’AndmayIask，ma’am，’retortedMrMeagles，alittleheightenedincolour，’whodoesexpecteverything？’
　　’Oh，nobody，nobody!’saidMrsGowan。’Iwasgoingtosay——butyouputmeout。YouinterruptingPapa，whatwasIgoingtosay？’
　　Droopingherlargegreenfan，shelookedmusinglyatMrMeagleswhileshethoughtaboutit；aperformancenottendingtothecoolingofthatgentleman’sratherheatedspirits。
　　’Ah!Yes，tobesure!’saidMrsGowan。’Youmustrememberthatmypoorfellowhasalwaysbeenaccustomedtoexpectations。Theymayhavebeenrealised，ortheymaynothavebeenrealised——’
　　’Letussay，then，maynothavebeenrealised，’observedMrMeagles。
　　TheDowagerforamomentgavehimanangrylook；buttosseditoffwithherheadandherfan，andpursuedthetenorofherwayinherformermanner。
　　’Itmakesnodifference。Mypoorfellowhasbeenaccustomedtothatsortofthing，andofcourseyouknewit，andwerepreparedfortheconsequences。Imyselfalwaysclearlyforesawtheconsequences，andamnotsurprised。Andyoumustnotbesurprised。
　　Infact，can’tbesurprised。Musthavebeenpreparedforit。’
　　MrMeagleslookedathiswifeandatClennam；bithislip；andcoughed。
　　’Andnowhere’smypoorfellow，’MrsGowanpursued，’receivingnoticethatheistoholdhimselfinexpectationofababy，andalltheexpensesattendantonsuchanadditiontohisfamily!PoorHenry!Butitcan’tbehelpednow；it’stoolatetohelpitnow。
　　Onlydon’ttalkofanticipatingmeans，PapaMeagles，asadiscovery；becausethatwouldbetoomuch。’
　　’Toomuch，ma’am？’saidMrMeagles，asseekinganexplanation。
　　’There，there!’saidMrsGowan，puttinghiminhisinferiorplacewithanexpressiveactionofherhand。’Toomuchformypoorfellow’smothertobearatthistimeofday。Theyarefastmarried，andcan’tbeunmarried。There，there!Iknowthat!Youneedn’ttellmethat，PapaMeagles。Iknowitverywell。WhatwasitIsaidjustnow？Thatitwasagreatcomforttheycontinuedhappy。Itistobehopedtheywillstillcontinuehappy。ItistobehopedPrettyOnewilldoeverythingshecantomakemypoorfellowhappy，andkeephimcontented。PapaandMamaMeagles，wehadbettersaynomoreaboutit。Weneverdidlookatthissubjectfromthesameside，andwenevershall。There，there!NowIamgood。’
　　Truly，havingbythistimesaideverythingshecouldsayinmaintenanceofherwonderfullymythicalposition，andinadmonitiontoMrMeaglesthathemustnotexpecttobearhishonoursofalliancetoocheaply，MrsGowanwasdisposedtoforgotherest。IfMrMeagleshadsubmittedtoaglanceofentreatyfromMrsMeagles，andanexpressivegesturefromClennam，hewouldhaveleftherintheundisturbedenjoymentofthisstateofmind。ButPetwasthedarlingandprideofhisheart；andifhecouldeverhavechampionedhermoredevotedly，orlovedherbetter，thaninthedayswhenshewasthesunlightofhishouse，itwouldhavebeennow，when，asitsdailygraceanddelight，shewaslosttoit。
　　’MrsGowan，ma’am，’saidMrMeagles，’Ihavebeenaplainmanallmylife。IfIwastotry——nomatterwhetheronmyself，onsomebodyelse，orboth——anygenteelmystifications，Ishouldprobablynotsucceedinthem。’
　　’PapaMeagles，’returnedtheDowager，withanaffablesmile，butwiththebloomonhercheeksstandingoutalittlemorevividlythanusualastheneighbouringsurfacebecamepaler，’probablynot。’
　　’Therefore，mygoodmadam，’saidMrMeagles，atgreatpainstorestrainhimself，’IhopeImay，withoutoffence，asktohavenosuchmystificationplayedoffuponme。’
　　’MamaMeagles，’observedMrsGowan，’yourgoodmanisincomprehensible。’
　　Herturningtothatworthyladywasanartificetobringherintothediscussion，quarrelwithher，andvanquishher。MrMeaglesinterposedtopreventthatconsummation。
　　’Mother，’saidhe，’youareinexpert，mydear，anditisnotafairmatch。Letmebegofyoutoremainquiet。Come，MrsGowan，come!
