the diary of a nobody-第24章

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ie　was　about　to　say　something；　but　she　was　interrupted；　for　which　I　was　rather　pleased；　for　she　is　not　clever　at　argument；　and　one　has　to　be　extra　clever　to　discuss　a　subject　with　a　man　like　Mr。　Huttle。

He　continued；　with　an　amazing　eloquence　that　made　his　unwelcome　opinions　positively　convincing：　　〃The　happy　medium　is　nothing　more　or　less　than　a　vulgar　half…measure。　　A　man　who　loves　champagne　and；　finding　a　pint　too　little；　fears　to　face　a　whole　bottle　and　has　recourse　to　an　imperial　pint；　will　never　build　a　Brooklyn　Bridge　or　an　Eiffel　Tower。　　No；　he　is　half…hearted；　he　is　a　half…measure　…　respectable　…　in　fact；　a　happy　medium；　and　will　spend　the　rest　of　his　days　in　a　suburban　villa　with　a　stucco…column　portico；　resembling　a　four…post　bedstead。〃

We　all　laughed。

〃That　sort　of　thing；〃　continued　Mr。　Huttle；　〃belongs　to　a　soft　man；　with　a　soft　beard　with　a　soft　head；　with　a　made　tie　that　hooks　on。〃

This　seemed　rather　personal　and　twice　I　caught　myself　looking　in　the　glass　of　the　cheffoniere；　for　I　had　on　a　tie　that　hooked　on　…　and　why　not？　　If　these　remarks　were　not　personal　they　were　rather　careless；　and　so　were　some　of　his　subsequent　observations；　which　must　have　made　both　Mr。　Franching　and　his　guests　rather　uncomfortable。　　I　don't　think　Mr。　Huttle　meant　to　be　personal；　for　he　added；　〃We　don't　know　that　class　here　in　this　country：　　but　we　do　in　America；　and　I've　no　use　for　them。〃

Franching　several　times　suggested　that　the　wine　should　be　passed　round　the　table；　which　Mr。　Huttle　did　not　heed；　but　continued　as　if　he　were　giving　a　lecture：

〃What　we　want　in　America　is　your　homes。　　We　live　on　wheels。　　Your　simple；　quiet　life　and　home；　Mr。　Franching；　are　charming。　　No　display；　no　pretension！　　You　make　no　difference　in　your　dinner；　I　dare　say；　when　you　sit　down　by　yourself　and　when　you　invite　us。　You　have　your　own　personal　attendant　…　no　hired　waiter　to　breathe　on　the　back　of　your　head。〃

I　saw　Franching　palpably　wince　at　this。

Mr。　Huttle　continued：　　〃Just　a　small　dinner　with　a　few　good　things；　such　as　you　have　this　evening。　　　You　don't　insult　your　guests　by　sending　to　the　grocer　for　champagne　at　six　shillings　a　bottle。〃

I　could　not　help　thinking　of　〃Jackson　Freres〃　at　three…and…six！

〃In　fact；〃　said　Mr。　Huttle；　〃a　man　is　little　less　than　a　murderer　who　does。　　That　is　the　province　of　the　milksop；　who　wastes　his　evening　at　home　playing　dominoes　with　his　wife。　　I've　heard　of　these　people。　　We　don't　want　them　at　this　table。　　Our　party　is　well　selected。　　We've　no　use　for　deaf　old　women；　who　cannot　follow　intellectual　conversation。〃

All　our　eyes　were　turned　to　Mrs。　Field；　who　fortunately；　being　deaf；　did　not　hear　his　remarks；　but　continued　smiling　approval。

〃We　have　no　representative　at　Mr。　Franching's　table；〃　said　Mr。　Huttle；　〃of　the　unenlightened　frivolous　matron；　who　goes　to　a　second　class　dance　at　Bayswater　and　fancies　she　is　in　Society。　Society　does　not　know　her；　it　has　no　use　for　her。〃

Mr。　Huttle　paused　for　a　moment　and　the　opportunity　was　afforded　for　the　ladies　to　rise。　　I　asked　Mr。　Franching　quietly　to　excuse　me；　as　I　did　not　wish　to　miss　the　last　train；　which　we　very　nearly　did；　by…the…by；　through　Carrie　having　mislaid　the　little　cloth　cricket…　cap　which　she　wears　when　we　go　out。

It　was　very　late　when　Carrie　and　I　got　home；　but　on　entering　the　sitting…room　I　said：　　〃Carrie；　what　do　you　think　of　Mr。　Hardfur　Huttle？〃　　She　simply　answered：　　〃How　like　Lupin！〃　　The　same　idea　occurred　to　me　in　the　train。　　The　comparison　kept　me　awake　half　the　night。　　Mr。　Huttle　was；　of　course；　an　older　and　more　influential　man；　but　he　WAS　like　Lupin；　and　it　made　me　think　how　dangerous　Lupin　would　be　if　he　were　older　and　more　influential。　　I　feel　proud　to　think　Lupin　DOES　resemble　Mr。　Huttle　in　some　ways。　　Lupin；　like　Mr。　Huttle；　has　original　and　sometimes　wonderful　ideas；　but　it　is　those　ideas　that　are　so　dangerous。　　They　make　men　extremely　rich　or　extremely　poor。　　They　make　or　break　men。　　I　always　feel　people　are　happier　who　live　a　simple　unsophisticated　life。　　I　believe　I　am　happy　because　I　am　not　ambitious。　　Somehow　I　feel　that　Lupin；　since　he　has　been　with　Mr。　Perkupp；　has　become　content　to　settle　down　and　follow　the　footsteps　of　his　father。　　This　is　a　comfort。



