"Clarissa would have told us that, without waiting to be asked," laughed Mrs Jane. "How are the girls, my Lady Betty?" "Very well, as I hear. You know, I guess, that Betty is engaged in marriage?" "So we heard. To Sir Charles Rich, is it not?" "The same. But maybe you have not heard of Molly's conquest?" asked Lady Betty, with an amused little laugh. "What, is Mrs Molly in any body's chains?" "Indeed, I guess not, Mrs Jane," replied Lady Betty, still laughing. "I expect my friend Mr Thomas Mainwaring is in Molly's chains, if chains there be." "Eh, she'll lead him a weary life!" said Mrs Jane. "Let us hope she will sober down," answered Lady Betty. "I am not unwilling to allow there hath of late been room for improvement. Yet is there some good in Molly, as I think." Phoebe remembered Molly's assistance in the matter of Mr Edmundson, and thought it might be so. "Well, and what of Mrs Gatty?" "Ah, poor maid! She, at least, can scarce hope to be happy, her disfigurement is so unfortunate." "I must needs ask your pardon, my Lady Betty, but I trust that is not the case," said Mrs Dorothy, with a gentle smile. "Sure, happiness doth not depend on face nor figure?" "The world mostly reckons so, I believe," answered Lady Betty, with a responsive smile. "Maybe, we pick up such words, and use them, in something too heedless a manner." "I am mightily mistaken if Mrs Gatty do not prove the happiest of the three," was Mrs Dorothy's reply. Mrs Dorothy rose to go home, and Phoebe took leave at the same time. She felt tired and harassed, and longed for the rest of a little quiet talk with her old friend. "And how doth Mrs Rhoda take this, my dear?" was the old lady's first question, when Phoebe had poured out her story. "She seemed very much troubled at first, and angry; but I fancy she is getting over it now." "Which most?--troubled or angry?" "I think--after a few minutes, at least--more angry." "Then she will quickly recover. I do not think she loved him, Phoebe. She liked him, I have no doubt: and she flattered herself that he loved her; but if she be more angry than hurt, that shows that her pride suffers rather than her love. At least," said Mrs Dorothy, correcting herself, "I mean it looks so. Who am I, that I should judge her?" "I wanted it to do her some good, Mrs Dolly. It seems hard to have the suffering, and not get the good." "'Tis not easy for men to tell what does good, and when. We cannot as concerns ourselves; how then shall we judge for others?" "I wonder what Rhoda will do now?" suggested Phoebe, after a minute's silence. She looked up, and saw an expression, which was the mixture of pity and amusement, on Mrs Dorothy's lips. The amusement died away, but the pity remained and grew deeper. "Can you guess, Mrs Dolly?" "`Lord, and what shall this man do?' You know the answer, Phoebe." "Yes, I know: but-- Mrs Dorothy, would you not like to know the future?"