As the young ladies walked together they also talked together, and it would be easier to count their steps than to recount their words. They all loved their brother very sincerely, and they had once sincerely and dearly loved Penelope; and they were very happy to love her again. And as their pity had been roused by the story of her sufferings, they almost reproached themselves that they had ever thought unkindly of her, or spoken coolly to her; and they now resolved that, if they should meet with her, they would overwhelm her with kindness. They talked also much and loudly concerning the unaccountable opposition which their father was making to a reconciliation and renewal of the acquaintance. Manifold and incessant too was the talk as to the most likely means of falling in with Penelope, without actually going to the house. In this chorus kind of deliberation, when every individual of the council is speaking at once, there is an inconvenience, and for the most part an entire frustration of the object of conjoint consultation. The collective wisdom becomes neutralized by the collective and contemporaneous gabble, and the speakers, all speaking at once, hear and know nothing but their own individual opinion, which they might know quite as well without making so much noise about it. Through much and fruitless talking they arrived within the village of Smatterton, and they turned their faces in every direction, and almost rudely looked into the cottages, in hopes of catching a sight of Penelope; for that young lady had, during the life of Doctor Greendale, been very much in the habit of visiting the poor people: for though the worthy doctor was a very benevolent and kind-hearted man, his theological studies did not leave him much time for visiting and talking with his flock; and as for poor Mrs Greendale, nobody that knew how incessant and laborious was the attention that she paid to domestic affairs, could for a moment suppose it possible that any of her valuable time could be spared from home. Penelope therefore undertook the duty of visiting such as were sick, and administering to their necessities according to the means and liberality of her worthy uncle.