CHAPTER　XXI。



Lupin　is　discharged。　　We　are　in　great　trouble。　　Lupin　gets　engaged　elsewhere　at　a　handsome　salary。


May　13。　…　A　terrible　misfortune　has　happened：　　Lupin　is　discharged　from　Mr。　Perkupp's　office；　and　I　scarcely　know　how　I　am　writing　my　diary。　　I　was　away　from　office　last　Sat。；　the　first　time　I　have　been　absent　through　illness　for　twenty　years。　　I　believe　I　was　poisoned　by　some　lobster。　　Mr。　Perkupp　was　also　absent；　as　Fate　would　have　it；　and　our　most　valued　customer；　Mr。　Crowbillon；　went　to　the　office　in　a　rage；　and　withdrew　his　custom。　　My　boy　Lupin　not　only　had　the　assurance　to　receive　him；　but　recommended　him　the　firm　of　Gylterson；　Sons　and　Co。　Limited。　　In　my　own　humble　judgment；　and　though　I　have　to　say　it　against　my　own　son；　this　seems　an　act　of　treachery。

This　morning　I　receive　a　letter　from　Perkupp；　informing　me　that　Lupin's　services　are　no　longer　required；　and　an　interview　with　me　is　desired　at　eleven　o'clock。　　I　went　down　to　the　office　with　an　aching　heart；　dreading　an　interview　with　Mr。　Perkupp；　with　whom　I　have　never　had　a　word。　　I　saw　nothing　of　Lupin　in　the　morning。　　He　had　not　got　up　when　it　was　time　for　me　to　leave；　and　Carrie　said　I　should　do　no　good　by　disturbing　him。　　My　mind　wandered　so　at　the　office　that　I　could　not　do　my　work　properly。

As　I　expected；　I　was　sent　for　by　Mr。　Perkupp；　and　the　following　conversation　ensued　as　nearly　as　I　can　remember　it。

Mr。　Perkupp　said：　　〃Good…morning；　Mr。　Pooter！　　This　is　a　very　serious　business。　　I　am　not　referring　so　much　to　the　dismissal　of　your　son；　for　I　knew　we　should　have　to　part　sooner　or　later。　　I　am　the　head　of　this　old；　influential；　and　much…respected　firm；　and　when　I　consider　the　time　has　come　to　revolutionise　the　business；　I　will　do　it　myself。〃

I　could　see　my　good　master　was　somewhat　affected；　and　I　said：　　〃I　hope；　sir；　you　do　not　imagine　that　I　have　in　any　way　countenanced　my　son's　unwarrantable　interference？〃　　Mr。　Perkupp　rose　from　his　seat　and　took　my　hand；　and　said：　　〃Mr。　Pooter；　I　would　as　soon　suspect　myself　as　suspect　you。〃　　I　was　so　agitated　that　in　the　confusion；　to　show　my　gratitude　I　very　nearly　called　him　a　〃grand　old　man。〃

Fortunately　I　checked　myself　in　time；　and　said　he　was　a　〃grand　old　master。〃　　I　was　so　unaccountable　for　my　actions　that　I　sat　down；　leaving　him　standing。　　Of　course；　I　at　once　rose；　but　Mr。　Perkupp　bade　me　sit　down；　which　I　was　very　pleased　to　do。　　Mr。　Perkupp；　resuming；　said：　　〃You　will　understand；　Mr。　Pooter；　that　the　high…　standing　nature　of　our　firm　will　not　admit　of　our　bending　to　anybody。　　If　Mr。　Crowbillon　chooses　to　put　his　work　into　other　hands　…　I　may　add；　less　experienced　hands　…　it　is　not　for　us　to　bend　and　beg　back　his　custom。〃　　〃You　SHALL　not　do　it；　sir；〃　I　said　with　indignation。　　〃Exactly；〃　replied　Mr。　Perkupp；　〃I　shall　NOT　do　it。　　But　I　was　thinking　this；　Mr。　Pooter。　　Mr。　Crowbillon　is　our　most　valued　client；　and　I　will　even　confess　…　for　I　know　this　will　not　go　beyond　ourselves　…　that　we　cannot　afford　very　well　to　lose　him；　especially　in　these　times；　which　are　not　of　the　brightest。　Now；　I　fancy　you　can　be　of　service。〃

I　replied：　　〃Mr。　Perkupp；　I　will　work　day　and　night　to　serve　you！〃

Mr。　Perkupp　said：　　〃I　know　you　will。　　Now；　what　I　should　like　you　to　do　is　this。　　You　yourself　might　write　to　Mr。　Crowbillon　…　you　must　not；　of　course；　lead　him　to　suppose　I　know　anything　about　your　doing　so　…　and　explain　to　him　that　your　son　was　only　taken　on　as　a　clerk　…　quite　an　inexperienced　one　in　fact　…　out　of　the　respect　the　firm　had　for　you；　Mr。　Pooter。　　This　is；　of　course；　a　fact。　　I　don't　suggest　that　you　should　speak　in　too　strong　terms　of　your　own　son's　conduct；　but　I　may　add；　that　had　he　been　a　son　of　mine；　I　should　have　condemned　his　interference　with　no　measured　terms。　　That　I　leave　to　you。　　I　think　the　result　will　be　that　Mr。　Crowbillon　will　see　the　force　of　the　foolish　step　he　has　taken；　and　our　firm　will　neither　suffer　in　dignity　nor　in　pocket。〃

I　could　not　help　thinking　what　a　noble　gentleman　Mr。