Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-16
XVII.
Dinner is Served.

Hal
Monsieur Pierre. having uttered this ejac-
ulation, stepped back and rested his fat
hands on his fat hips. AS he surveyed the
impromptu butter shade of perplexfty
spread over his oily face. He smoothed his
imperial and frowned. This groom certain
Iy looked right, but there was something
lacking in his make up, that fndefinabie
something which is always found In the true
servant-servility. There was no HUMILITY
here, no hypocritical meekness, no suavity:
there was nothing SNUG or seif-satisiied.
In TRUTH there was something grimiy ear
nest was not to be understood readily.
Monsieur Pierre, having always busted him-
self with soups and curries and roasts ana
sauces. was not a profound analyst; yet ms
instructive shrewdness at Cnce tod MN
that this fellow was no servant, nor
could he ever be made into one. Though
voluble enough in his kitchen. monsieur
Pierre lacked expression when confronted
by any problem outside Of 1t. Here was the
regulation swallow-tail coat and trousers OF
green. the striped red vest and the polished
brass buttons: but the man inside was too
much for him.
'Diable! you luke right. But no. / can
not explain Eet ees on zee tongue. but eet
rayfuse. Ha! / hat eet! You lack vot gay
call zee real You make me tink uf zee
sairvant on zee stage, something bettair of {:
en- L Ul5 WAS dS near dS iHOH3iCuA CNSA
got to the truth of things.
During this speculative inventory War
burton's face was gravely set: indeed. 1t pic
tured his exact feelings. He was grave. He
even wanted Pierre's approval. He was
about to pass through very trying ordeal;
he might not even pass through 1t. There
was no deceiving his colonefs eyes. hang
him! Whatever had induced fate to force
this old Argus-eyed soldier upon the scene
He glanced into the kitchen mirror. He In
stantly saw the salient flaw in his dress 1t
was the cravat. Tie 1t as he would, 1t never
approached the likeness Of the conventional
polished cravat. worldly cravat the
cravat seen in ball rooms. drawing
rooms. in the theater stalls and boxes.
anywhere but IN the servants hall On
the collar button! And then there was
that servants low turned-down collar.
glossy as celluloid. He felt as dffhdent IN
his bare throat as debutante feels in her
covered up, as 1t were. And. heaven and
earth, how appallingly large his hands had
grown, how clumsy his feet! Would the
colonel expose him? Would he keep silent?
This remained to be found out; wherein lay
the terror of suspense.
"Remembair." went on Monsieur Pierre,
after a pause, feeling that he had duty
to fulfill and a responsibility to shirt TO
other shoulders than his own. "rememba1r.
ees you spill zee soup, 1 keel you. You
carry zee tureen in, zen you desh out zee
soup, and sairve. Zee oystares should be
on zee table tree minutes before zee guests
hat arrive. Now, you can make zee Amerl-
can cocktail?"
Il can''-with a ghost of a smile.
Make heem"-with pompous wave OF
the hand toward the favorite ingredients.
What kind?'
"Vot kind! Eez zare more cocktails,
zen?"
Only two that are proper. the manhattan
and the martini"
Make zee martini: know heem.'
But cocktails ought not be mixed before
serving"
II say, make zee one cocktail''-coldly
and skeptically. II test heem.''
Warburton made one. Monsieur slipped 1t
slowly, making wry face, for. true Gaul
that he was, only two kinds of stimuiants
appealed to his palate liquors and wines.
He found it as good as any he had ever
tasted.
EYER good''-softening 'Zare ees, zen.
one ting Eat all zee Americans can make.
zee cocktail? am educate; learn. Now.
leaf me till eight. Keep zee collect head
and Monsieur Pierre turned his attention to
his cartridges.
James went out of doors to get a breath
Of fresh air and to collect his thoughts.
which we're wool-gathering. whatever that
may me an. They needed collecting, these
thoughts of his, and labelling. for they were
a. all points of the compass, and he was
at loss upon which to draw for support.
Here he was, in devil of a fix, and no pos
SIDE way VI escaping tACept ny absolutely
boiling; and he vowed that he wouIdn t
holt, not If he stood the chance of being
exposed fifty times over. He had danced;
he was going to pay the fiddler like man,
He had never run away from anything and
he wasn't going to begin now
AT the worst, they could only laugh at
him: but his secret would be his no longer.
ASS that he had been. How to tell this
her as his natural self? What a chance
he had willfully thrown away! He might
have been guest tonight; he might have
sat next to her turned the pages of her
music, and perhaps sighed love in her ear,
all of which would have been very proper
and conventional. Ah If he only knew
what was going on behind those Mediter-
ranean eyes of hers, those heavenly sap
phires. Had she any suspicion? No, 1t
could not be possible; she had Inundated
him too often to suspect the imposture.
Alackaday!
Had any one else applied the disreputable
terms he applied to himself there would
have been battle royal. When he became
out Of breath he re-entered the house to
have final look at the table before the
ordeal began.
maculate linen. beautiful silver and spark
ling cut glass. He wondered how much
the girl was worth. and thought of his own
miserable 4,5OO the year. True. his capital
some s75 900. but 1t would be no longer the
goose with the golden egg. A great bowl
of roses stood on a glass center piece. As
he leaned toward them to inhale their per-
fume he heard a sound. He turned.
She stood framed in doorway, picture
such as artists conture up to fit in sunltt
corners of gloomy studios: beauty, youth,
radiance luster, happiness. To his ardent
ewes she was supremely beautiful. How
wildly his heart beat! This was the first
time he haa seen her In all her glory. His
emotion was so strong that ne ola not op-
.erye that she was biting her neither lip.
rs everything well, james," she asked,
meaning the possibilities of service and not
the cardiac intranquillity of the servant.
VERY we'll, Miss Annesley'-with a sud-
den bold scrutiny.
Whatever 1t was she saw in his
ewes it had the effect Of making
hers turn aside To abridge the
awkwardness of the moment, he rear
ranged a napkin; and she remarked his
hands They were tanned but they were
elegantly shaped and scrupulously well
taken care of-the hands of a gentleman
born. of an aristocrat. He could feel her
gaze penetrate like acid. -ie grew yislbls
nervous.
You haven't the hand OF servant.
James'-quietly.
He started, and knocked fork to tine
floor.
'They are too clumsy" she went on ma
liciously.
II am not a butler. miss: I am a groom.
I -