caps and outrageous ribbons which had once formed
her stock in trade. It was five or six years since she had given up
shop, so in any other place than Cranford her dress might have been
considered _passe_.

And now Miss Betty Barker had called to invite Miss Matty to tea at
her house on the following Tuesday. She gave me also an impromptu
invitation, as I happened to be a visitor--though I could see she had
a little fear lest, since my father had gone to live in Drumble, he
might have engaged in that "horrid cotton trade," and so dragged his
family down out of "aristocratic society." She prefaced this
invitation with so many apologies that she quite excited my curiosity.
"Her presumption" was to be excused. What had she been doing? She
seemed so overpowered by it, I could only think that she had been
writing to Queen Adelaide to ask for a receipt for washing lace; but
the act which she so characterized was only an invitation she had
carried to her sister's former mistress, Mrs. Jamieson. "Her former
occupation considered, could Miss Matty excuse the liberty?" Ah!
thought I, she has found out that double cap, and is going to rectify
Miss Matty's head-dress. No; it was simply to extend her invitation to
Miss Matty and to me. Miss Matty bowed acceptance; and I wondered that
in the graceful action she did not feel the unusual weight and
extraordinary height of her head-dress. But I do not think she did,
for she recovered her balance, and went on talking to Miss Betty in a
kind, condescending manner, very different from the fidgety way she
would have had if she had suspected how singular her appearance was.

"Mrs. Jamieson is coming, I think you said?" asked Miss Matty.

"Yes. Mrs. Jamieson most kindly and condescendingly said she would be
happy to come. One little stipulation she made, that she should bring
Carlo. I told her that if I had a weakness, it was for dogs."

"And Miss Pole?" questioned Miss Matty, who was thinking of her pool
at Preference, in which Carlo would not be available as a partner.

"I am going to ask Miss Pole. Of course, I could not think of asking
her until I had asked you, madam--the rector's daughter, madam.
Believe me, I do not forget the situation my father held under yours."

"And Mrs. Forrester, of course?"

"And Mrs. Forrester. I thought, in fact, of going to her before I went
to Miss Pole. Although her circumstances are changed, madam, she was
born a Tyrrell, and we can never forget he