“Well,” said he, “I could be taking a liberty with the old song and singing 'Roguery Parts Good Company' if I were not, so far as music goes, as timber as the table there and in anything but a key for music even if I had the faculty. Talking about music, you have doubtless not heard the ingenious ballant connected with your name and your exploits. It has been the means of informing her Grace upon matters I had preferred she knew nothing about, because I liked to have the women I regard believe the world much better than it is. And it follows that you and I must bring our long connection to an end. When will it be most convenient for my Chamberlain to send me his resignation after 'twelve years of painstaking and intelligent service to the Estate,' as we might be saying, on the customary silver salver?”
Simon cursed within but outwardly never quailed.
“I know nothing about a ballant,” said he coolly, “but as for the rest of it, I thank God I can be taking a hint as ready as the quickest. Your Grace no doubt has reasons. And I'll make bold to say the inscription it is your humour to suggest would not be anyway extravagant, for the twelve years have been painstaking enough, whatever about their intelligence, of which I must not be the judge myself.”
“So far as that goes, sir,” said the Duke, “you have been a pattern. And it is your gifts that make your sins the more heinous; a man of a more sluggish intelligence might have had the ghost of an excuse for failing to appreciate the utmost loathsomeness of his sins.”
“Oh! by the Lord Harry, if it is to be a sermon—!” cried Simon, jumping to his feet.
“Keep your chair, sir! keep your chair like a man!” said the Duke. “I am thinking you know me well enough to believe there is none of the common moralist about me. I leave the preaching to those with a better conceit of themselves than I could afford to have of my indifferent self. No preaching, cousin, no preaching, but just a word among friends, even if it were only to explain the reason for our separation.”
The Chamberlain resumed his chair defiantly and folded his arms.
“I'll be cursed if I see the need for all this preamble,” said he; “but your Grace can fire away. It need never be said that Simon MacTaggart was feared to account for himself when the need happened.”
“Within certain limitations, I daresay that is true,” said the Duke.
“I aye liked a tale to come to a brisk conclusion,” said the Chamberlain, with no effort to conceal his impatience.