ney. The town was at Jenny's feet,
even if it were an exaggeration to say that it was under them.
Timeservers bowed the knee to so much power; the charitable accepted so
splendid an atonement. If any still had conscientious doubts, Alison's
conduct was invoked as warrant and example. If he were enthusiastically
for the mistress of Breysgate now, who had a right to criticise--who
could arrogate to himself such merit as would entitle him to refuse to
forgive--even though a certain feature in the arrangement made it
forever impossible to forget?

The chorus of applause was loud--and almost unanimous; but it was broken
by the voice of one sturdy dissenter--one to whom interest could not
appeal and, even had she wanted anything of Jenny, would have appealed
vainly--one on whom the sentimental side had no effect, since both her
sentiment and her charity moved in the strait fetters of unbending
rules. Mrs. Jepps was rigid and obstinate. She had not fallen to the
temptation of using the park road, as Lady Aspenick had: she would not
now bow the knee to Baal, however splendid and imposing a deity Baal
might be. Many had a try at shaking her--and Alison among the rest. He
told me about his effort, laughing as he confessed his failure.

"I was well snubbed. She told me that Romish practices led to Romish
principles, and that where they led it was easy to see; but that she for
her part had other principles and didn't palter with them. When it
suited Miss Driver to explain, she was ready to listen. Till
then--nothing to do with the woman!"

Jenny heard of this--her one signal failure (for she had extorted
alliance, if not loyalty, from Lady Sarah) with composure, almost with
pleasure, although pleasure of an unusual variety.

"Well, I respect Mrs. Jepps," she said, "and I wish very much that she
wouldn't deprive herself of her drives in the park. I'd promise not to
bow to her! Mrs. Jepps is good for me, Austin--a fat, benevolent,
disapproving old skeleton at the feast--a skeleton with such fat
horses!--crying out 'You did it, you did it!' That's rather useful to
me, I expect. Still I should like "--she smiled mischievously--"to try
her virtue a little higher--with an invitation to the laying of the
foundation stone! I'm going to have that in four or five months, and Mr.
Bindlecombe is angling for a prince to do it. If Mrs. Jepps holds out
against the prince, she has my leave to hold out against me forever!"

Still it was her in