I was his master in a very few minutes, for I was much stronger than he
reckoned for. When I had him at my discretion, I let him get up and thus
addressed him:
"I have every reason to be extremely offended with you," I said, "but I
believe that you have acted honestly. Let me, however, recommend you not
to interfere in the private and personal affairs of gentlemen until you
have fitted yourself to understand them. I am going upon a journey in a
manner which appears becoming to one who is responsible for these
lamentable troubles. I shall leave my property here in your charge, but
will ask you to accept such of those articles as are on the floor as may
be of use to you. When you see me again it will be as your indulgent
master; but he who now bids you farewell is unworthy to shake your
hand."
He nevertheless took my hand and kissed it devotedly immediately
afterwards he had fallen upon my discarded trifles.
"Excellency! Excellency!" he cried, gasping, "what bounty! what
splendour of soul!" He fingered my watch, listened to it. "It goes yet--
it is a famous watch!" He babbled like a happy child. "Mechlin stuff,
every thread of it!" He smoothed out the lace ends of my cravat. So he
ran through the silly things one after another--shoes which he could not
wear, a sword which he could not use, a coat which must exhibit him a
monkey--he grovelled before me and would have kissed my foot, but that I
shrank from him in disgust.
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