The Honorable Miss | Page 7

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 _distingué_ effect. _En règle_, that was it; she said the
room was _en règle_."
"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."
The little lady tripped away, forcing her slim form through the

ever-increasing crowd. The rector was walking about with a very
favorite small parishioner seated on his shoulder.
"Mr. Ingram," piped Miss Peters. "Don't you think Mrs. Bertram might
favor us with her presence by now? We have all been looking for her.
It's past five o'clock, and--"
There was a hush, a pause. At that moment Mrs. Bertram was sailing
into the room. Miss Peters' exalted tones reached her ears. She
shuddered, turned pale, and also turned her back on the eager little
spinster.
Nobody quite knew how it was managed, but Mrs. Bertram was
introduced to very few of the Northbury folk. They all wanted to know
her; they talked about her, and came in her way, and stared at her
whenever they could. There was an expectant hush when she and the
Rector were seen approaching any special group.
"I do declare it's the Grays she's going to patronize," one jealous
matron said.
But the Grays were passed over just as sedulously as the Joneses and
the Smiths. Excitement, again and again on the tenter-hooks, invariably
came to nothing. Even Mrs. Gorman Stanley, who had sat on Mrs.
Bertram's sofa, and condemned her felt carpet was only acknowledged
by the most passing and stately recognition. Little chance had the poor
lady of effecting other introductions; she realized for the first time that
she was only a quarter introduced to the great woman herself.
The fact was this: There was not a soul in Northbury, at least there was
not an acknowledged soul who could combat Mrs. Bertram's will. She
had made up her mind to talk to no one but Mr. Ingram at the bazaar.
She carried out her resolve, and that though the Rector had formed such
pleasant visions of making every one cheerful and happy all round, for
he knew the simple weaknesses and desires of his flock, and saw not
the smallest harm in gratifying them. Why should not the Manor and
the town be friendly?
Mrs. Bertram saw a very good reason