Victor Hugo - The Man Who Laughs - Cosmopolitan University 2

pretty duchess is not an agreeable sister.
There was another grievance, Josiana's "improper" birth. Anne was the
daughter of Anne Hyde, a simple gentlewoman, legitimately, but
vexatiously, married by James II. when Duke of York. Anne, having this
inferior blood in her veins, felt herself but half royal, and Josiana,
having come into the world quite irregularly, drew closer attention to
the incorrectness, less great, but really existing, in the birth of the
queen. The daughter of _mésalliance_ looked without love upon the
daughter of bastardy, so near her. It was an unpleasant resemblance.
Josiana had a right to say to Anne, "My mother was at least as good as
yours." At court no one said so, but they evidently thought it. This was
a bore for her royal Majesty. Why this Josiana? What had put it into her
head to be born? What good was a Josiana? Certain relationships are
detrimental. Nevertheless, Anne smiled on Josiana. Perhaps she might
even have liked her, had she not been her sister.
CHAPTER VI.
BARKILPHEDRO.
It is useful to know what people do, and a certain surveillance is wise.
Josiana had Lord David watched by a little creature of hers, in whom she
reposed confidence, and whose name was Barkilphedro.
Lord David had Josiana discreetly observed by a creature of his, of whom
he was sure, and whose name was Barkilphedro.
Queen Anne, on her part, kept herself secretly informed of the actions
and conduct of the Duchess Josiana, her bastard sister, and of Lord
David, her future brother-in-law by the left hand, by a creature of
hers, on whom she counted fully, and whose name was Barkilphedro.
This Barkilphedro had his fingers on that keyboard--Josiana, Lord David,
a queen. A man between two women. What modulations possible! What
amalgamation of souls!
Barkilphedro had not always held the magnificent position of whispering
into three ears.
He was an old servant of the Duke of York. He had tried to be a
churchman but had failed. The Duke of York, an English and a Roman
prince, compounded of royal Popery and legal Anglicanism, had his
Catholic house and his Protestant house, and might have pushed
Barkilphedro in one or the other hierarchy; but he did not judge him to
be Catholic enough to make him almoner, or Protestant enough to make him
chaplain. So that between two religions, Barkilphedro found himself with
his soul on the ground.
Not a bad posture, either, for certain reptile souls.
Certain ways are impracticable, except by crawling flat on the belly.