But Mrs Meddlechip was far too
ladylike and fashionable for troubling about such things--oh dear,
no--she left all these dry facts to Ebenezer, who could speak about
them in his own pompous, blatant style at public meetings.
This lady was one of those modern inventions known as a frisky
matron, and said and did all manner of dreadful things, which people
winked at because--she was Mrs Meddlechip, and eccentric. She had a
young man always dangling after her at theatres and dances--
sometimes one, sometimes another, but there was one who was a
fixture. This was Barty Jarper, who acted as her poodle dog, and
fetched and carried for her in the most amiable manner. When any new
poodle dog came on the scene Barty would meekly resign his position,
and retire into the background until such time as he was whistled
back again to go through his antics. Barty attended her everywhere,
made up her programmes, wrote out her invitations, danced with
whosoever he was told, and was rewarded for all these services by
being given the crumbs from the rich man's table. Mr Jarper had a
meek little way with Mrs Meddlechip, as if he was constantly
apologising for having dared to have come into the world without her
permission, but to other people he was rude enough, and in his own
mean little soul looked upon himself quite as a man of fashion. How
he managed to go about as he did was a standing puzzle to his
friends, as he got only a small salary at the Hibernian Bank; yet he
was to be seen at balls, theatres, tennis parties; constantly
driving about in hansoms; in fact, lived as if he had an independent
income.
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