The list being settled, Mrs. Worldly’s own work is done.  She sends word to her cook that there will be twenty-four on the tenth; the menu will be submitted to her later, which she will probably merely glance at and send back.  She never sees or thinks about her table, which is in the butler’s province.

On the morning of the dinner her secretary brings her the place cards, (the name of each person expected, written on a separate card) and she puts them in the order in which they are to be placed on the table, very much as though playing solitaire.  Starting with her own card at one end and her husband’s at the other, she first places the lady of honor on his right, the second in importance on his left.  Then on either side of herself, she puts the two most important gentlemen.  The others she fits in between, trying to seat side by side those congenial to each other.

[Illustration:  “DETAIL OF PLACE SET AT A FORMAL DINNER TABLE OF A GREAT HOUSE.” [Page 179.]]

When the cards are arranged, the secretary attends to putting the name of the lady who sits on each gentleman’s right in the envelope addressed to him.  She then picks up the place cards still stacked in their proper sequence, and takes them to the butler who will put them in the order arranged on the table after it is set.

Fifteen minutes before the dinner hour, Mrs. Worldly is already standing in her drawing-room.  She has no personal responsibility other than that of being hostess.  The whole machinery of equipment and service runs seemingly by itself.  It does not matter whether she knows what the menu is.  Her cook is more than capable of attending to it.  That the table shall be perfect is merely the every-day duty of the butler.  She knows without looking that one of the chauffeurs is on the sidewalk; that footmen are in the hall; that her own maid is in the ladies’ dressing-room, and the valet in that of the gentlemen; and that her butler is just outside the door near which she is standing.

So with nothing on her mind (except a jewelled ornament and perfectly “done” hair) she receives her guests with the tranquillity attained only by those whose household—­whether great or small—­can be counted on to run like a perfectly coordinated machine.

=HOW A DINNER CAN BE BUNGLED=

This is the contrasting picture to the dinner at the Worldly’s—­a picture to show you particularly who are a bride how awful an experiment in dinner giving can be.

Let us suppose that you have a quite charming house, and that your wedding presents included everything necessary to set a well-appointed table.  You have not very experienced servants, but they would all be good ones with a little more training.

You have been at home for so few meals you don’t quite know how experienced they are.  Your cook at least makes good coffee and eggs and toast for breakfast, and the few other meals she has cooked seemed to be all right, and she is such a nice clean person!