Mrs.Belcher could only say that it was all very fine, but Mr.Belcher, finding himself an object of envy, took great pride in showing his visitors about the house.
Mrs.Talbot, who in some way had ascertained that Mrs.Dillingham had superintended the arrangement of the house, said, in an aside to Mrs.
Belcher: "It must have been a little lonely to come here and find no one to receive you--no friend, I mean." "Mrs.Dillingham was here," remarked Mrs.Belcher, quietly.
"But she was no friend of yours." "No; Mr.Belcher had met her." "How strange! How very strange!" "Do you know her well ?" "I'm afraid I do; but now, really, I hope you won't permit yourself to be prejudiced against her.

I suppose she means well, but she certainly does the most unheard-of things.

She's a restless creature--not quite right, you know, but she has been immensely flattered.

She's an old friend of mine, and I don't join the hue and cry against her at all, but she does such imprudent things! What did she say to you ?" Mrs.Belcher detected the spice of pique and jealousy in this charitable speech, and said very little in response--nothing that a mischief-maker could torture into an offense.
Having worked her private pump until the well whose waters she sought refused to give up its treasures, Mrs.Talbot declared she would no longer embarrass the new house-keeping by her presence.

She had only called to bid Mrs.Belcher welcome, and to assure her that if she had no friends in the city, there were hundreds of hospitable hearts that were ready to greet her.