Why does the jeweller keep the duchess waiting for ten minutes? a. to hide the jewels

b. to tidy up the office

c. to appear punctual b. to tidy up the office

d. because it brings him pleasure

The book is - Virginia Woolf: The Duchess and the Jeweller

The answer is "he was bad enough in all conscience, but the devil himself could not temp him to turn slave-trader. satirical is a synonym for sarcastic. so when the author says that tom walker could not be tempted by the devil he does not literally mean "the devil" but he means that he is too morally upright to become a slave-trader.