“I should never dare to give you tapers, sir, without express orders from the count.”
“I should have thought such a thing would go without saying.”
“Yes, in other houses, but here nothing goes without saying. I have to buy the tapers and he pays me, and every time he has one it is noted down.”
“Then you can give me a pound of wax lights if I pay you for them?”
“Of course, but I think I must tell the count, for you know . . . .”
“Yes, I know all about it, but I don’t care.”
I gave him the price of a pound of wax lights, and went for a walk, as he told me dinner was at one. I was somewhat astonished on coming back to the house at half-past twelve to be told that the count had been half an hour at table.
I did not know what to make of all these acts of rudeness; however, I moderated my passion once more, and came in remarking that the abbé had told me dinner was at one.
“It is usually,” replied the count, “but to-day I wanted to pay some calls and take you with me, so I decided on dining at noon. You will have plenty of time.”
He then gave orders for all the dishes that had been taken away to be brought back.