"Dear me, I am very sorry!" said Mrs. Tufton; "some fever or something, I suppose--something that's catching? Dear, dear me, I am so sorry! but there are some people that never take infection; a little camphor is such a nice thing to carry about--it can't do any harm, you know. Mrs. Tozer tells me he is a very nice young man, Mr. Vincent's friend from 'Omerton. I don't like to say such a thing of a girl, but I do believe your son could have that Phoebe any day for asking, Mrs. Vincent. I can't bear forward girls, for my part--that is her just going into the pew, with the pink bonnet; oh, you know her!--to be sure, Mrs. Pigeon remarked you were sure to go there; though I should have hoped we would have seen you as soon as any one in Carlingford." "Indeed, I have been much disappointed not to call. I--I hope I shall--tomorrow," said the widow, to whom tomorrow loomed dark like another world, and who could not help repeating over and over the dreaded name. "That is Maria Pigeon all in white--to be only tradespeople they do dress more than I approve of," said Mrs. Tufton. "My Adelaide, I am sure, never went like that. Many people think Maria a deal nicer-looking than Phoebe Tozer, but her mother is so particular--more than particular--what I call troublesome, you know. You can't turn round without giving her offence. Dear me, how my tongue is going! the minister would say I was just at my old imprudent tricks--but you, that were a minister's wife, can understand. She is such a difficult woman to deal with. I am sure Mr. Tufton is always telling them to wait, and that Mr. Vincent is a young man yet, and experience is all he wants. I wish he had a good wife to keep him straight; but I don't know that that would be advisable either, because of Phoebe and the rest. Dear, dear, it is a difficult thing to know what to do!--but Mr. Tufton always says, If he had a little more experience---- Bless me, the young man is in the pulpit!" said Mrs. Tufton, coming to a sudden standstill, growing very red, and picking up her hymn-book. Very seldom had the good woman such a chance of talk. She ran herself so out of breath that she could not join in that first hymn.