The only thing that grows down is potatoes, he told his protégé.
The first rule of patronage has always been that the protégé's actions and manner reflect on the patron.
Promotion of a protégé is a serious exercise where to recommend an unsuitable one damages one's own standing.
British Dictionary definitions for protégé
protégé
/ˈprəʊtɪˌʒeɪ/
noun
1.
a person who is protected and aided by the patronage of another person
Word Origin
C18: from French protéger to protect
Word Origin and History for protégé
protege
n.
1778, from French protégé (fem. protégée) "one who is protected," noun use of past participle of Middle French protéger "protect," from Latin protegere (see protect; also cf. protection).