XX + 

In Which the Doctor Has a Little Talk with His Servant + 

When he opened his eyes it was seven o’clock, and Honorine was bathing his temples with vinegar. The Doctor’s first thought was for his monkey, but the animal had disappeared. + 

“My monkey, where’s my monkey?” he exclaimed. + 

“Yes, it’s about time we did talk about him,” retorted the servant, who was also a mistress and was always ready to lose her temper. “A bad thing for him to be lost, is it? A pretty creature, upon my word! He mimics everything he sees you do. Didn’t I find him trying on your boots the other day? And then this morning, when I picked you up here⁠—and God knows what mad ideas you’ve got into your head lately⁠—anyhow they prevent your having a decent night’s rest⁠—this wretched creature⁠—devil, rather, in the form of a monkey⁠—had put on your skullcap and your dressing gown. He was looking at you and seemed to be laughing, as though it was a huge joke to see a man who had fainted. Then, when I tried to get near, the brute went for me as though he wanted to eat me, but, thank heavens, I’m not frightened of him and I’ve got a good pair of hands. I fetched the shovel to him and I hit him so hard on his ugly back that he ran away into your room. He’s probably up to some other mischievous trick there now.” + 

“You hit my monkey!” roared the exasperated Doctor. “Understand this, my good woman, from now onwards he’s to be respected and waited on like the master of the house.” + 

“Well, well, he’s not only the master of the house, he’s the master of the master, too, and has been for a long time past,” grumbled Honorine, as she went off to her kitchen, convinced that Doctor Heraclius Gloss was certainly mad. + 