Page:Kéraban the Inflexible Part 1 (Jules Verne).djvu/10

12 "Don’t you think, sir, that we are quite far enough from Holland by this time?" said the valet drily.

"I do not think I can ever be too far from it,” replied his master in a low voice, as if he were afraid of Holland hearing him.

In Bruno, Van Mitten possessed a most devoted servitor. This faithful valet in some respects resembled his master, as much so, indeed, as his deference would permit him to resemble that personage, with whom he had been so many years associated. For twenty years master and man had not been separated for a day. If Bruno in the house was something less than a friend, he was more than a servant. He performed his service intelligently, methodically, and did not scruple to give advice, of which Van Mitten might take advantage; or make complaints which his master would accept without remonstrance. He was very much annoyed, however, when he had to obey the orders of any but his master; yet he could not resist—in a word, he wanted "character."

It may be added that Bruno, who was at this time forty years of age, was of a rather lazy temperament; he could not bear to move about. To be able to endure an active life, one must train and get thin; but Bruno was in the habit of having himself weighed every week so as to ensure his maintaining his rotundity of form.

When he entered the service of Van Mitten he turned the scale at only one hundred pounds, which was a miserable weight for a Dutchman. But within a year afterwards he had gained thirty pounds in weight, and was not ashamed to go anywhere. To his master, therefore, he owed it that he had reached the hundred and sixty-seven pounds of flesh which he then carried about with him, and which put him in such a good position amongst his countrymen. He found it necessary also to be modest and reserved, so that in time he might arrive at the proud distinction of pulling down two hundred pounds in the scale.

In fine, Bruno, who was greatly attached to his native land, which he looked upon as the finest in Europe, or in the world for that matter, would never, unless under very urgent circumstances, have quitted Rotterdam, the first city