“But why do your London friends treat him so cavalierly? They rarely notice him when they meet him at your place. Yet he is as well-born and bred as any of them. What are they afraid of?”
Byron smiled and whispered in Trelawny’s ear:
“Shelley is not a Christian.”
“Are they?”
“Ask them.”
“If I met the Devil at your table,” said Trelawny, “I should treat him as a friend of yours.”
The Pilgrim looked at him keenly to see if there were a double meaning, then moving his horse up nearer said in a low voice of admirably acted fear and respect:
“The Devil is a Royal Personage.”
⁂
With the Williamses, Trelawny was more outspoken. The three of them formed the chorus to the tragedy; knowing they were not made for the chief parts, they took pleasure in commenting the acting of those who were.