mfortabler then
she had entered it, and finished buttoning that glove in the passage.
As she stood reflecting that papa would really be very nice if he would
shave more carefully--for the remains of his adieu was still rasping
her cheek--she was aware of the voice of the carpet; she heard it
complain, through the medium of its layer, or stretcher, who seemed
to mean to pass the remainder of his days scratching the head of
perplexity on the scene of his recent failure to add to his
professional achievements.

"It's what I say to the guv'nor"--thus ran his Jeremiad--"in dealin'
with these here irregular settin's out, where nothin's not to say
parallel with anything else, nor dimensions lendin' theirselves to
accommodation. 'Just you let me orfer it in,' I says 'afore the final
stitchin' to, or even a paper template in extra cases is a savin' in
the end.' Because it stands to reason there goes more expense with an
ill-cut squint or obtoose angle, involvin' work to rectify, than cut
ackerate in the first go-off. Not but what ruckles may disappear under
the tread, only there's no reliance to be placed. You may depend on it,
to make a job there's nothin' like careful plannin', and foresight in
the manner of speakin'. And, as I say to the guv'nor, there's no need
for a stout brown-paper template to go to waste, seein' it works in
with the under-packin'." And much more which Tishy could still hear
murmuring on in the distance as she closed the street door and fled
to an overdue appointment with Sally, into whose sympathetic ear she
could pour all her new records of the progress of the row.

To tell the whole of the prolonged pitched battle that ensued would
take too much ink and paper. The Dragon fought magnificently, so long
as she had the powerful backing of her married daughter, Mrs. Sowerby
Bagster, and the skirmishing help of Athene. This latter was, however,
not to be relied on--might go over to the enemy any moment. Mrs.
Bagster, or Clarissa, who was an elder sister of Laetitia's, became
lukewarm, too, on a side-issue being raised. It did not appear to
connect itself logically with the bone of contention, having reference
entirely to vaccination from the calf. But it led to an exaggerated
sensitiveness on her part as to the responsibility we incurred by
interference with what might (after all) be the Will of Providence.
If this should prove so, it would be our duty not to repine. Clarissa
contrived to surround the subj