putting on a clean cap on his
behalf. He began at once, jumping again into the middle of things by
a reference to her husband.

"Mrs. Brattle," he said, "your husband and I have been talking about
his poor sister Carry."

"The least said the soonest mended about that one, I'm afeared," said
the dame.

"Indeed, I agree with you. Were she once placed in safe and kind
hands, the less then said the better. She has left the life she was
leading--"

"They never leaves it," said the dame.

"It is so seldom that an opportunity is given them. Poor Carry is
at the present moment most anxious to be placed somewhere out of
danger."

"Mr. Fenwick, if you ask me, I'd rather not talk about her;--I would
indeed. She's been and brought a slur upon us all, the vile thing! If
you ask me, Mr. Fenwick, there ain't nothing too bad for her."

Fenwick, who, on the other hand, thought that there could be hardly
anything too good for his poor penitent, was beginning to be angry
with the woman. Of course, he made in his own mind those comparisons
which are common to us all on such occasions. What was the great
virtue of this fat, well-fed, selfish, ignorant woman before
him, that she should turn up her nose at a sister who had been
unfortunate? Was it not an abominable case of the Pharisee thanking
the Lord that he was not such a one as the Publican;--whereas the
Publican was in a fair way to heaven?

"Surely you would have her saved, if it be possible to save her?"
said the Vicar.

"I don't know about saving. If such as them is to be made all's one
as others as have always been decent, I'm sure I don't know who it is
as isn't to be saved."

"Have you never read of Mary Magdalen, Mrs. Brattle?"

"Yes, I have, Mr. Fenwick. Perhaps she hadn't got no father, nor
brothers, and sisters, and sisters-in-law, as would be pretty well
broken-hearted when her vileness would be cast up again' 'em. Perhaps
she hadn't got no decent house over her head afore she begun. I don't
know how that was."

"Our Saviour's tender mercy, then, would not have been wide enough
for such sin as that." This the Vicar said with intended irony; but
irony was thrown away on Mrs. George Brattle.

"Them days and ours isn't the same, Mr. Fenwick, and you can't make
'em the same. And Our Saviour isn't here now to say who is to be a
Mary Magdalen and who isn't. As for Carry Brattle, she has made her
bed and she must lie upon it. We shan't interfere."

Fenwick was