ountry more or less; the commonest politeness
required that, considering all that had gone before. But she meant there
should be no misunderstanding of the relations between the families. In
Trumet she had made Mrs. Dott her protegee because it was her nature to
patronize, and Serena had not resented the patronage. Now circumstances
were quite different; now the Dotts possessed quite as much worldly
wealth as the Blacks, but Annette did not intend to let Serena presume
upon that. No, indeed! She intended, not only by the grandeur of her
raiment and that of her husband, but by her tone and manner, to make
perfectly plain the fact that the acquaintanceship was still a great
condescension on her part and did not imply equality in the least.

But this lofty attitude was destined to be shaken before the evening was
over. The first shock came at the very beginning, and Mr. Hapgood
was responsible for it. Annette had referred, during the Trumet
acquaintanceship, to her "staff of servants," and had spoken casually
of her cook and second girl and laundress and "man," as if the quartette
were permanent fixtures in the Black establishment. As a matter of fact,
the only fixtures were the cook and second girl. The laundress came in
on Mondays and Tuesdays to do the washing and ironing, and the "man"
acted as janitor's helper at the factory three days of the week. The
chauffeur was but a summer flourish; B. Phelps drove his own car eight
months in the year.

So when the door of the Dott mansion was opened by a butler--and such
a dignified, polite, imposing butler--Mrs. Black's soul was shaken by
a twinge of envy. The second shock was Serena's appearance and the
calm graciousness of her demeanor. The Boston gown was not as grand, as
prodigal of lace and embroidery, as was the visitor's, but it was in
the latest fashion and Serena wore it as if she had been used to such
creations all her life. Neither was she overawed or flurried when her
callers entered. Serena had read a good deal, had observed as much as
her limited opportunities would allow, and was naturally a clever woman
in many ways.

"Why, how do you do, Mrs. Black?" she said. "It's so good of you to
come. And to bring Mr. Black, too. You must take off your things. Yes,
you must. Hapgood, take the lady's wraps. Daniel!"

The captain, who, not being used to butlers and lacking much of his
wife's presence of mind, had started forward to assist with the wraps,
stopped short.