"
Mrs. Sweeting occupied the lowest rank in this particular section of
Langborough society. As a grocer Mr. Sweeting was not quite on a level
with the coal dealer, who was a merchant, nor with the ironmonger, who
repaired ploughs, and he was certainly below Mr. Bingham. Miss Tarrant,
never having been "connected with trade"--her father was chief clerk in
the bank--considered herself superior to all her acquaintances, but her
very small income prevented her from claiming her superiority so
effectively as she desired.
"Mrs. Sweeting," she said, "I am surprised at you! You do not consider
what the moral effect on the lower orders of patronising a female of
this kind will be, probably an abandoned woman. The child, no doubt,
was not born in wedlock. We are sinners ourselves if we support
sinners."
"Miss Tarrant," retorted Mrs. Sweeting, "I'm the respectable mother of
five children, and I don't want any sermons on sin except in church. If
it wasn't a sin of Swanley to charge me three guineas for that pelisse,
and wouldn't take it back, I don't know what sin.
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