In these days Mrs.Proudie considered herself to be by no means the least among bishops' wives.
She had opened the season this year in a new house in Gloucester Place, at which the reception rooms, at any rate, were all that a lady bishop could desire.

Here she had a front drawing-room of very noble dimensions, a second drawing-room rather noble also, though it had lost one of its back corners awkwardly enough, apparently in a jostle with the neighbouring house; and then there was a third--shall we say drawing-room, or closet ?--in which Mrs.Proudie delighted to be seen sitting, in order that the world might know that there was a third room; altogether a noble suite, as Mrs.Proudie herself said in confidence to more than one clergyman's wife from Barsetshire.
"A noble suite, indeed, Mrs.Proudie!" the clergymen's wives from Barsetshire would usually answer.
For some time Mrs.Proudie was much at a loss to know by what sort of party or entertainment she would make herself famous.

Balls and suppers were of course out of the question.

She did not object to her daughters dancing all night at other houses--at least, of late she had not objected, for the fashionable world required it, and the young ladies had perhaps a will of their own--but dancing at her house--absolutely under the shade of the bishop's apron--would be a sin and a scandal.

And then as to suppers--of all modes in which one may extend one's hospitality to a large acquaintance, they are the most costly.