said, "getting it ready. Weeks and weeks.... It's a house.... I'd had my
eye on it before ever I met you. It's a real _good_ house, Elly...."

The fortunate girl-wife went on through Brompton to Walham Green with a
stunned feeling. So women have felt in tumbrils. A nightmare of butlers,
a galaxy of possible butlers, filled her soul.

No one was quite so big and formidable as Snagsby, towering up to
receive her, upon the steps of the home her husband was so amazingly
giving her.

The reader has already been privileged to see something of this house in
the company of Lady Beach-Mandarin. At the top of the steps stood Mrs.
Crumble, the new and highly recommended cook-housekeeper in her best
black silk flounced and expanded, and behind her peeped several neat
maids in caps and aprons. A little valet-like under-butler appeared and
tried to balance Snagsby by hovering two steps above him on the opposite
side of the Victorian mediaeval porch.

Assisted officiously by Snagsby and amidst the deferential unhelpful
gestures of the under-butler, Sir Isaac handed his wife out of the car.
"Everything all right, Snagsby?" he asked brusquely if a little
breathless.

"Everything in order, Sir Isaac."

"And here;--this is her ladyship."

"I 'ope her ladyship 'ad a pleasent journey to 'er new 'ome. I'm sure if
I may presume, Sir Isaac, we shall all be very glad to serve her
ladyship."

(Like all well-trained English servants, Snagsby always dropped as many
h's as he could when conversing with his superiors. He did this as a
mark of respect and to prevent social confusion, just as he was always
careful to wear a slightly misfitting dress coat and fold his trousers
so that they creased at the sides and had a wide flat effect in front.)

Lady Harman bowed a little shyly to his good wishes and was then led up
to Mrs. Crumble, in a stiff black silk, who curtseyed with a submissive
amiability to her new mistress. "I'm sure, me lady," she said. "I'm
sure----"

There was a little pause. "Here they are, you see, right and ready,"
said Sir Isaac, and then with an inspiration, "Got any tea for us,
Snagsby?"

Snagsby addressing his mistress inquired if he should serve tea in the
garden or the drawing-room, and Sir Isaac decided for the garden.

"There's another hall beyond this," he said, and took his wife's arm,
leaving Mrs. Crumble still bowing amiably before the hall table. And
every time she bowed she rustled richly....

"It's qu