`It's no use talking o' that,' said poor Mrs Tulliver, almost peevishly. `If I was to go down on my bare knees on the gravel to Tulliver, he'd never humble himself.'

`Well, you can't expect me to persuade Jane to beg pardon,' said Mrs Pullet. `Her temper's beyond everything - it's well if it doesn't carry her off her mind - though there never was any of our family went to a madhouse.'

`I'm not thinking of her begging pardon,' said Mrs Tulliver. `But if she'd just take no notice and not call her money in - as it's not so much for one sister to ask of another - time 'ud mend things and Tulliver 'ud forget all about it, and they'd be friends again.'

Mrs Tulliver you perceive was not aware of her husband's irrevocable determination to pay in the five hundred pounds: at least, such a determination exceeded her powers of belief.

`Well, Bessy,' said Mrs Pullet, mournfully, `I don't want to help you on to ruin. I won't be behindhand i' doing you a good turn, if it is to be done. And I don't like it said among acquaintance as we've got quarrels in the family. I shall tell Jane that: and I don't mind driving to Jane's tomorrow, if Pullet doesn't mind. What do you say, Mr Pullet?'

`I've no objections,' said Mr Pullet, who was perfectly contented with any course the quarrel might take, so that Mr Tulliver did not apply to him for momey. Mr Pullet was nervous about his investments, and did not see how a man could have any security for his money unless he turned it into land.

After a little further discussion as to whether it would not be better for Mrs Tulliver to accompany them on the visit to sister Glegg, Mrs Pullet, observing that it was tea-time, turned to reach from a drawer a delicate damask napkin which she pinned before her in the fashion of an apron. The door did, in fact, soon open, but instead of the tea-tray, Sally introduced an object so startling that both Mrs Pullet and Mrs Tulliver gave a scream, causing uncle Pullet to swallow his lozenge - for the fifth time in his life, as he afterwards noted.


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