"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 the tables, and
that nasty, cold, cheap felt under your feet. Not that _I_ mind how
a house is furnished." (She did very much. Her one and only object in
life seemed to be to lade her own mansion with ugly and expensive
upholstery.) "Now, what's the matter, Miss Peters? Why, you are all on
wires. Where _are_ you off to now?"

"I see the Rector," responded Miss Peters. "I'll run and ask him when he
expects Mrs. Bertram. I'll be back presently with the news."