The waiter, a fine-looking young fellow, wearing a slightly distinctive
uniform, now made his appearance. I observed him closely, as it was the first
time I had been able to study particularly the bearing of one of the enlisted
members of the industrial army. This young man, I knew from what I had been
told, must be highly educated, and the equal, socially and in all respects, of
those he served. But it was perfectly evident that to neither side was the
situation in the slightest degree embarrassing. Dr. Leete addressed the young
man in a tone devoid, of course, as any gentleman's would be, of
superciliousness, but at the same time not in any way deprecatory, while the
manner of the young man was simply that of a person intent on discharging
correctly the task he was engaged in, equally without familiarity or
obsequiousness. It was, in fact, the manner of a soldier on duty, but without
the military stiffness. As the youth left the room, I said, »I cannot get over
my wonder at seeing a young man like that serving so contentedly in a menial
position.«
    »What is that word menial? I never heard it,« said Edith.
    »It is obsolete now,« remarked her father. »If I understand it rightly, it
applied to persons who performed particularly disagreeable and unpleasant tasks
for others, and carried with it an implication of contempt. Was it not so, Mr.
West?«
    »That is about it,« I said. »Personal service, such as waiting on tables,
was considered menial, and held in such contempt, in my day, that persons of
culture and refinement would suffer hardship before condescending to it.«
    »What a strangely artificial idea,« exclaimed Mrs. Leete, wonderingly.
    »And yet these services had to be rendered,« said Edith.
    »Of course,« I replied. »But we imposed them on the poor, and those who had
no alternative but starvation.«
    »And increased the burden you imposed on them by adding your contempt,«
remarked Dr. Leete.
    »I don't think I clearly understand,« said Edith. »Do you mean that you
permitted people to do things for you which you despised them for doing, or that
you accepted services from them which you would have been unwilling to render
them? You can't surely mean that, Mr. West?«
    I was obliged to tell her that the fact was just as she had stated. Dr.
Leete, however