And,
although the way they talked among themselves made Mary feel as
if she were in a strange country, with strange modes, not of
living merely, but of feeling and of regarding, she received not
the smallest annoyance during the rest of the meal--which did not
last long: Mrs. Perkin took care of that.
For an hour or more, after the rest had scattered to their
respective duties, she was left alone. Then Mrs. Perkin sent for
her.
When she entered her room, she found her occupied with the cook,
and was allowed to stand unnoticed.
"When shall I be able to see Mrs. Redmain, ma'am?" she asked,
when the cook at length turned to go.
"Wait," rejoined Mrs. Perkin, with a quiet dignity, well copied,
"until you are addressed, young woman."--Then first casting a
glance at her, and perhaps perceiving on her countenance a
glimmer of the amusement Mary felt, she began to gather a more
correct suspicion of the sort of being she might possibly be, and
hastily added, "Pray, take a seat."
The idea of making a blunder was unendurable to Mrs. Perkin, and
she was most unwilling to believe she had done so; but, even if
she had, to show that she knew it would only be to render it the
more difficult to recover her pride of place. An involuntary
twinkle about the corners of Mary's mouth made her hasten to
answer her question.
"I am sorry," she said, "that I can give you no prospect of an
interview with Mrs.
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