To the table or to bed · You must come when you are bid

“To the table or to bed / You must come when you are bid” is a brief, rhyming expression whose paired destinations and compulsory summons give it the force of a domestic rule. Placed immediately before “CHAPTER ONE” and “January,” it frames the opening with a contrast between eating and retiring—and with the insistence that the person addressed must respond when called.

Wording and Form

The couplet moves from two alternatives, “the table” and “bed,” to a single requirement: “You must come when you are bid.” Its rhyme makes the command compact and memorable, while “must” leaves little room for choice. The wording presents obedience not as a request but as an expectation attached to everyday household life.

Position and Significance

The expression appears just before the first chapter heading, so it serves as an opening frame rather than dialogue attributed to a particular character. Its concise rule-like form introduces an atmosphere of summons and obligation before the narrative begins; the evidence does not identify who first said it or specify its origin.