If Croesus discharges his kitchen-maid and gets another, it is as
though he cut out a small piece of his finger and replaced it in due
course by growth. But even the slightest cut may lead to blood-
poisoning, and so even the dismissal of a kitchen-maid may be big
with the fate of empires. Thus the cook, a valued servant, may take
the kitchen-maid's part and go too. The next cook may spoil the
dinner and upset Croesus's temper, and from this all manner of
consequences may be evolved, even to the dethronement and death of
the king himself. Nevertheless as a general rule an injury to such a
low part of a great monarch's organism as a kitchen-maid has no
important results. It is only when we are attacked in such vital
organs as the solicitor or the banker that we need be uneasy. A
wound in the solicitor is a very serious thing, and many a man has
died from failure of his bank's action.
It is certain, as we have seen, that when the kitchen-maid lights the
fire it is really Croesus who is lighting it, but it is less obvious
that when Croesus goes to a ball the scullery-maid goes also. Still
this should be held in the same way as it should be also held that
she eats vicariously when Croesus dines. For he must return the
balls and the dinner parties and this comes out in his requiring to
keep a large establishment whereby the scullery-maid retains her
place as part of his organism and is nourished and amused also.
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