periorityoutofthequestion,then,youmuststillagreetoreceivemyordersnowandthen,withoutbeingpiquedorhurtbythetoneofand.Willyou?”

    Ismiled:IthoughttomyselfMr.RochesterISpeculiar—heseemstetthathepaysme￡30perannumforreceivinghisorders.

    “Thesmileisverywell,”saidhe,catginstantlythepassingexpression;“butspeaktoo.”

    “Iwasthinking,sir,thatveryfewmasterswouldtroublethemselvestoinquirewhetherornottheirpaidsubordinateswerepiquedandhurtbytheirorders.”

    “Paidsubordinates!What!youaremypaidsubordinate,areyou?Ohyes,Ihadfottenthesalary!Wellthen,onthatmeraryground,willyouagreetoletmehectoralittle?”

    “No,sir,notonthatground;but,onthegroundthatyoudidfetit,andthatyoucarewhetherornotadepeisfortableinhisdependency,Iagreeheartily.”

    “Andwillyousenttodispehagreatmanyventionalformsandphrases,withoutthinkingthattheomissionarisesfrominsolence?”

    “Iamsure,sir,IshouldnevermistakeinformalityforinsoleneIratherlike,theothernothingfree-bornwouldsubmitto,evenforasalary.”

    “Humbug!Mostthingsfree-bornwillsubmittoanythingforasalary;therefore,keeptoyourself,anddoureongeneralitiesofwhichyouareintenselyignorant.However,Imentallyshakehandswithyouforyouranswer,despiteitsinaccuradasmuchforthemannerinwhichitwassaid,asforthesubstahespeech;themannerwasfrankandsincere;ooftenseesuchamanner:no,orary,affectation,oress,orstupid,coarse-mindedmisapprehensionofone’smeaniheusualrewardsofdour.Notthreeihousandrawschool-girl-governesseswouldhaveansweredmeasyouhavejustdoIdooflatteryou:ifyou