the diary of a nobody-第22节

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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。　Perkupp　is。　His　manners　and　his　way　of　speaking　seem　to　almost　thrill　one　with　respect。

I　said：　　〃Would　you　like　to　see　the　letter　before　I　send　it？〃

Mr。　Perkupp　said：　　〃Oh　no！　　I　had　better　not。　　I　am　supposed　to　know　nothing　about　it；　and　I　have　every　confidence　in　you。　　You　must　write　the　letter　carefully。　　We　are　not　very　busy；　you　had　better　take　the　morning　to…morrow；　or　the　whole　day　if　you　like。　　I　shall　be　here　myself　all　day　to…morrow；　in　fact　all　the　week；　in　case　Mr。　Crowbillon　should　call。〃

I　went　home　a　little　more　cheerful；　but　I　left　word　with　Sarah　that　I　could　not　see　either　Gowing　or　Cummings；　nor　in　fact　anybody；　if　they　called　in　the　evening。　　Lupin　came　into　the　parlour　for　a　moment　with　a　new　hat　on；　and　asked　my　opinion　of　it。　　I　said　I　was　not　in　the　mood　to　judge　of　hats；　and　I　did　not　think　he　was　in　a　position　to　buy　a　new　one。　　Lupin　replied　carelessly：　　〃I　didn't　buy　it；　it　was　a　present。〃

I　have　such　terrible　suspicions　of　Lupin　now　that　I　scarcely　like　to　ask　him　questions；　as　I　dread　the　answers　so。　　He；　however；　saved　me　the　trouble。

He　said：　　〃I　met　a　friend；　an　old　friend；　that　I　did　not　quite　think　a　friend　at　the　time；　but　it's　all　right。　　As　he　wisely　said；　'all　is　fair　in　love　and　war；'　and　there　was　no　reason　why　we　should　not　be　friends　still。　　He's　a　jolly；　good；　all…round　sort　of　fellow；　and　a　very　different　stamp　from　that　inflated　fool　of　a　Perkupp。〃

I　said：　　〃Hush；　Lupin！　　Do　not　pray　add　insult　to　injury。〃

Lupin　said：　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　injury？　　I　repeat；　I　have　done　no　injury。　　Crowbillon　is　simply　tired　of　a　stagnant　stick…in…the…mud　firm；　and　made　the　change　on　his　own　account。　　I　simply　recommended　the　new　firm　as　a　matter　of　biz　…　good　old　biz！〃

I　said　quietly：　　〃I　don't　understand　your　slang；　and　at　my　time　of　life　have　no　desire　to　learn　it；　so；　Lupin；　my　boy；　let　us　change　the　subject。　　I　will；　if　it　please　you；　TRY　and　be　interested　in　your　new　hat　adventure。〃

Lupin　said：　　〃Oh！　there's　nothing　much　about　it；　except　I　have　not　once　seen　him　since　his　marriage；　and　he　said　he　was　very　pleased　to　see　me；　and　hoped　we　should　be　friends。　　I　stood　a　drink　to　cement　the　friendship；　and　he　stood　me　a　new　hat　…　one　of　his　own。〃

I　said　rather　wearily：　　〃But　you　have　not　told　me　your　old　friend's　name？〃

Lupin　said；　with　affected　carelessness：　　〃Oh　didn't　I？　　Well；　I　will。　　It　was　MURRAY　POSH。〃

May　14。　…　Lupin　came　down　late；　and　seeing　me　at　home　all　the　morning；　asked　the　reason　of　it。　　Carrie　and　I　both　agreed　it　was　better　to　say　nothing　to　him　about　the　letter　I　was　writing；　so　I　evaded　the　question。

Lupin　went　out；　saying　he　was　going　to　lunch　with　Murray　Posh　in　the　City。　　I　said　I　hoped　Mr。　Posh　would　provide　him　with　a　berth。　Lupin　went　out　laughing；　saying：　　〃I　don't　mind　WEARING　Posh's　one…　priced　hats；　but　I　am　not　going　to　SELL　them。〃　　Poor　boy；　I　fear　he　is　perfectly　hopeless。

