e
brook and of the river were full of their wives, sisters, and children.
Sydney Grey was busy cutting figures-of-eight before the eyes of his
sisters, and in defiance of his mother's careful warnings not to go
here, and not to venture there, and not to attempt to cross the river.
Mr Hope begged his wife to engage Mrs Grey in conversation, so that
Sydney might be left free for a while, and promised to keep near the boy
for half an hour, during which time Mrs Grey might amuse herself with
watching other and better performers further on. As might have been
foreseen, however, Mrs Grey could talk of nothing but Mrs Enderby's
removal, of which she had not been informed till this morning, and which
she had intended to discuss in Hester's house, on leaving the meadows.

It appeared that Mrs Enderby had been in agitated and variable spirits
for some time, apparently wishing to say something that she did not say,
and expressing a stronger regard than ever for her old friends--a
regular sign that some act of tyranny or rudeness might speedily be
expected from Mrs Rowland. The Greys were in the midst of their
speculations, as to what might be coming to pass, when Sydney burst in,
with the news that Mrs Enderby's house was to be "Let or Sold." Mrs
Grey had mounted her spectacles first, to verify the fact, and then sent
Alice over to inquire, and had immediately put on her bonnet and cloak,
and called on her old friend at Mrs Rowland's. She had been told at
the door that Mrs Enderby was too much fatigued with her removal to see
any visitors. "So I shall try again to-morrow," concluded Mrs Grey.

"How does Mr Hope think her spasms have been lately?" asked Sophia.

"He has not seen her for nearly a month; so I suppose they are better."

"I fear that does not follow, my dear," said Mrs Grey, winking. "Some
people are afraid of your husband's politics, you are aware; and I know
Mrs Rowland has been saying and doing things on that score which you
had better not hear about. I have my reasons for thinking that the old
lady's spasms are far from being better. But Mrs Rowland has been so
busy crying up those drops of hers, that cure everything, and praising
her maid, that I have a great idea your husband will not be admitted to
see her till she is past cure, and her daughter thoroughly frightened.
Mr Hope has never been forgiven, you know, for marrying into our
connection so decidedly. And I really don't know what would have been