That small world, like the great one out of doors, had the capacity of easily forgetting its dead; and when the cook had said she was a quiet-tempered lady, and the housekeeper had said it was the common lot, and the butler had said who'd have thought it, and the housemaid had said she couldn't hardly believe it, and the footman had said it seemed exactly like a dream, they had quite worn the subject out, and began to think their mourning was wearing rusty too.

Summary

This quote captures the tendency of small communities to quickly move on and forget about their deceased members. The people in this small world express their thoughts and disbelief upon hearing about the death of a calm-tempered lady, but eventually exhaust the topic through repetitive discussions. As they continue their daily routines, they also start to feel that the mourning itself is becoming dull and losing its significance. This quote highlights the transient nature of grief within close-knit communities.

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