It　took　me　nearly　the　whole　day　to　write　to　Mr。　Crowbillon。　　Once　or　twice　I　asked　Carrie　for　suggestions；　and　although　it　seems　ungrateful；　her　suggestions　were　none　of　them　to　the　point；　while　one　or　two　were　absolutely　idiotic。　　Of　course　I　did　not　tell　her　so。　　I　got　the　letter　off；　and　took　it　down　to　the　office　for　Mr。　Perkupp　to　see；　but　he　again　repeated　that　he　could　trust　me。

Gowing　called　in　the　evening；　and　I　was　obliged　to　tell　him　about　Lupin　and　Mr。　Perkupp；　and；　to　my　surprise；　he　was　quite　inclined　to　side　with　Lupin。　　Carrie　joined　in；　and　said　she　thought　I　was　taking　much　too　melancholy　a　view　of　it。　　Gowing　produced　a　pint　sample…bottle　of　Madeira；　which　had　been　given　him；　which　he　said　would　get　rid　of　the　blues。　　I　dare　say　it　would　have　done　so　if　there　had　been　more　of　it；　but　as　Gowing　helped　himself　to　three　glasses；　it　did　not　leave　much　for　Carrie　and　me　to　get　rid　of　the　blues　with。

May　15。　…　A　day　of　great　anxiety；　for　I　expected　every　moment　a　letter　from　Mr。　Crowbillon。　　Two　letters　came　in　the　evening　…　one　for　me；　with　〃Crowbillon　Hall〃　printed　in　large　gold…and…red　letters　on　the　back　of　the　envelope；　the　other　for　Lupin；　which　I　felt　inclined　to　open　and　read；　as　it　had　〃Gylterson；　Sons；　and　Co。　Limited；〃　which　was　the　recommended　firm。　　I　trembled　as　I　opened　Mr。　Crowbillon's　letter。　　I　wrote　him　sixteen　pages；　closely　written；　he　wrote　me　less　than　sixteen　lines。

His　letter　was：　　〃Sir；　…　I　totally　disagree　with　you。　　Your　son；　in　the　course　of　five　minutes'　conversation；　displayed　more　intelligence　than　your　firm　has　done　during　the　last　five　years。　…　Yours　faithfully；　Gilbert　E。　Gillam　O。　Crowbillon。〃

What　am　I　to　do？　　Here　is　a　letter　that　I　dare　not　show　to　Mr。　Perkupp；　and　would　not　show　to　Lupin　for　anything。　　The　crisis　had　yet　to　come；　for　Lupin　arrived；　and；　opening　his　letter；　showed　a　cheque　for　25　pounds　as　a　commission　for　the　recommendation　of　Mr。　Crowbillon；　whose　custom　to　Mr。　Perkupp　is　evidently　lost　for　ever。　Cummings　and　Gowing　both　called；　and　both　took　Lupin's　part。　Cummings　went　so　far　as　to　say　that　Lupin　would　make　a　name　yet。　　I　suppose　I　was　melancholy；　for　I　could　only　ask：　　〃Yes；　but　what　sort　of　a　name？〃

May　16。　…　I　told　Mr。　Perkupp　the　contents　of　the　letter　in　a　modified　form；　but　Mr。　Perkupp　said：　　〃Pray　don't　discuss　the　matter；　it　is　at　an　end。　　Your　son　will　bring　his　punishment　upon　himself。〃　　I　went　home　in　the　evening；　thinking　of　the　hopeless　future　of　Lupin。　　I　found　him　in　most　extravagant　spirits　and　in　evening　dress。　　He　threw　a　letter　on　the　table　for　me　to　read。

To　my　amazement；　I　read　that　Gylterson　and　Sons　had　absolutely　engaged　Lupin　at　a　salary　of　200　pounds　a　year；　with　other　advantages。　　I　read　the　letter　through　three　times　and　thought　it　must　have　been　for　me。　　But　there　it　was　…　Lupin　Pooter　…　plain　enough。　　I　was　silent。　　Lupin　said：　　〃What　price　Perkupp　now？　　You　take　my　tip；　Guv。　…　'off'　with　Perkupp　and　freeze　on　to　Gylterson；　the　firm　of　the　future！　　Perkupp's　firm？　　The　stagnant　dummies　have　been　standing　still　for　years；　and　now　are　moving　back。　　I　want　to　go　on。　　In　fact　I　mus