　　Letustrytobesensible；letustrytobegood-natured；letustrytobefair。Don’tyoupityHenry，andIwon’tpityPet。Anddon’tbeone-sided，mydearmadam；it’snotconsiderate，it’snotkind。Don’tletussaythatwehopePetwillmakeHenryhappy，oreventhatwehopeHenrywillmakePethappy，’MrMeagleshimselfdidnotlookhappyashespokethewords，’butletushopetheywillmakeeachotherhappy。’
　　’Yes，sure，andthereleaveit，father，’saidMrsMeaglesthekind-
　　heartedandcomfortable。
　　’Why，mother，no，’returnedMrMeagles，’notexactlythere。I
　　can’tquiteleaveitthere；Imustsayjusthalf-a-dozenwordsmore。MrsGowan，IhopeIamnotover-sensitive。IbelieveI
　　don’tlookit。’
　　’Indeedyoudonot，’saidMrsGowan，shakingherheadandthegreatgreenfantogether，foremphasis。
　　’Thankyou，ma’am；that’swell。Notwithstandingwhich，Ifeelalittle——Idon’twanttouseastrongword——nowshallIsayhurt？’
　　askedMrMeaglesatoncewithfranknessandmoderation，andwithaconciliatoryappealinhistone。
　　’Saywhatyoulike，’answeredMrsGowan。’Itisperfectlyindifferenttome。’
　　’No，no，don’tsaythat，’urgedMrMeagles，’becausethat’snotrespondingamiably。IfeelalittlehurtwhenIhearreferencesmadetoconsequenceshavingbeenforeseen，andtoitsbeingtoolatenow，andsoforth。’
　　’Doyou，PapaMeagles？’saidMrsGowan。’Iamnotsurprised。’
　　’Well，ma’am，’reasonedMrMeagles，’Iwasinhopesyouwouldhavebeenatleastsurprised，becausetohurtmewilfullyonsotenderasubjectissurelynotgenerous。’
　　’Iamnotresponsible，’saidMrsGowan，’foryourconscience，youknow。’
　　PoorMrMeagleslookedaghastwithastonishment。
　　’IfIamunluckilyobligedtocarryacapaboutwithme，whichisyoursandfitsyou，’pursuedMrsGowan，’don’tblamemeforitspattern，PapaMeagles，Ibeg!’
　　’Why，goodLord，ma’am!’MrMeaglesbrokeout，’that’sasmuchastostate——’
　　’Now，PapaMeagles，PapaMeagles，’saidMrsGowan，whobecameextremelydeliberateandprepossessinginmannerwheneverthatgentlemanbecameatallwarm，’perhapstopreventconfusion，Ihadbetterspeakformyselfthantroubleyourkindnesstospeakforme。
　　It’sasmuchastostate，youbegin。Ifyouplease，Iwillfinishthesentence。Itisasmuchastostate——notthatIwishtopressitorevenrecallit，foritisofnousenow，andmyonlywishistomakethebestofexistingcircumstances——thatfromthefirsttothelastIalwaysobjectedtothismatchofyours，andataverylateperiodyieldedamostunwillingconsenttoit。’
　　’Mother!’criedMrMeagles。’Doyouhearthis!Arthur!Doyouhearthis!’
