"Certainly not."

Betteredge made a note of that concession, on the spot.

"As to the first corridor next," he resumed. "When we moved

the ornaments in that part, we moved a statue of a fat naked

child--profanely described in the catalogue of the house as 'Cupid,

god of Love.' He had two wings last year, in the fleshy part of his

shoulders. My eye being off him, for the moment, he lost one of them. Am

I responsible for Cupid's wing?"

I made another concession, and Betteredge made another note.

"As to the second corridor," he went on. "There having been nothing in

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it, last year, but the doors of the rooms (to every one of which I can

swear, if necessary), my mind is easy, I admit, respecting that part of

the house only. But, as to Mr. Franklin's bedroom (if THAT is to be

put back to what it was before), I want to know who is responsible for

keeping it in a perpetual state of litter, no matter how often it may

be set right--his trousers here, his towels there, and his French novels

everywhere. I say, who is responsible for untidying the tidiness of Mr.

Franklin's room, him or me?"

Mr. Blake declared that he would assume the whole responsibility with

the greatest pleasure. Betteredge obstinately declined to listen to any

solution of the difficulty, without first referring it to my sanction

and approval. I accepted Mr. Blake's proposal; and Betteredge made a

last entry in the pocket-book to that effect.

"Look in when you like, Mr. Jennings, beginning from to-morrow," he

said, getting on his legs. "You will find me at work, with the necessary

persons to assist me. I respectfully beg to thank you, sir, for

overlooking the case of the stuffed buzzard, and the other case of

the Cupid's wing--as also for permitting me to wash my hands of all

responsibility in respect of the pins on the carpet, and the litter in

Mr. Franklin's room. Speaking as a servant, I am deeply indebted to you.

Speaking as a man, I consider you to be a person whose head is full

of maggots, and I take up my testimony against your experiment as a

delusion and a snare. Don't be afraid, on that account, of my feelings

as a man getting in the way of my duty as a servant! You shall be

obeyed. The maggots notwithstanding, sir, you shall be obeyed. If it

ends in your setting the house on fire, Damme if I send for the engines,

unless you ring the bell and order them first!"




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