"Oh! let me alone! Do you suppose dictionaries grow in my garden?"
"I tell you that you are called Olitor by monseigneur’s orders."
"And I tell you that our master can’t order such silly nonsense as that!"
"Silly nonsense! The fruit of my long investigation!"
"My dear Férulus," said Robineau, stepping forward majestically, "I do justice to your learning, and I know that so far as erudition is concerned you could swallow all these fellows without winking; but I shall not give new names to my servants; it would be likely to mix me all up; so I shall simply call them by the name of their profession, that is to say, concierge, gardener, valet; I like that better."
"Vive monseigneur!" said Cunette, tossing his hat in the air; while Férulus turned away, muttering between his teeth:
"This is what comes of taking pains to establish a household with taste! This is the way learning is encouraged! Numerus stultorum est infinitus!"
Robineau, having made the acquaintance of all the rest of his new servants, came to Jeannette, who was the last in the line, and who presented the foot-warmer to him.
"What is that thing, my dear?" said Robineau, as he looked at it.
"Why, monseigneur, it is an attribute, as that gentleman all dressed in black called it, who engaged me to work for you."