Ididnotthinkthetimewascomeformuchparley.Ihadaninstinctivefeelingthatitwouldbefollytoletone’stempereffervesceoftenwithsuchamanasEdward.Isaidtomyself,“Iwillplacemycupunderthiscontinualdroppingitshallstandtherestillandsteadywhenfull,itwillrunoverofitself—meantimepatience.Twothingsarecertain.IamcapableofperformingtheworkMr.CrimsworthhassetmeIcanearnmywagesconscientiously,andthosewagesaresufficienttoenablemetolive.Astothefactofmybrotherassumingtowardsmethebearingofaproud,harshmaster,thefaultishis,notmineandshallhisinjustice,hisbadfeeling,turnmeatonceasidefromthepathIhavechosen?Noatleast,ereIdeviate,Iwilladvancefarenoughtoseewhithermycareertends.AsyetIamonlypressinginattheentrance—astraitgateenoughitoughttohaveagoodterminus.”WhileIthusreasoned,Mr.Crimsworthrangabellhisfirstclerk,theindividualdismissedpreviouslytoourconference,re-entered.
“Mr.Steighton,”saidhe,“showMr.WilliamthelettersfromVoss,Brothers,andgivehimEnglishcopiesoftheanswershewilltranslatethem.”
Mr.Steighton,amanofaboutthirty-five,withafaceatonceslyandheavy,hastenedtoexecutethisorderhelaidthelettersonthedesk,andIwassoonseatedatit,andengagedinrenderingtheEnglishanswersintoGerman.Asentimentofkeenpleasureaccompaniedthisfirstefforttoearnmyownliving—asentimentneitherpoisonednorweakenedbythepresenceofthetaskmaster,whostoodandwatchedmeforsometimeasIwrote.Ithoughthewastryingtoreadmycharacter,butIfeltassecureagainsthisscrutinyasifIhadhadonacasquewiththevisordown—orratherIshowedhimmycountenancewiththeconfidencethatonewouldshowanunlearnedmanaletterwritteninGreekhemightseelines,andtracecharacters,buthecouldmakenothingofthemmynaturewasnothisnature,anditssignsweretohimlikethewordsofanunknowntongue.Erelongheturnedawayabruptly,asifbaffled,andleftthecounting-househereturnedtoitbuttwiceinthecourseofthatdayeachtimehemixedandswallowedaglassofbrandy-and-water,thematerialsformakingwhichheextractedfromacupboardononesideofthefireplacehavingglancedatmytranslations—hecouldreadbothFrenchandGerman—hewentoutagaininsilence.