“She has always been showy,” said Mrs. Hackbutt, making tea for a small party, “though she has got into the way of putting her religion forward, to conform to her husband; she has tried to hold her head up above Middlemarch by making it known that she invites clergymen and heaven-knows-who from Riverston and those places.”

“We can hardly blame her for that,” said Mrs. Sprague; “because few of the best people in the town cared to associate with Bulstrode, and she must have somebody to sit down at her table.”

“ Mr. Thesiger has always countenanced him,” said Mrs. Hackbutt. “I think he must be sorry now.”