Mr. Meredith still wore slippers and dressing gown , and his dark hair still fell in uncared-for locks over his high brow . But he looked the gentleman he was ; and Mrs. Alec Davis , in her silk dress and beplumed bonnet , and kid gloves and gold chain looked the vulgar , coarse-souled woman she was . Each felt the antagonisn of the other 's personality . Mr. Meredith shrank , but Mrs. Davis girded up her loins for the fray . She had come to the manse to propose a certain thing to the minister and she meant to lose no time in proposing it . She was going to do him a favour -- a great favour -- and the sooner he was made aware of it the better . She had been thinking about it all summer and had come to a decision at last . This was all that mattered , Mrs. Davis thought . When she decided a thing it WAS decided . Nobody else had any say in the matter . That had always been her attitude . When she had made her mind up to marry Alec Davis she had married him and that was the end to it . Alec had never known how it happened , but what odds ? So in this case -- Mrs. Davis had arranged everything to her own satisfaction . Now it only remained to inform Mr. Meredith . `` Will you please shut that door ? '' said Mrs. Davis , unprimming her mouth slightly to say it , but speaking with asperity . `` I have something important to say , and I ca n't say it with that racket in the hall . '' Mr. Meredith shut the door meekly . Then he sat down before Mrs. Davis .
He was not wholly aware XXXXX her yet .
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