urvey of the field, Mrs. Dinks felt that under no circumstances
would Hope have married Alfred; and he had now actually married Fanny. So
much was done. It was useless to wish impossible wishes. She did not
desire her son to starve or come to social shame, although he had married
Fanny; and Fanny, after all, was rather a belle, and the daughter of a
rich merchant, who would have to support them. She knew, of course, that
Fanny supposed her husband would share in the great Burt property. But as
Mrs. Dinks herself believed the same thing, that did not surprise her. In
fact, they would all be gainers by it; and nothing now remained but to
devote herself to securing that result.

The first step under the circumstances was clearly a visit to the Newts,
and the ring which had sent Mrs. Newt from the room was Mrs. Dinks's.

Mrs. Dagon was alone when Mrs. Dinks entered, and Mrs. Dagon was by no
means sure, whatever she said to Nancy, that Mrs. Dinks had not outwitted
them all. As she entered Mrs. Dagon put up her glasses and gazed at her;
and when Mrs. Dinks saluted her, Mrs. Dagon bowed behind the glasses, as
if she were bowing through a telescope at the planet Jupiter.

"Good-morning, Mrs. Dagon!"

"Good-morning, Mrs. Dinks!" replied that lady, still contemplating
the other as if she were a surprising and incomprehensible phenomenon.

Profound silence followed. Mrs. Dinks was annoyed by the insult which
Mrs. Dagon was tacitly putting upon her, and resolving upon revenge.
Meanwhile she turned over some illustrated books upon the table, as if
engravings were of all things those that afforded her the profoundest
satisfaction.

But she was conscious that she could not deceive Mrs. Dagon by an
appearance of interest; so, after a few moments, Mrs. Dinks seated
herself in a large easy-chair opposite that lady, who was still looking
at her, shook her dress, glanced into the mirror with the utmost
nonchalance, and finally, slowly drawing out her own glasses, raised them
to her eyes, and with perfect indifference surveyed the enemy.

The ladies gazed at each other for a few moments in silence.

"How's your daughter, Mrs. Alfred Dinks?" asked Mrs. Dagon, abruptly.

Mrs. Dinks continued to gaze without answering. She was resolved to put
down this dragon that laid waste society. The dragon was instantly
conscious that she had made a mistake in speaking, and was angry
accordingly. She said nothing more; she only glared.

"Good-mo