The butler's political views--which were guarded--he determinedly pursued, undeterred by Baines's cautious and deferential retreats.

He considered the footman as a potential friend, whatever the footman might consider him.

Their common manhood, in Franklin's eyes, entirely outweighed the slight, extraneous accidents of fortune--nay, these differences gave an additional interest.

The footman had, no doubt, a point of view novel and valuable, if one could get at it.
Franklin did not attempt to get at it by any method subversive of order or interfering with Thomas's duties; he observed all the conventions demanded by varying function.

But Helen, strolling one morning before breakfast outside the dining-room windows, heard within and paused to listen to Mr.Kane's monotonous and slightly nasal tones as he shared the morning news with Thomas, who, with an air of bewildered if obedient attention, continued his avocations between the sideboard and the breakfast-table.
'Now I should say,' Franklin remarked, 'that something of that sort--Germany's doing wonders with it--could be worked here in England if you set yourselves to it.' 'Yes, sir,' said Thomas.
'Berlin has eliminated the slums, you know,' said Franklin, looking thoughtfully at Thomas over the top of the paper.