Asshedescendedfromthecarriagethegirlwastremulousanduncertainofherselfandmuchoverpoweredbytheunbendingairoftheman—servantwhoreceivedherasifshewereaparcelinwhichitwasnopartofhisdutytotakethesmallestinterest。Asshemountedthestonestepsshecaughtaglimpseofbroadgloomwithinthethreshold，abig，square，dingyhallwheresomeotherservantsweredrawnupinarow。ShehadreadofsomethingofthesortinEnglishnovels，andshewassuddenlyembarrassedafreshbyherrealisationofthefactthatshedidnotknowwhattodoandthatifshemadeamistakeNigelwouldneverforgiveher。
Anelderlywomancameoutofaroomopeningintothehall。Shewasanuglywomanofarigidcarriage，which，withtheobviousintentionofbeingseverelymajestic，wasonlyantagonistic。Shehadaflaccidchin，andwascuriouslylikeNigel。Shehadalsohisexpressionwhenheintendedtobedisagreeable。ShewastheDowagerLadyAnstruthers，andbeinganentirelyrevoltingoldpersonatherbest，sheobjectedextremelytothetransatlanticbridewhohadmadeheradowager，thoughshewasdeterminedlypreparedtoprofitbyanypracticalbenefitlikelytoaccrue。
\"Well，Nigel，\"shesaidinadeepvoice。\"Hereyouareatlast。\"
Thiswasofcourseastatementnottoberefuted。Sheheldoutaleatherncheek，andasSirNigelalsopresentedhis，theircaressofgreetingwasasingularandnoteffusiveone。
\"Isthisyourwife？\"sheasked，givingRosalieabonyhand。