She could contrive an interview for lovers who could
show proper reasons for meeting privately; she could relieve the frail
fair one of the burden of a guilty passion, and perhaps establish the
hopeful offspring of unlicensed love as the heir of some family whose
love was lawful, but where an heir had not followed the union. More
than this she could do, and had been concerned in deeper and dearer
secrets. She had been a pupil of Mrs. Turner, and learned from her the
secret of making the yellow starch, and, it may be, two or three other
secrets of more consequence, though perhaps none that went to the
criminal extent of those whereof her mistress was accused. But all
that was deep and dark in her real character was covered by the show
of outward mirth and good-humour, the hearty laugh and buxom jest with
which the dame knew well how to conciliate the elder part of her
neighbours, and the many petty arts by which she could recommend
herself to the younger, those especially of her own sex.
Dame Ursula was, in appearance, scarce past forty, and her full, but
not overgrown form, and still comely features, although her person was
plumped out, and her face somewhat coloured by good cheer, had a
joyous expression of gaiety and good-humour, which set off the remains
of beauty in the wane. Marriages, births, and christenings were seldom
thought to be performed with sufficient ceremony, for a considerable
distance round her abode, unless Dame Ursley, as they called her, was
present.
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