Mrs. Sargent happened to be President of the Club at that time, so Mrs. Salisbury had only to ignore graciously the rather offensive phrasing of the invitation, and to await the news of her election, which duly and promptly arrived.

And now Justine had been asked to speak at the Forum!  It was the most distasteful bit of information that had come Mrs. Salisbury’s way in a long, long time!  She felt in her heart a stinging resentment against Mrs. Sargent, with her mad notions of equality, and against Justine, who was so complacently and contentedly accepting this monstrous state of affairs.

“That is very kind of Mrs. Sargent,” said she, fighting for dignity; “she is very much interested in working girls and their problems, and I suppose she thinks this might be a good advertisement for the school, too.”  This idea had just come to Mrs. Salisbury, and she found it vaguely soothing.  “But I don’t like the idea,” she ended firmly; “it—­it seems very odd, very—­very conspicuous.  I should prefer you not to consider anything of the kind.”

“I should prefer” was said in the tone that means “I command,” yet Justine was not satisfied.

“Oh, but why?” she asked.

“If you force me to discuss it,” said Mrs. Salisbury, in sudden anger, “because you are my maid!  My gracious, you are my maid,” she repeated, pent-up irritation finding an outlet at last.  “There is such a relationship as mistress and maid, after all!  While you are in my house you will do as I say.  It is the mistress’s place to give orders, not to take them, not to have to argue and defend herself—­”

“Certainly, if it is a question about the work the maid is supposed to do,” Justine defended herself, with more spirit than the other woman had seen her show before.  “But what she does with her leisure--why it’s just the same as what a clerk does with his leisure, nobody questions it, nobody—­”

“I tell you that I will not stand here and argue with you,” said Mrs. Salisbury, with more dignity in her tone than in her words.  “I say that I don’t care to have my maid exploited by a lot of fashionable women at a club, and that ends it!  And I must add,” she went on, “that I am extremely surprised that Mrs. Sargent should approach you in such a matter, without consulting me!”

“The relationship of mistress and maid,” Justine said slowly, “is what has always made the trouble.  Men have decided what they want done in their offices, and never have any trouble in finding boys to fill the vacancies.  But women expect—­”

“I really don’t care to listen to any further theories from that extraordinary school,” said Mrs. Salisbury decidedly.  “I have told you what I expect you to do, and I know you are too sensible a girl to throw away a good position—­”

“Mrs. Salisbury, if I intended to say anything in such a little talk that would reflect on this family, or even to mention it, it would be different, but, as it is—­”