Chapter 3

           Itinvariablyhappenedinthesameway.Mrs.JuliusBeaufort,onthenightofherannualball,neverfailedtoappearattheOpera;indeed,shealwaysgaveherballonanOperanightinordertoemphasisehercompletesuperioritytohouseholdcares,andherpossessionofastaffofservantscompetenttoorganiseeverydetailoftheentertainmentinherabsence.TheBeauforts’housewasoneofthefewinNewYorkthatpossessedaball-room(itantedatedevenMrs.MansonMingott’sandtheHeadlyChiverses’);andatatimewhenitwasbeginningtobethought"provincial"toputa"crash"overthedrawing-roomfloorandmovethefurnitureupstairs,thepossessionofaball-roomthatwasusedfornootherpurpose,andleftforthree-hundred-and-sixty-fourdaysoftheyeartoshuttereddarkness,withitsgiltchairsstackedinacorneranditschandelierinabag;thisundoubtedsuperioritywasfelttocompensateforwhateverwasregrettableintheBeaufortpast.Mrs.Archer,whowasfondofcoininghersocialphilosophyintoaxioms,hadoncesaid:"Weallhaveourpetcommonpeople—"andthoughthephrasewasadaringone,itstruthwassecretlyadmittedinmanyanexclusivebosom.ButtheBeaufortswerenotexactlycommon;somepeoplesaidtheywereevenworse.Mrs.BeaufortbelongedindeedtooneofAmerica’smosthonouredfamilies;shehadbeenthelovelyReginaDallas(oftheSouthCarolinabranch),apennilessbeautyintroducedtoNewYorksocietybyhercousin,theimprudentMedoraManson,whowasalwaysdoingthewrongthingfromtherightmotive.