On Down the Food Chain...

I remember Mrs. Buff-Orpington, the richest lady in the world, from the old Blondie radio show. She didn't get up one morning because her maid didn't come to turn down the covers. Turns out the maid's maid didn't come to turn down her covers.

Now Ignoto asks: what is the novel (Viennese?) where the high civil servant has a protégé ? But it turns out the high civil servant is himself a protégé? So, a protégé of a protégé?

Acolyte? Minion? Schlepperman? Gopher? Ganymede? Flunky?

For valuabale prizes...