ry folk had all been watching for her. Those who had been
fortunate enough to enter the sacred precincts of the Manor watched with
interest, mingled with approval. (Her icy style was quite
_comme-il-faut_, they said.) Those who had been met by the
frightened handmaid's "not at home" watched with interest, mixed with
disapproval, but all, all waited for Mrs. Bertram with interest.

"How late these fashionable people are," quote Miss Peters. "It's
absolutely five o'clock. My dear Martha, do sit down and rest yourself.
You look fit to drop. I'll keep an eye on the door and tell you the very
moment Mrs. Bertram comes in. Mrs. Gorman Stanley has promised to
introduce us. Mrs. Gorman Stanley was fortunate enough to find Mrs.
Bertram in. It was she who told us about the drawing-room at the Manor.
Fancy! Mrs. Bertram has only a felt carpet on her drawing-room. Not even
a red felt, which looks warm and wears. But a sickly green! Mrs. Gorman
Stanley told me _as a fact_ that the carpet was quite a worn-out
shade between a green and a brown; and the curtains--she said the
_drawing room_ curtains were only cretonne. You needn't stare at
me, Martha. Mrs. Gorman Stanley never makes mistakes. All the same,
though she couldn't tell why, she owned that the room had a
_distingue_ effect. _En regle_, that was it; she said the room
was _en regle_."

"Maria, if you could stop talking for a moment and fetch me an ice, I'd
be obliged," answered Mrs. Butler. "Oh!" standing up, "there's Mrs.
Gorman Stanley. How do you do, Mrs. Gorman Stanley? Our great lady
hasn't chosen to put in her appearance yet. For my part I don't suppose
she's any better than the rest of us, and so I say to Maria. Well,
Maria, what's the matter now?"

"Here's your ice," said Miss Peters; "take it. Don't forget that you
promised to introduce us to Mrs. Bertram, Mrs. Gorman Stanley."

Mrs. Gorman Stanley was the wealthy widow of a retired fish-buyer. She
liked to condescend; also to show off her wealth. It pleased her to
assume an acquaintance with Mrs. Bertram, although she thoroughly
despised that good lady's style of furnishing a house.

"I'll introduce you with pleasure, my dear," she said to Mrs. Butler.
"Yes, I like Mrs. Bertram very much. Did you say she was out when you
called? Oh! she was in to me. Yes, I saw the house. I don't think she
had finished furnishing it. The drawing-room looked quite bare. A
made-up sort of look, you understand. Lots of flowers on t