“Ay, well, I don’t doubt you’ve as much right to it as most,” Mrs. Bell assured her patronisingly, for all the world as if the disposal of the almshouses were actually in her gift. “I don’t know as we could have gone past you, taking it all in all. Me and Mrs. Bendrigg and Mrs. Cann have been talking it over, and we come to the conclusion as we couldn’t have done better.” The recipient of this extreme favour responded with a grateful beam. “You’ll find me decent enough as a neighbour, I reckon, even though I says it as shouldn’t. I like a bit of a chat now and then, but I’m not hasty with my tongue. I’m not above doing a hand’s turn for others, neither. I don’t think you’ll find me bad to do with, taking me all round.” “Nay, I don’t doubt but what we’ll get along grand.” Mrs. Bell permitted herself the ghost of an approving smile, pleased to find that the new-comer was obviously taking things in the right spirit. “Me and Mrs. Bendrigg and Mrs. Cann—we’ve all settled as you’ll do. But we’re mighty particular up here, all the same,” she added hastily, as if fearful of being too lenient. “We’ve a right to be, come to that, being folks _chosen_, as you might say. For instance, we don’t hold wi’ being out after ten o’clock——” “Nay, what, I’ll be in my bed by nine!” Mrs. Clapham interjected quickly. “—Or having over many callers——” “I don’t look for a great deal.” “—Or taking on followers or suchlike rubbish——” Mrs. Clapham began to chuckle at that, partly involuntarily, and partly from a desire to please, but stopped hurriedly when she discovered that the remark had not been meant for a joke. “Not that there’s many rules of any kind,” Mrs. Bell continued, ignoring her mistake; “not, that is, as was framed by old Mr. T. There’s no children allowed, of course, and we have to be right strict about not using t’ wash-house out of our turn. But there’s one or two customs and suchlike as has kind of grown up among ourselves. For instance, we’ve a sort o’ rule not to go popping over often into each other’s spots. (Nay, I can’t tell you _how_ often _too_ often is; you must bide and see for yourself.) Not to borrow overmuch from other folks, neither—I’ve seen a deal o’ bad blood come o’ that. Not to be peering at other folks’ gardens to see if they’re shaping better than ourn, or to take up more o’ the man’s time than our rightful share. Not to go setting t’ kitchen chimbly afire, or chattin’ to people out in the road——”