His Other Wife: A Novel — page 188: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

180 ‘THE NOTE OF DOOM. frame through another siege of suffering and the exhaust- ing waste from the reopened wound. Of course Mrs. Warren was at once summoned to the bedside of her son, where Alice . Drapes divided with her the duties of nurse. It was a sad pleasure for the kindly little governess to thus show her appreciation for the unvarying deference and gentle consideration which Warren had ‘manifested to- ward her, in sharp contrast with the cold: slights, and marked indifference that bordered on contempt, with which many others among the guests of Lucerne had treated her, in accordance with the prevailing idea of that period, that any employee, no matter in what capacity, was to be regarded as an inferior in social rank. Absurd as the fact was, society elected to dictate the status of hirelings without the least regard to their. per- sonal qualities or mental attainments. The necessity which compelled them to be paid for their services, lost them the right to occupy the position among ladies and gentlemen to which their respective and superior attain- ments entitled them. .This was thought requisite to the maintenance of social order. On one occasion Vernois had intimated to Faith that she conferred unwonted honor upon her governess by treating her as a social equal. The girl had answered with indignant surprise : ‘‘Do you mean to say that because I, an ignorant girl, employ a well-bred, intellectual, and dignified woman for (E(0) im Eomicbooks: