Mrs Jamieson, meanwhile, was absorbed in wonder why Mr Mulliner did
not bring the tea; and at length the wonder oozed out of her mouth.
"I had better ring the bell, my dear, had not I?" said Lady
Glenmire briskly.
"No--I think not--Mulliner does not like to be hurried."
We should have liked our tea, for we dined at an earlier hour than
Mrs Jamieson. I suspect Mr Mulliner had to finish the St James's
Chronicle before he chose to trouble himself about tea. His
mistress fidgeted and fidgeted, and kept saying, I can't think why
Mulliner does not bring tea. I can't think what he can be about."
And Lady Glenmire at last grew quite impatient, but it was a pretty
kind of impatience after all; and she rang the bell rather sharply,
on receiving a half-permission from her sister-in-law to do so. Mr
Mulliner appeared in dignified surprise. "Oh!" said Mrs Jamieson,
"Lady Glenmire rang the bell; I believe it was for tea."
In a few minutes tea was brought. Very delicate was the china,
very old the plate, very thin the bread and butter, and very small
the lumps of sugar. Sugar was evidently Mrs Jamieson's favourite
economy. I question if the little filigree sugar-tongs, made
something like scissors, could have opened themselves wide enough
to take up an honest, vulgar good-sized piece; and when I tried to
seize two little minnikin pieces at once, so as not to be detected
in too many returns to the sugar-basin, they absolutely dropped
one, with a little sharp clatter, quite in a malicious and
unnatural manner.
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