The Remains of the Day

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It was made clear, furthermore, that the Society did not regard the houses of businessmen or the 'newly rich' as 'distinguished', and in my opinion this piece of out-dated thinking crucially undermined any serious authority the Society may have achieved to arbitrate on standards in our profession.

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I did, I suppose, hope that she might finally relent a little and make some conciliatory response or other, allowing us once and for all to put the whole episode behind us.

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The remarks grew ever more debased and treacherous so that Mr Charles - at least so he claimed - was obliged to intervene with the suggestion that such talk was bad form.

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But I am digressing.

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I was quite prepared to forgive the couple, however, for it was clear they were of diligent hard-working habits, and the noise, I am sure, was all attributable to this fact.

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It does us great discredit to treat a defeated foe like this.

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It is possible this is a case of hindsight colouring my memory, but I have a distinct feeling that it was at that moment I first sensed something odd, something duplicitous perhaps, about this apparently charming American gentleman.

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...for all the talk this question has engendered over the years, there have been very few attempts within the profession to formulate an official answer.

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Not only was it alleged that the manoeuvre had been a most un-British attack on civilian Boer settlements, overwhelming evidence emerged that it had been irresponsibly commanded with several floutings of elementary military precautions, so that the men who had died - my brother among them - had died quite needlessly.

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Indeed, once, shortly after lunch, I recall I came upon the two gentlemen talking rather furtively just inside the library doorway, and it was my distinct impression they broke off their discussion upon my approach.

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...it is most curious to see that you have so much time on your hands that you are able to simply wander about this house bothering others with gratuitous comments.

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That is really heretical!

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It really was immaterial whether it was Miss Kenton or a complete stranger who had walked in at that moment.

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But I see I am becoming unduly introspective, and in a rather morose sort of way at that.

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"Oh, Stevens," he began with a false air of nonchalance, but then seemed at a loss how to continue.

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...seemed to be pushing at the trolley before him, which for some reason had taken on an obstinate immobility.

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...each time I moved towards the light to serve the gentlemen, my advancing footsteps would echo long and loud before I reached the table, drawing attention to my impending arrival in the most ostentatious manner;

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