They are generally happy in their children's happiness, or if not, they ought to be.

At any rate, they are simply performing a manifest duty, which duty, in their time, was performed on their behalf.

But on what account do the Mrs Hearns betake themselves to such gatherings?
Why did that ancient lady sit there hour after hour yawning, longing for her bed, looking every ten minutes at her watch, while her old bones were stiff and sore, and her old ears pained with the noise?
It could hardly have been simply for the sake of the supper.

After the supper, however, her maid took her across to her cottage, and Mrs Boyce also then stole away home, and the squire went off with some little parade, suggesting to the young men that they should make no noise in the house as they returned.

But the poor curate remained, talking a dull word every now and then to Mrs Dale, and looking on with tantalised eyes at the joys which the world had prepared for others than him.