And they called her Madam Liberality, so Madam Liberality she shall
remain.
It has been hinted that there was a reason for the scarceness of the
plums in the plum-cake. Madam Liberality's father was dead, and her
mother was very poor, and had several children. It was not an easy
matter with her to find bread for the family, putting currants and
raisins out of the question.
Though poor, they were, however, gentle-folk, and had, for that
matter, rich relations. Very rich relations indeed! Madam Liberality's
mother's first cousin had fifteen thousand a year. His servants did
not spend ten thousand. (As to what he spent himself, it was
comparatively trifling.) The rest of the money accumulated. Not that
it was being got together to do something with by and by. He had no
intention of ever spending more than he spent at present. Indeed, with
a lump of coal taken off here, and a needless candle blown out there,
he rather hoped in future to spend less.
His wife was Madam Liberality's godmother. She was a good-hearted
woman, and took real pleasure in being kind to people, in the way she
thought best for them. Sometimes it was a graceful and appropriate
way, and very often it was not.
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