gmyhand,andcongratulatedmewarmlyonmysuccess.
“‘Itwouldbeinjusticetohesitate,’saidhe.‘Youwill,however,Iamsure,excusemefortakinganobviousprecaution.’Withthatheseizedmyhairinbothhishands,andtuggeduntilIyelledwiththepain.‘Thereiswaterinyoureyes,’saidheashereleasedme.‘Iperceivethatallisasitshouldbe.Butwehavetobecareful,forwehavetwicebeendeceivedbywigsandoncebypaint.Icouldtellyoutalesofcobbler’swaxwhichwoulddisgustyouwithhumannature.’Hesteppedovertothewindowandshoutedthroughitatthetopofhisvoicethatthevacancywasfilled.Agroanofdisappointmentcameupfrombelow,andthefolkalltroopedawayindifferentdirectionsuntiltherewasnotared-headtobeseenexceptmyownandthatofthemanager.
“‘Myname,’saidhe,‘isMr.DuncanRoss,andIammyselfoneofthepensionersuponthefundleftbyournoblebenefactor.Areyouamarriedman,Mr.Wilson?Haveyouafamily?’
“IansweredthatIhadnot.
“Hisfacefellimmediately.
“‘Dearme!’hesaidgravely,‘thatisveryseriousindeed!Iamsorrytohearyousaythat.Thefundwas,ofcourse,forthepropagationandspreadofthered-headsaswellasfortheirmaintenance.Itisexceedinglyunfortunatethatyoushouldbeabachelor.’
“Myfacelengthenedatthis,Mr.Holmes,forIthoughtthatIwasnottohavethevacancyafterallbutafterthinkingitoverforafewminuteshesaidthatitwouldbeallright.
“‘Inthecaseofanother,’saidhe,‘theobjectionmightbefatal,butwemuststretchapointinfavourofamanwithsuchaheadofhairasyours.Whenshallyoubeabletoenteruponyournewduties?’
“‘Well,itisalittleawkward,forIhaveabusinessalready,’saidI.
“‘Oh,nevermindaboutthat,Mr.Wilson!’saidVincentSpaulding.‘Ishouldbeabletolookafterthatforyou.’
“‘Whatwouldbethehours?’Iasked.
“‘Tentotwo.’
“Nowapawnbroker’sbusinessismostlydoneofanevening,Mr.Holmes,especiallyThursdayandFridayevening,whichisjustbeforepay-daysoitwouldsuitmeverywelltoearnalittleinthemornings.Besides,Iknewthatmyassistantwasagoodman,andthathewouldseetoanythingthatturnedup.
“‘Thatwouldsuitmeverywell,’saidI.‘Andthepay?’
“‘Is￡4aweek.’
“‘Andthework?’
“‘Ispurelynominal.’
“‘Whatdoyoucallpurelynominal?’
“‘Well,youhavetobeintheoffice,oratleastinthebuilding,thewholetime.Ifyouleave,youforfeityourwholepositionforever.Thewillisveryclearuponthatpoint.Youdon’tcomplywiththeconditionsifyoubudgefromtheofficeduringthattime.’
“‘It’sonlyfourhoursaday,andIshouldnotthinkofleaving,’saidI.
“‘Noexcusewillavail,’saidMr.DuncanRoss‘neithersicknessnorbusinessnoranythingelse.Thereyoumuststay,oryouloseyourbillet.’
“‘Andthework?’
“‘IstocopyouttheEncyclop?diaBritannica.Thereisthefirstvolumeofitinthatpress.Youmustfindyourownink,pens,andblotting-paper,butweprovidethistableandchair.Willyoubereadyto-morrow?’
“‘Certainly,’Ianswered.
“‘Then,good-bye,Mr.JabezWilson,andletmecongratulateyouoncemoreontheimportantpositionwhichyouhavebeenfortunateenoughtogain.’HebowedmeoutoftheroomandIwenthomewithmyassistant,hardlyknowingwhattosayordo,Iwassopleasedatmyowngoodfortune.
“Well,Ithoughtoverthematterallday,andbyeveningIwasinlowspiritsagainforIhadquitepersuadedmyselfthatthewholeaffairmustbesomegreathoaxorfraud,thoughwhatitsobjectmightbeIcouldnotimagine.Itseemedaltogetherpastbeliefthatanyonecouldmakesuchawill,orthattheywouldpaysuchasumfordoinganythingsosimpleascopyingouttheEncyclop?diaBritannica.VincentSpauldingdidwhathecouldtocheermeup,butbybedtimeIhadreasonedmyselfoutofthewholething.However,inthemorningIdeterminedtohavealookatitanyhow,soIboughtapennybottleofink,andwithaquill-pen,andsevensheetsoffoolscappaper,IstartedoffforPope’sCourt.
“Well,tomysurpriseanddelight,everythingwasasrightaspossible.Thetablewassetoutreadyforme,andMr.DuncanRosswastheretoseethatIgotfairlytowork.HestartedmeoffupontheletterA,andthenheleftmebuthewoulddropinfromtimetotimetoseethatallwasrightwithme.Attwoo’clockhebademegood-day,complimentedmeupontheamountthatIhadwritten,andlockedthedooroftheofficeafterme.
“Thiswentondayafterday,Mr.Holmes,andonSaturdaythemanagercameinandplankeddownfourgoldensovereignsformyweek’swork.Itwasthesamenextweek,andthesametheweekafter.EverymorningIwasthereatten,andeveryafternoonIleftattwo.BydegreesMr.DuncanRosstooktocominginonlyonceofamorning,an