“On the contrary,” returned Mrs. Wilfer, “quite so. Why should I not?”

“I thought, my dear, that perhaps your face might⁠—”

“My face might be a martyrdom, but what would that import, or who should know it, if I smiled?”

And she did smile; manifestly freezing the blood of Mr. George Sampson by so doing. For that young gentleman, catching her smiling eye, was so very much appalled by its expression as to cast about in his thoughts concerning what he had done to bring it down upon himself.

“The mind naturally falls,” said Mrs. Wilfer, “shall I say into a reverie, or shall I say into a retrospect? on a day like this.”

Lavvy, sitting with defiantly folded arms, replied (but not audibly), “For goodness’ sake say whichever of the two you like best, Ma, and get it over.”