第27部分(第5/7 页)

“Do　as　you　please；　sir。”

“That　is　no　answer；　or　rather　it　is　a　very　irritating；　because　a　very　evasive　one。　Reply　clearly。”

“I　don’t　think；　sir；　you　have　a　right　to　mand　me；　merely　because　you　are　older　than　I；　or　because　you　have　seen　more　of　the　world　than　I　have；　your　claim　to　superiority　depends　on　the　use　you　have　made　of　your　time　and　experience。”

“Humph！　Promptly　spoken。　But　I　won’t　allow　that；　seeing　that　it　would　never　suit　my　case；　as　I　have　made　an　indifferent；　not　to　say　a　bad；　use　of　both　advantages。　Leaving　superiority　out　of　the　question；　then；　you　must　still　agree　to　receive　my　orders　now　and　then；　without　being　piqued　or　hurt　by　the　tone　of　mand。　Will　you？”

I　smiled：　I　thought　to　myself　Mr。　Rochester　IS　peculiar—he　seems　to　forget　that　he　pays　me　￡30　per　annum　for　receiving　his　orders。

“The　smile　is　very　well；”　said　he；　catching　instantly　the　passing　expression；　“but　speak　too。”

“I　was　thinking；　sir；　that　very　few　masters　would　trouble　themselves　to　inquire　whether　or　not　their　paid　subordinates　were　piqued　and　hurt　by　their　orders。”

“Paid　subordinates！　What！　you　are　my　paid　subordinate；　are　you？　Oh　yes；　I　had　forgotten　the　salary！　Well　then；　on　that　mercenary　ground；　will　you　agree　to　let　me　hector　a　little？”

“No；　sir；　not　on　that　ground；　but；　on　the　ground　that　you　did　forget　it；　and　that　you　care　whether　or　not　a　dependent　is　fortable　in　his　dependency；　I　agree　heartily。”

“And　will　you　consent　to　dispense　with　a　great　many　conventional　forms　and　phrases；　without　thinking　that　the　omission　arises　from　insolence？”

“I　am　sure；　sir；　I　should　never　mistake　informality　for　insolence：　one　I　rather　like；　the　other　nothing　free…born　would　submit　to；　even　for　a　salary。”

“Humbu