　　’Theroombeingofaconvenientsize，’saidMrsGowan，lookingaboutasshefannedherself，’andquitecharminglyadaptedinallrespectstoconversation，IshouldimagineIamaudibleinanypartofit。’
　　Somemomentspassedinsilence，beforeMrMeaglescouldholdhimselfinhischairwithsufficientsecuritytopreventhisbreakingoutofitatthenextwordhespoke。Atlasthesaid：
　　’Ma’am，Iamveryunwillingtorevivethem，butImustremindyouwhatmyopinionsandmycoursewere，allalong，onthatunfortunatesubject。’
　　’O，mydearsir!’saidMrsGowan，smilingandshakingherheadwithaccusatoryintelligence，’theywerewellunderstoodbyme，Iassureyou。’
　　’Inever，ma’am，’saidMrMeagles，’knewunhappinessbeforethattime，Ineverknewanxietybeforethattime。Itwasatimeofsuchdistresstomethat——’ThatMrMeaglescouldreallysaynomoreaboutit，inshort，butpassedhishandkerchiefbeforehisFace。
　　’Iunderstoodthewholeaffair，’saidMrsGowan，composedlylookingoverherfan。’AsyouhaveappealedtoMrClennam，ImayappealtoMrClennam，too。HeknowswhetherIdidornot。’
　　’Iamveryunwilling，’saidClennam，lookedtobyallparties，’totakeanyshareinthisdiscussion，moreespeciallybecauseIwishtopreservethebestunderstandingandtheclearestrelationswithMrHenryGowan。Ihaveverystrongreasonsindeed，forentertainingthatwish。MrsGowanattributedcertainviewsoffurtheringthemarriagetomyfriendhere，inconversationwithmebeforeittookplace；andIendeavouredtoundeceiveher。I
　　representedthatIknewhimasIdidanddotobestrenuouslyopposedtoit，bothinopinionandaction。’
　　’Yousee？’saidMrsGowan，turningthepalmsofherhandstowardsMrMeagles，asifshewereJusticeherself，representingtohimthathehadbetterconfess，forhehadnotalegtostandon。’Yousee？Verygood!NowPapaandMamaMeaglesboth!’heresherose；
　　’allowmetotakethelibertyofputtinganendtothisratherformidablecontroversy。Iwillnotsayanotherworduponitsmerits。Iwillonlysaythatitisanadditionalproofofwhatoneknowsfromallexperience；thatthiskindofthingneveranswers——
　　asmypoorfellowhimselfwouldsay，thatitneverpays——inoneword，thatitneverdoes。’
　　MrMeaglesasked，Whatkindofthing？
　　’Itisinvain，’saidMrsGowan，’forpeopletoattempttogetontogetherwhohavesuchextremelydifferentantecedents；whoarejumbledagainsteachotherinthisaccidental，matrimonialsortofway；andwhocannotlookattheuntowardcircumstancewhichhasshakenthemtogetherinthesamelight。Itneverdoes。’
　　MrMeagleswasbeginning，’Permitmetosay，ma’am——’
　　’No，don’t，’returnedMrsGowan。’Whyshouldyou!Itisanascertainedfact。Itneverdoes。Iwilltherefore，ifyouplease，gomyway，leavingyoutoyours。Ishallatalltimesbehappytoreceivemypoorfellow’sprettywife，andIshallalwaysmakeapointofbeingonthemostaffectionatetermswithher。Butastotheseterms，semi-familyandsemi-stranger，semi-goringandsemi-
　　boring，theyformastateofthingsquiteamusinginitsimpracticability。Iassureyouitneverdoes。’
　　TheDowagerheremadeasmilingobeisance，rathertotheroomthantoanyoneinit，andtherewithtookafinalfarewellofPapaandMamaMeagles。ClennamsteppedforwardtohandhertothePill-BoxwhichwasattheserviceofallthePillsinHamptonCourtPalace；
　　andshegotintothatvehiclewithdistinguishedserenity，andwasdrivenaway。
　　ThenceforththeDowager，withalightandcarelesshumour，oftenrecountedtoherparticularacquaintancehow，afterahardtrial，shehadfounditimpossibletoknowthosepeoplewhobelongedtoHenry’swife，andwhohadmadethatdesperatesettocatchhim。
　　Whethershehadcometotheconclusionbeforehand，thattogetridofthemwouldgiveherfavouritepretenceabetterair，mightsavehersomeoccasionalinconvenience，andcouldrisknolosstheprettycreaturebeingfastmarried，andherfatherdevotedtoher，wasbestknowntoherself。Thoughthishistoryhasitsopiniononthatpointtoo，anddecidedlyintheaffirmative。
　　AppearanceandDisappearance’Arthur，mydearboy，’saidMrMeagles，ontheeveningofthefollowingday，’MotherandIhavebeentalkingthisover，andwedon’tfeelcomfortableinremainingasweare。Thatelegantconnectionofours——thatdearladywhowashereyesterday——’
　　’Iunderstand，’saidArthur。
　　’Eventhataffableandcondescendingornamentofsociety，’pursuedMrMeagles，’maymisrepresentus，weareafraid。Wecouldbearagreatdeal，Arthur，forhersake；butwethinkwewouldrathernotbearthat，ifitwasallthesametoher。’
　　’Good，’saidArthur。’Goon。’
　　’Yousee，’proceededMrMeagles’itmightputuswrongwithourson-in-law，itmightevenputuswrongwithourdaughter，anditmightleadtoagreatdealofdomestictrouble。Yousee，don’tyou？’
　　’Yes，indeed，’returnedArthur，’thereismuchreasoninwhatyousay。’HehadglancedatMrsMeagles，whowasalwaysonthegoodandsensibleside；andapetitionhadshoneoutofherhonestfacethathewouldsupportMrMeaglesinhispresentinclinings。