tommy and co[1].(托米和科)-第16节
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Mrs。 Postwhistle looked her new assistant up and down。
〃Oh！〃 said Mrs。 Postwhistle。 〃Well； I shouldn't 'ave felt
instinctively it must be you； not if I'd 'ad to pick you out of a crowd。
But if you tell me so； why； I suppose you are。 Come in。〃
The weak…kneed wastrel； receiving to his astonishment a shilling；
departed。
Grindley senior had selected wisely。 Mrs。 Postwhistle's theory was
that although very few people in this world understood their own
business； they understood it better than anyone else could understand it
for them。 If handsome； well…educated young gentlemen； who gave
shillings to wastrels； felt they wanted to become smart and capable
grocers' assistants； that was their affair。 Her business was to teach them
their work； and； for her own sake； to see that they did it。 A month went
by。 Mrs。 Postwhistle found her new assistant hard…working； willing；
somewhat clumsy； but with a smile and a laugh that transformed
mistakes； for which another would have been soundly rated； into
welcome variations of the day's monotony。
〃If you were the sort of woman that cared to make your fortune；〃
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said one William Clodd； an old friend of Mrs。 Postwhistle's； young
Grindley having descended into the cellar to grind coffee； 〃I'd tell you
what to do。 Take a bun…shop somewhere in the neighbourhood of a
girls' school； and put that assistant of yours in the window。 You'd do a
roaring business。〃
〃There's a mystery about 'im；〃 said Mrs。 Postwhistle。
〃Know what it is？〃
〃If I knew what it was； I shouldn't be calling it a mystery；〃 replied
Mrs。 Postwhistle； who was a stylist in her way。
〃How did you get him？ Win him in a raffle？〃
〃Jones； the agent； sent 'im to me all in a 'urry。 An assistant is what I
really wanted； not an apprentice； but the premium was good； and the
references everything one could desire。〃
〃Grindley； Grindley；〃 murmured Clodd。 〃Any relation to the Sauce；
I wonder？〃
〃A bit more wholesome； I should say； from the look of him；〃 thought
Mrs。 Postwhistle。
The question of a post office to meet its growing need had long been
under discussion by the neighbourhood。 Mrs。 Postwhistle was
approached upon the subject。 Grindley junior； eager for anything that
might bring variety into his new； cramped existence； undertook to
qualify himself。
Within two months the arrangements were complete。 Grindley junior
divided his time between dispensing groceries and despatching
telegrams and letters； and was grateful for the change。
Grindley junior's mind was fixed upon the fashioning of a
cornucopia to receive a quarter of a pound of moist。 The customer； an
extremely young lady； was seeking to hasten his operations by tapping
incessantly with a penny on the counter。 It did not hurry him； it only
worried him。 Grindley junior had not acquired facility in the
fashioning of cornucopiasthe vertex would invariably become unrolled
at the last moment； allowing the contents to dribble out on to the floor or
counter。 Grindley junior was sweet…tempered as a rule； but when
engaged upon the fashioning of a cornucopia； was irritable。
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Tommy and Co。
〃Hurry up； old man！〃 urged the extremely young lady。 〃I've got
another appointment in less than half an hour。〃
〃Oh； damn the thing！〃 said Grindley junior； as the paper for the
fourth time reverted to its original shape。
An older lady； standing behind the extremely young lady and holding
a telegram…form in her hand； looked indignant。
〃Temper； temper；〃 remarked the extremely young lady in reproving
tone。
The fifth time was more successful。 The extremely young lady went
out； commenting upon the waste of time always resulting when boys
were employed to do the work of men。 The older lady； a haughty
person； handed across her telegram with the request that it should be sent
off at once。
Grindley junior took his pencil from his pocket and commenced to
count。
〃Digniori； not digniorus；〃 commented Grindley junior； correcting the
word； 〃datur digniori； dative singular。〃 Grindley junior； still irritable
from the struggle with the cornucopia； spoke sharply。
The haughty lady withdrew her eyes from a spot some ten miles
beyond the back of the shop； where hitherto they had been resting； and
fixed them for the first time upon Grindley junior。
〃Thank you；〃 said the haughty lady。
Grindley junior looked up and immediately； to his annoyance； felt
that he was blushing。 Grindley junior blushed easilyit annoyed him
very much。
The haughty young lady also blushed。 She did not often blush； when
she did； she felt angry with herself。
〃A shilling and a penny；〃 demanded Grindley junior。
The haughty young lady counted out the money and departed。
Grindley junior； peeping from behind a tin of Abernethy biscuits； noticed
that as she passed the window she turned and looked back。 She was a
very pretty； haughty lady。 Grindley junior rather admired dark； level
brows and finely cut； tremulous lips； especially when combined with a
mass of soft； brown hair； and a rich olive complexion that flushed and
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Tommy and Co。
paled as one looked at it。
〃Might send that telegram off if you've nothing else to do； and there's
no particular reason for keeping it back；〃 suggested Mrs。 Postwhistle。
〃It's only just been handed in；〃 explained Grindley junior； somewhat
hurt。
〃You've been looking at it for the last five minutes by the clock；〃
said Mrs。 Postwhistle。
Grindley junior sat down to the machine。 The name and address of
the sender was Helvetia Appleyard； Nevill's Court。
Three days passedsingularly empty days they appeared to Grindley
junior。 On the fourth； Helvetia Appleyard had occasion to despatch
another telegramthis time entirely in English。
〃One…and…fourpence；〃 sighed Grindley junior。
Miss Appleyard drew forth her purse。 The shop was empty。
〃How did you come to know Latin？〃 inquired Miss Appleyard in quite
a casual tone。
〃I picked up a little at school。 It was a phrase I happened to
remember；〃 confessed Grindley junior； wondering why he should be
feeling ashamed of himself。
〃I am always sorry；〃 said Miss Appleyard； 〃when I see anyone
content with the lower life whose talents might； perhaps； fit him for the
higher。〃 Something about the tone and manner of Miss Appleyard
reminded Grindley junior of his former Rector。 Each seemed to have
arrived by different roads at the same philosophical aloofness from the
world； tempered by chastened interest in human phenomena。 〃Would
you like to try to raise yourselfto improve yourselfto educate
yourself？〃
An unseen little rogue； who was enjoying himself immensely；
whispered to Grindley junior to say nothing but 〃Yes；〃 he should。
〃Will you let me help you？〃 asked Miss Appleyard。 And the simple
and heartfelt gratitude with which Grindley junior closed upon the offer
proved to Miss Appleyard how true it
