Phineas Finn by Anthony Trollope — Read

It was a Wednesday evening and there was no House; -- and at seven o'clock Phineas was at Mr. Monk's hall door. He was the first of the guests, and he found Mr. Monk alone in the dining-room. "I am doing butler," said Mr. Monk, who had a brace of decanters in his hands, which he proceeded to put down in the neighbourhood of the fire. "But I have finished, and now we will go upstairs to receive the two great men properly. "

"I beg your pardon for coming too early," said Finn.