Page:Maud Howe - A Newport Aquarelle.djvu/141

 holds, beside this, another position,—that of a sort of gentleman caterer. It is a unique office, I think. He gets up all the assemblies, and arranges the menu of the supper, as well as the list of subscribers. He is willing to do this sort of work for society, and on the whole society is grateful to him, as no one else would give the time, pains, and trouble to it. Though he is in a sense the servant of society, inasmuch as he serves it, he is also its ruler, and he is courted from fear, if from nothing else, like the French king with the little leaden images in his hat. Gray Grosvenor's images are of gold, and not of lead."

"One sees that you do not like the gentleman, Mrs. Craig?" said Larkington.

"Like him? Why should I? Because I come from Baltimore, and he does n't happen to know anything about me, he leaves me out of his picnic. I not only dislike him, but I have been praying solemnly for the last week that it might rain on the day fixed for his fête, and spoil it all."