Just then they reached the station and the train arrived and Mr.
Fenelby jumped aboard, and as it pulled out Billy turned and walked
back to the house.

VI

BRIDGET

When the Commonwealth of Bobberts had adopted the Fenelby Domestic
Tariff it had been Mrs. Fenelby's duty to inform Bridget of it, and
to explain it to her, and for two days Mrs. Fenelby worried about
it. It was only by exercising the most superhuman wiles that a
servant could be persuaded to sojourn in the suburb. To hold one in
thrall it was necessary to practice the most consummate diplomacy.
The suburban servant knows she is a rare and precious article, and
she is apt to be headstrong and independent, and so she must be
driven with a tight rein and strong hand, and yet she is so apt to
leave at a moment's notice if anything offends her, that she must be
driven with a light rein and a hand as light and gentle as a bit of
thistledown floating on a zephyr. This is a hard combination to
attain. It is like trying to drive a skittish and headstrong horse,
densely constructed of lamp-chimneys and window glass, down a rough
cobble-stoned hill road. If given the rein the glass horse will dash
madly to flinders, and if the rein is held taut the horse's glass
head will snap off and the whole business go to crash. No juggler
keeping alternate cannon-balls and feathers in the air ever
exercised greater nicety of calculation than did Mrs. Fenelby in her
act of at once retaining and restraining Bridget.

To go boldly into the kitchen and announce to Bridget that she would
hereafter be expected to pay into Bobberts' bank ten per cent. of
the value of every necessity and thirty per cent. of the value of
every luxury she brought into the house was the last thing that Mrs.
Fenelby would have thought of doing. There were bits in that rough
sketch of human nature known as Bridget's character that did not
harmonize with the idea. There had been nothing said, when Bridget
had been engaged, about a domestic tariff. Paying one is not usually
considered a part of a general house-worker's duties, and Mrs.
Fenelby felt that it would be poor policy to break this news to
Bridget too abruptly. She used diplomacy.

"Bridget," she said, kindly, "we are very well satisfied with the
way you do your work. We like you very well indeed."

"Thank ye, ma'am," answered Bridget, "and I'm glad to hear ye say it,
though it makes little odds t' me. I do the best I know how, ma'am,