'I don't know that I did,' said Mr. Mafferton—which made the situation awkward for me; for if there is an uncomfortable thing, it is to appropriate a compliment which was not intended. An Englishman is a being absolutely devoid of tact.
'So this is William the Conqueror?' I said, by way of changing the subject.
[Original]
'It may be a little like his clothes,' said Mr. Mafferton, indifferently.
'Oh! don't say that, Mr. Mafferton. I'm sure he looks every inch a William the Conqueror! See how polite he is to his wife, too—I suppose that's because he's French?'
Mr. Mafferton didn't say anything, and it occurred to me that perhaps I had not expressed myself well.
'Do you notice,' I went on, 'how he wears his crown—all tipped to one side? He reminds me just a little, Mr. Mafferton, with that type of face—enterprising, you know—and hair that length, only it ought to be dark, and if the crown were only a wide-brimmed, soft felt hat—he reminds mo very much of those Californian ranchers and miners Bret Harte and Joaquin Miller write about.'
'Do you mean cowboys?' asked Mr. Mafferton, in a way that told me he wasn't going to agree with me.