"She kept asserting everything was 'mock' this and 'mock' that. She even thought

you were 'mock', Stevens."

 

"Indeed, sir?"

 

"Indeed, Stevens. I'd told her you were the real thing. A real old English

butler.

 

That you'd been in this house for over thirty years, serving a real English

lord. But Mrs Wakefield contradicted me on this point. In fact, she contradicted

me with great confidence."

 

"Is that so, sir?"

 

"Mrs Wakefield, Stevens, was convinced you never worked here until I hired you.

 

In fact, she seemed to be under the impression she'd had that from your own

lips.

 

Made me look pretty much a fool, as you can imagine."

 

"It's most regrettable, sir."

 

"I mean to say, Stevens, this is a genuine grand old English house, isn't it?