you'd better ring the bell," said Mrs Tom.

Tom, however, did not stir, and after another period of five minutes
dinner was announced. It may be as well, perhaps, to explain, that
the soup had been on the table for the last quarter of an hour or
more, but that after placing the tureen on the table, the dignified
gentleman downstairs had come to words with the cook, and had refused
to go on further with the business of the night until that ill-used
woman acceded to certain terms of his own in reference to the manner
in which the foods should be served. He had seen the world, and had
lofty ideas, and had been taught to be a tyrant by the weakness of
those among whom his life had been spent. The cook had alleged that
the dinner, as regarded the eating of it, would certainly be spoilt.
As to that, he had expressed a mighty indifference. If he was to have
any hand in them, things were to be done according to certain rules,
which, as he said, prevailed in the world of fashion. The cook,
who had a temper and who regarded her mistress, stood out long and
boldly, but when the housemaid, who was to assist Mr Grandairs
upstairs, absolutely deserted her, and sitting down began to cry,
saying: "Sairey, why don't you do as he tells you? What signifies its
being greasy if it hain't never to go hup?" then Sarah's courage gave
way, and Mr Grandairs, with all the conqueror in his bosom, announced
that dinner was served.

It was a great relief. Even Miss Colza's tongue had been silent,
and Mr Rubb had found himself unable to carry on any further small
talk with Miss Mackenzie. The minds of men and women become so
tuned to certain positions, that they go astray and won't act when
those positions are confused. Almost every man can talk for fifteen
minutes, standing in a drawing-room, before dinner; but where is the
man who can do it for an hour? It is not his appetite that impedes
him, for he could well have borne to dine at eight instead of seven;
nor is it that matter lacks him, for at other times his eloquence
does not cease to flow so soon. But at that special point of the day
he is supposed to talk for fifteen minutes, and if any prolonged call
is then made upon him, his talking apparatus falls out of order and
will not work. You can sit still on a Sunday morning, in the cold,
on a very narrow bench, with no comfort appertaining, and listen for
half an hour to a rapid outflow of words, which, for any purpose
of instruction or edifica