She smiled, however, with her usual gentleness, and plunged into the conversation which the three other ladies were so eager to commence.
Before they departed they had literally taken Mrs.Bertram to pieces.
They had fallen upon her tooth and nail, and dissected her morally, and socially, and with the closest scrutiny of all, from a religious point of view.
Mrs.Meadowsweet, who never spoke against any one, was amazed at the ingenuity with which the character of her friend (she felt she must call Mrs.Bertram her friend) was blackened.

Before the ladies left Mrs.
Meadowsweet's house they had proved, in the ablest and most thorough manner, that Mrs.Bertram was worldly and vain, that she lived beyond her means, that she trained her daughters to think of themselves far more highly than they ought to think, that in all probability she was not what she pretended to be, and, finally, that poor Mrs.Meadowsweet, dear Mrs.Meadowsweet, was in great danger on account of her friendship.
"I don't agree with you, ladies," said the good woman, as they were leaving the house, but they neither heeded nor heard her remark.
The explanation of their conduct was simple enough.

They were devoured with jealousy.

Had Mrs.Bertram called on any one of them, she would have been in that person's estimation the most fascinating woman in Northbury..