"
The door burst open and Catherine Malsom raged into the room.
"Here's a nice affair," she screamed, "a strike of household servants
without a moment's warning, and I'm left like this! I can't appear in
public in this condition."
After a very hasty scrutiny Sophie assured her that she could not.
"Have they all struck?" she asked her maid.
"Not the kitchen staff," said Richardson, "they belong to a different
union."
"Dinner at least will be assured," said Sophie, "that is something to be
thankful for."
"Dinner!" snorted Catherine, "what on earth is the good of dinner when
none of us will be able to appear at it? Look at your hair--and look at
me! or rather, don't."
"I know it's difficult to manage without a maid; can't your husband be
any help to you?" asked Sophie despairingly.
"Henry? He's in worse case than any of us. His man is the only person
who really understands that ridiculous new-fangled Turkish bath that he
insists on taking with him everywhere."
"Surely he could do without a Turkish bath for one evening," said Sophie;
"I can't appear without hair, but a Turkish bath is a luxury."
"My good woman," said Catherine, speaking with a fearful intensity,
"Henry was in the bath when the strike started. In it, do you
understand? He's there now."
"Can't he get out?"
"He doesn't know how to. Every time he pulls the lever marked 'release'
he only releases hot steam. There are two kinds of steam in the bath,
'bearable' and 'scarcely bearable'; he has released them both.
Pages:
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134