Rowland observed that Mrs.Light had a genuine maternal conscience; she considered that she had been performing a sacred duty in bringing up Christina to set her cap for a prince, and when the future looked dark, she found consolation in thinking that destiny could never have the heart to deal a blow at so deserving a person.

This conscience upside down presented to Rowland's fancy a real physical image; he was on the point, half a dozen times, of bursting out laughing.
"I don't know whether you believe in presentiments," said Mrs.Light, "and I don't care! I have had one for the last fifteen years.

People have laughed at it, but they have n't laughed me out of it.

It has been everything to me.

I could n't have lived without it.