"Perhaps because she always helps everybody," said Aunt Eunice, significantly.
Agnes understood what she meant, and felt it.
"I don't see how you can bear to have that woman so familiar with you," she said, with a disdainful toss of her head. "She runs in at all hours, and seems to think herself as good as anybody."
"Why shouldn't she?" asked Letty, dryly.
Agnes did not seem to know, exactly, only she didn't like "that sort of people." De Witt was only a working gardener, and his wife, a tailoress. She did not wish to associate with everybody, for her part. She thought it must be a much pleasanter state of society where people had their own stations and kept them.
"And what dost thou think thine own position would be in that case?" asked Aunt Eunice. "Dost thou suppose that the wife of a working chemist and perfumer would associate with dukes and earls?"
Agnes had not thought of that; but she believed that, at any rate, a perfumer's wife was a good many degrees above a working gardener's.
"Oh, Agnes, Agnes, how very silly thou art!" said Aunt Eunice, with a sort of groan. "Where didst thou pick up such absurd notions? Thou art nearly as bad as the grocer's wife who refused to associate with her neighbour on the ground that her husband sold single candles, while she sold only by the pound."
Letty laughed heartily. "You will have to put up with the society of the gardener's wife a little while, Agnes; for I have asked her to tea, to meet Aunt Eunice. I am sure they will suit exactly."
"Aunt Eunice must be flattered!"