The boasted tact of women--a quality the narrow compass of which has escaped their undiscriminating eulogists--was sure to be swept away by maternal egotism; and then poor Lady Bassett would admire the children loudly, and kiss them, to please the cruel egotist, and hide the tears that rose to her own eyes; but she would shorten her visit.
When a child died in the village Mary Wells was sure to be sent with words of comfort and substantial marks of sympathy.
Scarcely a day passed that something or other did not happen to make the wound bleed; but I will confine myself to two occasions, on each of which her heart's agony spoke out, and so revealed how much it must have endured in silence.
Since the day when Sir Charles allowed her to sit in a little room close to his study while he received Mr.Wheeler's visit she had fitted up that room, and often sat there to be near Sir Charles; and he would sometimes call her in and tell her his justice cases.

One day she was there when the constable brought in a prisoner and several witnesses.
The accused was a stout, florid girl, with plump cheeks and pale gray eyes.

She seemed all health, stupidity, and simplicity.

She carried a child on her left arm.

No dweller in cities could suspect this face of crime.