AtrueWhig，MissCrawleyhadbeeninoppositionallthroughthewar，andthough，tobesure，thedownfalloftheEmperordidnotverymuchagitatetheoldlady，orhisill-treatmenttendtoshortenherlifeornaturalrest，yetPittspoketoherheartwhenhelaudedbothheridols；andbythatsinglespeechmadeimmenseprogressinherfavour。
“Andwhatdoyouthink，mydear？”MissCrawleysaidtotheyounglady，forwhomshehadtakenalikingatfirstsight，asshealwaysdidforprettyandmodestyoungpeople；thoughitmustbeownedheraffectionscooledasrapidlyastheyrose。
LadyJaneblushedverymuch，andsaid“thatshedidnotunderstandpolitics，whichshelefttowiserheadsthanhers；butthoughMammawas，nodoubt，correct，Mr。Crawleyhadspokenbeautifully。”Andwhentheladieswereretiringattheconclusionoftheirvisit，MissCrawleyhoped“LadySouthdownwouldbesokindastosendherLadyJanesometimes，ifshecouldbesparedtocomedownandconsoleapoorsicklonelyoldwoman。”Thispromisewasgraciouslyaccorded，andtheyseparatedupongreattermsofamity。
“Don’tletLadySouthdowncomeagain，Pitt。”saidtheoldlady。”Sheisstupidandpompous，likeallyourmother’sfamily，whomInevercouldendure。Butbringthatnicegood-naturedlittleJaneasoftenaseveryouplease。”Pittpromisedthathewoulddoso。HedidnottelltheCountessofSouthdownwhatopinionhisaunthadformedofherLadyship，who，onthecontrary，thoughtthatshehadmadeamostdelightfulandmajesticimpressiononMissCrawley。
Andso，nothinglothtocomfortasicklady，andperhapsnotsorryinherhearttobefreednowandagainfromthedrearyspoutingoftheReverendBartholomewIrons，andtheserioustoadieswhogatheredroundthefootstoolofthepompousCountess，hermamma，LadyJanebecameaprettyconstantvisitortoMissCrawley，accompaniedherinherdrives，andsolacedmanyofherevenings。Shewassonaturallygoodandsoft，thatevenFirkinwasnotjealousofher；andthegentleBriggsthoughtherfriendwaslesscrueltoherwhenkindLadyJanewasby。TowardsherLadyshipMissCrawley’smannerswerecharming。Theoldspinstertoldherathousandanecdotesaboutheryouth，talkingtoherinaverydifferentstrainfromthatinwhichshehadbeenaccustomedtoconversewiththegodlesslittleRebecca；fortherewasthatinLadyJane’sinnocencewhichrenderedlighttalkingimpertinencebeforeher，andMissCrawleywastoomuchofagentlewomantooffendsuchpurity。Theyoungladyherselfhadneverreceivedkindnessexceptfromthisoldspinster，andherbrotherandfather：andsherepaidMissCrawley’sengoumentbyartlesssweetnessandfriendship。
IntheautumneveningswhenRebeccawasflauntingatParis，thegayestamongthegayconquerorsthere，andourAmelia，ourdearwoundedAmelia，ah！wherewasshe？LadyJanewouldbesittinginMissCrawley’sdrawing-roomsingingsweetlytoher，inthetwilight，herlittlesimplesongsandhymns，whilethesunwassettingandtheseawasroaringonthebeach。Theoldspinsterusedtowakeupwhenthesedittiesceased，andaskformore。AsforBriggs，andthequantityoftearsofhappinesswhichshenowshedasshepretendedtoknit，andlookedoutatthesplendidoceandarklingbeforethewindows，andthelampsofheavenbeginningmorebrightlytoshine——who，IsaycanmeasurethehappinessandsensibilityofBriggs？
Pittmeanwhileinthedining-room，withapamphletontheCornLawsoraMissionaryRegisterbyhisside，tookthatkindofrecreationwhichsuitsromanticandunromanticmenafterdinner。HesippedMadeira：builtcastlesintheair：thoughthimselfafinefellow：felthimselfmuchmoreinlovewithJanethanhehadbeenanytimethesesevenyears，duringwhichtheirliaisonhadlastedwithouttheslightestimpatienceonPitt’spart——andsleptagooddeal。Whenthetimeforcoffeecame，Mr。Bowlsusedtoenterinanoisymanner，andsummonSquirePitt，whowouldbefoundinthedarkverybusywithhispamphlet。
“Iwish，mylove，Icouldgetsomebodytoplaypiquetwithme。”MissCrawleysaidonenightwhenthisfunctionarymadehisappearancewiththecandlesandthecoffee。