it on the stairs. The person I had

seen in pattens, who I suppose to have

been the cook, frequently came and skirmished with her at the door, and

there appeared to be ill will between them.

All through dinner—which was long, in consequence of such

accidents as the dish of potatoes being mislaid in the coal skuttle and

the handle of the corkscrew coming off and striking the young woman in

the chin—Mrs. Jellyby preserved the evenness of her disposition. She

told us a great deal that was interesting about Borrioboola-Gha and the

natives, and received so many letters that Richard, who sat by her, saw

four envelopes in the gravy at once. Some of the letters were proceedings

of ladies’ committees or resolutions of ladies’ meetings, which she read

to us; others were applications from people excited in various ways about

the cultivation of coffee, and natives; others required answers, and these

she sent her eldest daughter from the table three or four times to write.

She was full of business and undoubtedly was, as she had told us,

devoted to the cause.

I was a little curious to know who a mild bald gentleman in spectacles

was, who dropped into a vacant chair (there was no top or bottom in

particular) after the fish was taken away and seemed passively to submit

himself to Borrioboola-Gha but not to be actively interested in that

settlement. As he never spoke a word, he might have been a native but

for his complexion. It was not until we left the table and he remained

alone with Richard that the possibility of his being Mr. Jellyby ever

entered my head. But he was Mr. Jellyby; and a loquacious young man

called Mr. Quale, with large shining knobs for temples and his hair all

brushed to the back of his head, who came in the evening, and told Ada

he was a philanthropist, also informed her that he called the

matrimonial alliance of Mrs. Jellyby with Mr. Jellyby the union of mind

and matter.

This young man, besides having a great deal to say for himself about

Africa and a project of his for teaching the coffee colonists to teach theseen in pattens, who I suppose to have

been the cook, frequently came and skirmished with her at the door, and

there appeared to be ill will between them.

All through dinner—which was long, in consequence of such

accidents as the dish of potatoes being mislaid in the coal skuttle and

the handle of the corkscrew coming off and striking the young woman in

the chin—Mrs. Jellyby preserved the evenness of her disposition. She

told us a great deal that was interesting about Borrioboola-Gha and the

natives, and received so many letters that Richard, who sat by her, saw

four envelopes in the gravy at once. Some of the letters were proceedings

of ladies’ committees or resolutions of ladies’ meetings, which she read

to us; others were applications from people excited in various ways about

the cultivation of coffee, and natives; others required answers, and these

she sent her eldest daughter from the table three or four times to write.

She was full of business and undoubtedly was, as she had told us,

devoted to the cause.

I was a little curious to know who a mild bald gentleman in spectacles

was, who dropped into a vacant chair (there was no top or bottom in

particular) after the fish was taken away and seemed passively to submit

himself to Borrioboola-Gha but not to be actively interested in that

settlement. As he never spoke a word, he might have been a native but

for his complexion. It was not until we left the table and he remained

alone with Richard that the possibility of his being Mr. Jellyby ever

entered my head. But he was Mr. Jellyby; and a loquacious young man

called Mr. Quale, with large shining knobs for temples and his hair all

brushed to the back of his head, who came in the evening, and told Ada

he was a philanthropist, also informed her that he called the

matrimonial alliance of Mrs. Jellyby with Mr. Jellyby the union of mind

and matter.

This young man, besides having a great deal to say for himself about

Africa and a project of his for teaching the coffee colonists to teach the