'
'And under mulled wine,' added the old lady.
'I must admit the wine. Though I believe the two young men were
much alike in that regard.'
'I don't,' said the old lady.
'Why not, Ma?'
'Because I DON'T,' said the old lady. 'Still, I am quite open to
discussion.'
'But, my dear Ma, I cannot see how we are to discuss, if you take
that line.'
'Blame Mr. Neville for it, Sept, and not me,' said the old lady,
with stately severity.
'My dear Ma! why Mr. Neville?'
'Because,' said Mrs. Crisparkle, retiring on first principles, 'he
came home intoxicated, and did great discredit to this house, and
showed great disrespect to this family.'
'That is not to be denied, Ma. He was then, and he is now, very
sorry for it.'
'But for Mr. Jasper's well-bred consideration in coming up to me,
next day, after service, in the Nave itself, with his gown still
on, and expressing his hope that I had not been greatly alarmed or
had my rest violently broken, I believe I might never have heard of
that disgraceful transaction,' said the old lady.
'To be candid, Ma, I think I should have kept it from you if I
could: though I had not decidedly made up my mind. I was
following Jasper out, to confer with him on the subject, and to
consider the expediency of his and my jointly hushing the thing up
on all accounts, when I found him speaking to you. Then it was too
late.'
'Too late, indeed, Sept.
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