“Here’s your ice,” said Miss Peters; “take it.  Don’t forget that you promised to introduce us to Mrs. Bertram, Mrs. Gorman Stanley.”

Mrs. Gorman Stanley was the wealthy widow of a retired fish-buyer.  She liked to condescend; also to show off her wealth.  It pleased her to assume an acquaintance with Mrs. Bertram, although she thoroughly despised that good lady’s style of furnishing a house.

“I’ll introduce you with pleasure, my dear,” she said to Mrs. Butler.  “Yes, I like Mrs. Bertram very much.  Did you say she was out when you called?  Oh! she was in to me.  Yes, I saw the house.  I don’t think she had finished furnishing it.  The drawing-room looked quite bare.  A made-up sort of look, you understand.  Lots of flowers on the tables, and that nasty, cold, cheap felt under your feet.  Not that I mind how a house is furnished.” (She did very much.  Her one and only object in life seemed to be to lade her own mansion with ugly and expensive upholstery.) “Now, what’s the matter, Miss Peters?  Why, you are all on wires.  Where are you off to now?”

“I see the Rector,” responded Miss Peters.  “I’ll run and ask him when he expects Mrs. Bertram.  I’ll be back presently with the news.”

The little lady tripped away, forcing her slim form through the ever-increasing crowd.  The rector was walking about with a very favorite small parishioner seated on his shoulder.

“Mr. Ingram,” piped Miss Peters.  “Don’t you think Mrs. Bertram might favor us with her presence by now?  We have all been looking for her.  It’s past five o’clock, and—­”

There was a hush, a pause.  At that moment Mrs. Bertram was sailing into the room.  Miss Peters’ exalted tones reached her ears.  She shuddered, turned pale, and also turned her back on the eager little spinster.

Nobody quite knew how it was managed, but Mrs. Bertram was introduced to very few of the Northbury folk.  They all wanted to know her; they talked about her, and came in her way, and stared at her whenever they could.  There was an expectant hush when she and the Rector were seen approaching any special group.

“I do declare it’s the Grays she’s going to patronize,” one jealous matron said.

But the Grays were passed over just as sedulously as the Joneses and the Smiths.  Excitement, again and again on the tenter-hooks, invariably came to nothing.  Even Mrs. Gorman Stanley, who had sat on Mrs. Bertram’s sofa, and condemned her felt carpet was only acknowledged by the most passing and stately recognition.  Little chance had the poor lady of effecting other introductions; she realized for the first time that she was only a quarter introduced to the great woman herself.

The fact was this:  There was not a soul in Northbury, at least there was not an acknowledged soul who could combat Mrs. Bertram’s will.  She had made up her mind to talk to no one but Mr. Ingram at the bazaar.  She carried out her resolve, and that though the Rector had formed such pleasant visions of making every one cheerful and happy all round, for he knew the simple weaknesses and desires of his flock, and saw not the smallest harm in gratifying them.  Why should not the Manor and the town be friendly?