"As the mother of a family and the wife of an English clergyman, I humbly trust that my principles are good," Mrs. Bute said, with a happy solemnity of conviction; "and, as long as Nature supports me, never, never, Mr. Clump, will I desert the post of duty. Others may bring that grey head with sorrow to the bed of sickness (here Mrs. Bute, waving her hand, pointed to one of old Miss Crawley's coffee-coloured fronts, which was perched on a stand in the dressing-room), but I will never quit it. Ah, Mr. Clump! I fear, I know, that the couch needs spiritual as well as medical consolation."
"What I was going to observe, my dear Madam,"--here the resolute Clump once more interposed with a bland air--"what I was going to observe when you gave utterance to sentiments which do you so much honour, was that I think you alarm yourself needlessly about our kind friend, and sacrifice your own health too prodigally in her favour."
"I would lay down my life for my duty, or for any member of my husband's family," Mrs. Bute interposed.
"Yes, Madam, if need were; but we don't want Mrs Bute Crawley to be a martyr," Clump said gallantly. "Dr Squills and myself have both considered Miss Crawley's case with every anxiety and care, as you may suppose. We see her low-spirited and nervous; family events have agitated her."
"Her nephew will come to perdition," Mrs. Crawley cried.

"As the wife of an English clergyman, I humbly trust that my principles are good," Mrs. Bute said with happy conviction; "and, as long as Nature supports me, never will I desert my duty. Ah, Mr. Clump! I fear that the invalid needs spiritual as well as medical consolation."
"What I was going to observe, my dear Madam," the resolute Clump interposed, "was that I think you alarm yourself needlessly about our kind friend, and sacrifice your own health too much."
"I would lay down my life for my duty."
"Yes, Madam; but we don't want you to be a martyr," Clump said gallantly. "Dr Squills and both considered Miss Crawley to be low-spirited and nervous; family events have agitated her."
"Her nephew will go to perdition," Mrs. Crawley cried.
