such as silver and chany. You must bring your mind to your circumstances, Bessy, and not be thinking o' silver and chany, but whether you shall get so much as a flock bed to lie on, and a blanket to cover you, and a stool to sit on. You must remember, if you get 'em, it'll be because your friends have bought 'em for you, for you're dependent upo' them for everything: for your husband lies there helpless, and hasn't got a penny i' the world to call his own. And it's for your own good I say this, for it's right you should feel what your state is, and what disgrace your husband's brought on your own family, as you've got to look to for everything - and be humble in your mind.'

Mrs Glegg paused, for speaking with much energy for the good of others is naturally exhausting. Mrs Tulliver, always borne down by the family predominance of sister Jane, who had made her wear the yoke of a younger sister in very tender years, said pleadingly,

`I'm sure, sister, I've never asked anybody to do anything, only buy things as it 'ud be a pleasure to 'em to have, so as they mightn't go and be spoiled i' strange houses. I never asked anybody to buy the things in for me and my children, though there's the linen I spun, and I thought when Tom was born - I thought one o' the first things when he was lying i' the cradle, as all the things I'd bought wi' my own money and been so careful of 'ud go to him. But I've said nothing as I wanted my sisters to pay their money for me; - what my husband has done for his sister's unknown, and we should ha' been better off this day if it hadn't been as he's lent money and never asked for it again.'

`Come, come,' said Mr Glegg, kindly, `don't let us make things too dark. What's done can't be undone. We shall make a shift among us to buy what's sufficient for you - though, as Mrs G. says, they must be useful, plain things. We mustn't be thinking o' what's unnecessary. A table and a chair or two, and kitchen things, and a good bed and suchlike. Why, I've seen the day when I shouldn't ha' known myself, if I'd lain on sacking i'stead o' the floor. We get a deal o' useless things about us, only because we've got the money to spend.'

`Mr Glegg,' said Mrs G., `if you'll be kind enough to let me speak, i'stead of taking the words out o' my mouth, I was going to say, Bessy, as it's fine talking for you to say as you've never asked us to buy anything for you: let me tell you, you ought to ha' asked us. Pray, how are you to be purvided for, if your own family don't help you? You must go to the parish, if they didn't. And you ought to know that, and keep it in mind, and ask us humble to do what we can for you, i'stead o' saying, and making a boast, as you've never asked us for anything.'

`You talked o' the Mosses, and what Mr Tulliver's done for 'em,' said Uncle Pullet, who became unusually suggestive where advances of money were concerned. `Haven't they been anear you? They ought to do something, as well as other folks; and if he's lent 'em money, they ought to be made to pay it back.'

`Yes, to be sure,' said Mrs Deane, `I've been thinking so. How is it Mr and Mrs Moss aren't here to meet us? It is but right they should do their share.'

`O dear!' said Mrs Tulliver, `I niver sent 'em word about Mr Tulliver, and they live so back'ard among the lanes at Basset, they niver hear anything only when Mr Moss comes to market. But I niver gave 'em a thought. I wonder Maggie didn't, though, for she was allays so fond of her aunt Moss.'

`Why don't your children come in, Bessy?' said Mrs Pullet, at the mention of Maggie. `They should hear what their aunts and uncles have got to say: - and Maggie - when it's me as have paid for half her schooling, she ought to think more of her aunt Pullet nor of aunt Mosses. I may go off sudden when I get home to- day - there's no telling.'

`If I'd had my way,' said Mrs Glegg, `the children 'ud ha'been in the room from the first. It's time they knew who they've to look to, and it's right as somebody should talk to 'em, and let 'em know their condition i' life, and what they're come down to, and make 'em feel as they've got to suffer for their father's faults.'