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Chapter 4
Shewassurethatpresentlythehoardings,thequarries,theone-storysaloons,thewoodengreen-housesinraggedgardens,andtherocksfromwhichgoatssurveyedthescene,wouldvanishbeforetheadvanceofresidencesasstatelyasherown—perhaps(forshewasanimpartialwoman)evenstatelier;andthatthecobble-stonesoverwhichtheoldclatteringomnibusesbumpedwouldbereplacedbysmoothasphalt,suchaspeoplereportedhavingseeninParis.Meanwhile,aseveryoneshecaredtoseecametoHER(andshecouldfillherroomsaseasilyastheBeauforts,andwithoutaddingasingleitemtothemenuofhersuppers),shedidnotsufferfromhergeographicisolation.Theimmenseaccretionoffleshwhichhaddescendedonherinmiddlelifelikeafloodoflavaonadoomedcityhadchangedherfromaplumpactivelittlewomanwithaneatly-turnedfootandankleintosomethingasvastandaugustasanaturalphenomenon.Shehadacceptedthissubmergenceasphilosophicallyasallherothertrials,andnow,inextremeoldage,wasrewardedbypresentingtohermirroranalmostunwrinkledexpanseoffirmpinkandwhiteflesh,inthecentreofwhichthetracesofasmallfacesurvivedasifawaitingexcavation.Aflightofsmoothdoublechinsleddowntothedizzydepthsofastill-snowybosomveiledinsnowymuslinsthatwereheldinplacebyaminiatureportraitofthelateMr.Mingott;andaroundandbelow,waveafterwaveofblacksilksurgedawayovertheedgesofacapaciousarmchair,withtwotinywhitehandspoisedlikegullsonthesurfaceofthebillows.TheburdenofMrs.
