mode of living to the turmoil likely to follow the imposition of
obnoxious regulations upon the aristocrats below-stairs. But the
coming of Thaddeus's friend made a difference.

The friend was an elderly man, with a business and a system. He was
a man, for instance, who all his life had breakfasted at seven,
lunched at one, and dined at six-thirty, of which Thaddeus was aware
when he invited him to make his suburban home his headquarters while
his own house was being renovated and his family abroad. Thaddeus
was also aware that the breakfast and dinner hours under Bessie's
regime were nominally those of his friend, and so he was able to
assure Mr. Liscomb that his coming would in no way disturb the usual
serenity of the domestic pond. The trusting friend came. Breakfast
number one was served fifteen minutes after the hour, and for the
first time in ten years Mr. Liscomb was late in arriving at his
office. He had not quite recovered from the chagrin consequent upon
his tardiness when that evening he sat down to dinner at Thaddeus's
house, served an hour and ten minutes late, Ellen having been
summoned by wire to town to buy a pair of shoes for one of her
sister's children, the sister herself suffering from poverty and
toothache.

"I hope you were not delayed seriously this morning, Mr. Liscomb,"
said Bessie, after dinner.

"Oh no, not at all!" returned Liscomb, polite enough to tell an
untruth, although its opposite was also a part of his system.

"Ellen must be more prompt with breakfast," said Thaddeus. "Seven,
sharp, is the hour. Did you speak to her about it?"