man at the piano was seen to yawn cavernously above the keys. The
guests began to depart, leaving an exhausted but happy Mrs. Batty. She
had been complimented by Miss Mallett on the perfection of her
arrangements, on the brilliance of the assembly, on the music and even
on the refreshments, and Mrs. Batty had blessed her own perseverance
against Mr. Batty's obstinacy in the matter of the supper. He had
wanted light refreshments and she had insisted on a knife-and-fork
affair, and Miss Caroline had actually remarked on the wisdom of a
solid meal. She had no patience with snacks. Mrs. Batty intended to
lull Mr. Batty to slumber with that quotation.

In the cab, as the Malletts jolted home in the care of the same surly
driver, Caroline complaisantly spoke of her congratulations. She would
not have said so much to anybody else, but she knew Mrs. Batty would
be pleased.

'So she was, dear,' Sophia said, but her more delicate social sense
was troubled. 'Though I do think one ought to treat everybody as one
would treat the greatest lady in the land. I think we ought to have
taken for granted that everything would be correct.'

'Rubbish! You must treat people as they want to be treated. She was
panting for praise, and she got it, and anyhow it's too late to
argue.'

They had stayed to the end so that Henrietta's pleasure should not be
curtailed, and now she was leaning back, very white and still.

'I believe the child's asleep,' Sophia whispered.