CHAPTER XIV 170
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 command . Will you ?"
I smiled : I thought to myself Mr . Rochester IS peculiar -- he seems to forget that he pays me 30 pounds 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 comfortable 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 ."
" Humbug ! Most things free-born will submit to anything for a salary ; therefore , keep to yourself , and don ' t venture on generalities of which you are intensely ignorant . However , I mentally shake hands with you for your