Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/110

 in an orange-crate, she would gladly have done so for the saving of expense; but with relatives and neighbours to consider, she drew a great deal of virtue out of necessity, and dealt so very handsomely with the undertaker, that this burial would be the talk of the Close for some weeks. The coffin was inspected inside and out, was admired and appraised, Mrs. Peckover being at hand to check the estimates. At the same time every most revolting detail of the dead woman's last illness was related and discussed and mused over and exclaimed upon. "A lovely corpse, considerin' her years," was the general opinion. Then all went upstairs again, and once more refreshed themselves. The house smelt like a bar-room.

"Everythink most respectable, I'm sure!" remarked the female mourners to each other, as they crowded together in the parlour.

"An' so it had ought to be!" exclaimed one, in an indignant tone, such as is reserved for the expression of offence among educated people, but among the poor—the London