ss on her cheeks, had taken the place generally
held by that more agreeable little figure. All the symptoms of having
been engaged in an affray from which she had retired not altogether
victorious were in Mrs Elsworthy's face, and the errand-boys vanished
from her neighbourhood with inconceivable rapidity, and found out little
parcels to deliver which would have eluded their most anxious search in
other circumstances. Mr Elsworthy himself occupied his usual place in
the foreground, without the usual marks of universal content and
satisfaction with all his surroundings which generally distinguished
him. An indescribable appearance of having been recently snubbed hung
about the excellent man, and his glances towards the back-shop, and the
glances directed from the back-shop to him, told with sufficient
significance the quarter from which his humiliation had proceeded. It
had done him good, as such painful discipline generally does; for he was
clearing out some drawers in which sundry quires of paper had broken
loose and run into confusion, with the air of a man who ought to have
done it weeks ago. As for the partner of his bosom, she was standing in
the obscure distance behind the counter knitting a blue stocking, which
was evidently intended for no foot but his. There was a chair close by,
but Mrs Elsworthy disdained to sit down. She stood with her knitting in
conscious power, now and then suffering a confession of her faith to
escape her. "There's nothing as don't go contrary in this world," said
the discontented wife, "when a man's a fool." It was hard upon Mr
Elsworthy that his ears were sharp, and that he knew exactly what this
agreeable murmur was. But he was wise in his generation, and made no
reply.

Things were in this condition when, of all persons in Carlingford, it
occurred to Miss Leonora Wentworth to enter Mr Elsworthy's shop. Not
that she was alone, or bent upon any errand of inquiry; for Miss
Leonora seldom moved about unattended by her sisters, whom she felt it
her duty to take out for exercise; and wonderfully enough, she had not
found out yet what was the source of Miss Dora's mysteries and
depression, having been still occupied meantime by her own "great
work" in her London district, and the affair of the gin-palace, which
was still undecided. She had been talking a great deal about this
gin-palace for the last twenty-four hours; and to hear Miss Leonora,
you might have supposed that all the powers of