“Yes indeed, monsieur, I will learn everything right off.”
“Do you know how to make a bed?”
“I think so. At the pastor’s I always used to make mine all by myself.”
“Or you did not make it at all! Never mind, we shall soon see.”
“But, Monsieur Goefle, when my aunt came to Falun this morning to see me off on my journey, she told me that I wouldn’t have to work. She said: ‘You won’t have anything to do at the chateau where you are going with your master. In the chateau of the Baron de—de—’”
“De Waldemora?”
“Yes, that’s it!—‘there are beautiful rooms always in order, and plenty of servants to do everything. What Monsieur Goefle wants is, that you should always be on hand to give orders in his place. He don’t wish to take François, because François would never stay in his room. He was always drinking, and amusing himself with the other servants, and monsieur would have to run and hunt him up to get what he wanted. That put him out, and he did not like it at all. Now you must be very good, and never leave him; do you hear? You must see that he is well waited upon, and then you will be waited upon too.’”
“So,” said the doctor, “that is what you expect!”
“I am sure I am very good, Monsieur Goefle. I don’t leave you; I am not running about with the tall servants at the chateau.”
“Would to heaven you were! I defy you to do anything of the kind, however, in our present quarters.”