… a rebuke to Merrygreek's rude mode of speech: to have an M under one's girdle = to use a respectful forefix (Mr., Mrs., &c.) when addressing or mentioning a person.

She had a very fresh complexion and a pretty, round little face saved from any dolliness by the steadiness of her blue eyes, the firmness of her mouth, and the expression of quiet self-possession.

And I'll tell ya, things aren't quite the same / When I'm rushing on my run.

One of the boasts of Riversley was, that while the rest of the world ate and drank poison, the Grange lived on its own solid substance, defying malefactory Radical tricksters.