Page:These Old Shades (Heyer 1927).pdf/41

RV 37 the valet, felt that this hot partisanship was sadly wrong; that any should defend the Duke struck forcibly at his sense of propriety, and more than once he tried to convince the page that it was the duty of any self-respecting menial to loathe the Duke.

"Mon petit," he said firmly, "it is ridiculous. It is unthinkable. Même, it is outrageous. It is against all custom. The Duke, he is not human. Some call him Satanas, and mon Dieu, they have reason!"

"I have never seen Satan," answered Léon, from a large chair where he sat with his feet tucked under him. "But I do not think that monseigneur is like him." He reflected. "But if he is like the devil no doubt I should like the devil very much. My brother says I am a child of the devil."

"That is shame!" said fat Madame Dubois, the housekeeper, shocked.

"Faith, he has the devil's own temper!" chuckled Gregory, a footman.

"But listen to me, you!" insisted Gaston. "M. le Duc is of a hardness! Ah, but who should know better than I? I tell you, moi qui vous parle, if he would but be enraged all would go well. If he would throw his mirror at my head I would say naught! That is a gentleman, a noble! But the Duc! Bah! he speaks softly—oh, but softly!—and his eyes they are al-most shut, while his voice—voilà, I shudder!" He did shudder, but revived at the murmur of applause. "And you, petit! When has he spoken to you as a boy? He speaks to you as his dog! Ah, but it is imbecile to admire such a man! It is not to be believed!"

"I am his dog. He is kind to me, and I love him," said Léon firmly.

"Kind! Madame, you hear?" Gaston appealed to the housekeeper, who sighed, and folded her hands.

"He is very young," she said.

"Now I will tell you of a thing!" Gaston exclaimed. "This Duc, what did he do, think you, three years ago? You see this hôtel? It is fine, it is costly! Eh bien! Me, I have served the Duke for six years, so you may know that I speak truth. Three years ago he was poor! There were