Final answer:
The aldermen treat Emily Grierson with deference due to her family's status but also condescendingly, avoiding direct confrontation about her taxes due to a mix of respect and patronizing attitudes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Jefferson County delegation of aldermen treat Emily Grierson with a degree of respect but also condescension. They adhere to the genteel southern traditions of treating women, especially those from old, respected families, with courtesy.
However, they are also condescending in their approach to her situation, exemplified by their unwillingness to confront her directly about her taxes and instead sending younger generations to address the matter. This dichotomy in treatment might stem from a combination of respect for her family's former standing in the community and a patronizing attitude towards a woman living alone.
The complexity of her circumstances and her steadfast adherence to her own sense of dignity force the aldermen to treat her in a manner that is both differential and yet dismissively evasive of direct confrontation.