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ignored and denied any such relationship； although； as dear Miss
Jenkyns had said； he had a sister called Mary； and the same Christian
names were very apt to run in families。
Soon after Miss Mary Hoggins married Mr Fitz…Adam； she
disappeared from the neighbourhood for many years。 She did not
move in a sphere in Cranford society sufficiently high to make any of us
care to know what Mr Fitz…Adam was。 He died and was gathered to his
fathers without our ever having thought about him at all。 And then Mrs
Fitz…Adam reappeared in Cranford （〃as bold as a lion；〃 Miss Pole said）；
a well…to…do widow； dressed in rustling black silk； so soon after her
husband's death that poor Miss Jenkyns was justified in the remark she
made； that 〃bombazine would have shown a deeper sense of her loss。〃
I remember the convocation of ladies who assembled to decide
whether or not Mrs Fitz…Adam should be called upon by the old blue…
blooded inhabitants of Cranford。 She had taken a large rambling house；
which had been usually considered to confer a patent of gentility upon
its tenant； because； once upon a time； seventy or eighty years before； the
spinster daughter of an earl had resided in it。 I am not sure if the
inhabiting this house was not also believed to convey some unusual
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power of intellect； for the earl's daughter； Lady Jane； had a sister； Lady
Anne； who had married a general officer in the time of the American war；
and this general officer had written one or two comedies； which were
still acted on the London boards； and which； when we saw them
advertised； made us all draw up； and feel that Drury Lane was paying a
very pretty compliment to Cranford。 Still； it was not at all a settled
thing that Mrs Fitz…Adam was to be visited； when dear Miss Jenkyns
died； and； with her； something of the clear knowledge of the strict code
of gentility went out too。 As Miss Pole observed； 〃As most of the
ladies of good family in Cranford were elderly spinsters； or widows
without children； if we did not relax a little； and become less exclusive；
by…and…by we should have no society at all。〃
Mrs Forrester continued on the same side。
〃She had always understood that Fitz meant something aristocratic；
there was Fitz…Roy … she thought that some of the King's children had
been called Fitz…Roy； and there was Fitz…Clarence； now … they were the
children of dear good King William the Fourth。 Fitz…Adam！ … it was a
pretty name； and she thought it very probably meant 'Child of Adam。'
No one； who had not some good blood in their veins； would dare to be
called Fitz； there was a deal in a name … she had had a cousin who spelt
his name with two little ffs … ffoulkes … and he always looked down upon
capital letters and said they belonged to lately…invented families。 She
had been afraid he would die a bachelor； he was so very choice。 When
he met with a Mrs ffarringdon； at a watering…place； he took to her
immediately； and a very pretty genteel woman she was … a widow； with a
very good fortune； and 'my cousin；' Mr ffoulkes； married her； and it was
all owing to her two little ffs。〃
Mrs Fitz…Adam did not stand a chance of meeting with a Mr Fitz…
anything in Cranford； so that could not have been her motive for settling
there。 Miss Matty thought it might have been the hope of being
admitted into the society of the place； which would certainly be a very
agreeable rise for CI…DEVANT Miss Hoggins； and if this had been her
hope it would be cruel to disappoint her。
So everybody called upon Mrs Fitz…Adam … everybody but Mrs
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Jamieson； who used to show how honourable she was by never seeing
Mrs Fitz…Adam when they met at the Cranford parties。 There would be
only eight or ten ladies in the room； and Mrs Fitz…Adam was the largest
of all； and she invariably used to stand up when Mrs Jamieson came in；
and curtsey very low to her whenever she turned in her direction … so
low； in fact； that I think Mrs Jamieson must have looked at the wall
above her； for she never moved a muscle of her face； no more than if she
had not seen her。 Still Mrs Fitz… Adam persevered。
The spring evenings were getting bright and long when three or four
ladies in calashes met at Miss Barker's door。 Do you know what a
calash is？ It is a covering worn over caps； not unlike the heads
fastened on old…fashioned gigs； but sometimes it is not quite so large。
This kind of head…gear always made an awful impression on the children
in Cranford； and now two or three left off their play in the quiet sunny
little street； and gathered in wondering silence round Miss Pole； Miss
Matty； and myself。 We were silent too； so that we could hear loud；
suppressed whispers inside Miss Barker's house： 〃Wait； Peggy！ wait till
I've run upstairs and washed my hands。 When I cough； open the door；
I'll not be a minute。〃
And； true enough it was not a minute before we heard a noise；
between a sneeze and a crow； on which the door flew open。 Behind it
stood a round…eyed maiden； all aghast at the honourable company of
calashes； who marched in without a word。 She recovered presence of
mind enough to usher us into a small room； which had been the shop；
but was now converted into a temporary dressing…room。 Th