"Don't let her _do_ it, Miss Henderson."
Fräulein Pfaff's words broke the silence accompanying the servant's
progress from Gertrude whose soup-plate she had first seized, to Miriam
more than half-way down the table.
Startled into observation Miriam saw the soup-spoon of her neighbour
whisked, dripping, from its plate to the uppermost of Marie's pile and
Emma shrinking back with a horrified face against Jimmie who was leaning
forward entranced with watching.... The whole table was watching. Marie,
having secured Emma's plate to the base of her pile clutched Miriam's
spoon. Miriam moved sideways as the spoon swept up, saw the desperate
hard, lean face bend towards her for a moment as her plate was seized,
heard an exclamation of annoyance from Fräulein and little sounds from
all round the table. Marie had passed on to Clara. Clara received her
with plate and spoon held firmly together and motioned her before she
would relinquish them, to place her load upon the shelf of the lift.
Miriam felt she was in disgrace with the whole table.... She sat,
flaring, rapidly framing phrase after phrase for the lips of her judges
... "slow and awkward" ... "never has her wits about her...."
"Don't let her do it, Miss Henderson...." Why should Fräulein fix upon
_her_ to teach her common servants? Struggling through her resentment
was pride in the fact that she did not know how to handle soup-plates.
Presently she sat refusing absolutely to accept the judgment silently
assailing her on all hands.
"You are not very domesticated, Miss Henderson."
"No," responded Miriam quietly, in joy and fear.
Fräulein gave a short laugh.
Goaded, Miriam plunged forward.
"We were never even allowed in the kitchen at home."
"I see. You and your sisters were brought up like Countesses, wie
Gräfinnen," observed Fräulein Pfaff drily.
Miriam's whole body was on fire ... "and your sisters and your sisters,"
echoed through and through her. Holding back her tears she looked full
at Fräulein and met the brown eyes. She met them until they turned away
and Fräulein broke into smiling generalities. Conversation was released
all round the table. Emphatic undertones reached her from the English
side. "Fool" ... "simply idiotic."
"I've done it now," mused Miriam calmly, on the declining tide of her
wrath.
Pretending to be occupied with those about her she sat examining the
look Fräulein had given her ... she hates me.... Perhaps she did from
the first.... She did from the first.... I shall have to go ... and
suddenly, lately, she has grown worse....