What position Mr. Gibb filled in his chambers3 he himself occasionally wondered. To those whom he wished to impress with his legal standing4 he spoke5 of him as his clerk; to those whom it was impossible to impress, and they were many, as his office boy; while in his own circle of intimates, which was of rather a peculiar6 kind, he generally referred to him as King Solomon. Mr. Gibb generally referred to himself as Mr. Hooper's right-hand man.
"I'm his right hand man, that's what I am," he was wont7 to tell any one who showed interest in the subject; whereat the listener whistled, or did worse, and wondered, if he stopped at that. His duties appeared chiefly to consist in sitting, if Mr. Hooper was in his chambers, in a sort of lobby, which opened on to the staircase, which he called his office, and where he did nothing; or if Mr. Hooper was not in his chambers, he went out, as far out as he thought was discreet8, and did nothing there. Sometimes when, as was not infrequently the case, both employer and employed had nothing to do, Mr. Hooper would summon Mr. Gibb into his inner room, and would talk to him--and Mr. Gibb would talk to him. It was the words of wisdom which Mr. Gibb would casually9 let drop in the course of these conversations which induced Mr. Hooper to allude10 to him, in the privacy of his own circle, as King Solomon; the barrister declared that it was worth his while to pay Mr. Gibb ten shillings a week, which he with difficulty did, merely on account of the benefit which he derived11 from hearing him talk.
It was during one of these conversations that Mr. Gibb touched on a subject which was foremost both in his heart and head. He had taken a strenuous12 part in the family endeavours to find for Miss Lindsay some employment by means of which she could at least provide herself with the wherewithal to keep herself alive. He had entered on the search with sanguine13 zest14. Apart from any feeling which he might himself entertain for the lady he felt that his reputation was at stake. He had pledged himself to find for her at least half-a-dozen ways of earning a living in a ridiculously short space of time; and as yet he had not found her one; and she herself still searched. He was aware of the visits to Mr. Thompson; they troubled him nearly as much as they troubled Nora; he felt almost as if he was himself responsible for their continuation. He knew that any day another might have to be paid; the knowledge made him desperate. He had had, for some time, a vague intention of speaking to his employer on the matter; but he was aware that Mr. Hooper did not always take him seriously, and he was curiously15 unwilling16 to have Miss Lindsay made the subject of that gentleman's chaff17. Yet the thought of that further impending18 visit pressed heavily on his mind; so that presently the barrister perceived that in his air there was something singular.
"You're not up to your usual mark, Mr. Gibb; those pearls of wisdom which I love to cherish as they drop from your lips don't seem dropping; stock run out?"
Mr. Gibb looked up at the ceiling, then down to Mr. Hooper.
"The fact is, sir, I've got something on my mind."
"Is it possible? My good Mr. Gibb, do I ever allow anything to stop on my mind? Get it off!"
"It's easy to talk, sir, but I don't seem as though I can."
"Perhaps it would do your mind good to tell me what's on it; I have known that prescription19 work a cure. Give your mind its head, Mr. Gibb, let her go."
Mr. Gibb hesitated; he was trying to find fitting words in which to express what he had to say.
"It's like this, sir; I know somebody who very much wants to find the means of earning a living."
"Not an uncommon20 character, Mr. Gibb. I suppose there are the usual requirements, large salary wanted, and very little work."
"Not at all, sir, not in this case. The person to whom I'm alluding21 would be only too glad to do any amount of work, for very little wages."
"That is unusual; I fear an effort has been made to impose upon your innocence22. Who's the gentleman?"
"It's not a gentleman, sir, it's a lady."
"A lady? I say, Mr. Gibb! warnings out all along that coast; if at this period of your existence you get yourself mixed up with a lady, especially one who is on the look out for means of earning a living, your whole career may be blighted23. She may look upon you as her living, and then where are you?"
"No fear of that, sir; this is a lady born and bred; she's as high as the heavens above me."
"Is she? Then she's tallish. Old?"
"No, sir; in her early prime."
"Meaning?"
"I couldn't say exactly, sir; I should say somewhere about twenty. You could tell better than me.
"What on earth do you mean?"
"If you saw her."
"If I saw her! Look here, Mr. Gibb, have you got anything at the back of your head?" Mr. Gibb sighed. "Is she hideous24?"
"No, sir; she's the most beautiful young lady ever I set eyes on; and I've seen a few."
"You have, Mr. Gibb, I admit it; still as I don't know what your type of beauty really is your remark conveys little to me."
"It would convey more, sir, if you were to see her. You wouldn't want to see her twice to know that she's the most beautiful young lady ever you set eyes on. I feel sure of it. I wish you would see her, sir."
"May I ask, Mr. Gibb, what it is you're driving at? Why should I see her?"
"So that you might understand."
"Understand what?"
"How it is."
"How what is? I'll trouble you, Mr. Gibb, to be a trifle more explicit25. Where's this lady of birth and breeding, who's as high as the heavens above you, to be found?"
"She's lodging26 at my mother's. Yes, sir, I don't wonder you look surprised; I know it's no place for a lady, especially one like her; and that's the trouble, she is a lady; I know a lady when I see one as well as I know a gentleman."
"You must forgive me, Mr. Gibb, but I'm wondering if you do; it's not every one who can tell a lady by the look of her."
"Perhaps not, sir; but you can. If you saw her you'd soon tell. She'd have found something long ago she could have turned her hand to if she'd been one of your common sort; but that's the mischief27, she's a lady; and I happen to know that she's in a very bad way. She lost her father and her mother, and she doesn't seem to have a friend in the world; if she doesn't find something soon by which she can earn a little money I don't know what will become of her. I wish you would see her, sir."
"What good do you suppose will be gained by my seeing her? What sort of work does she want?"
"She has been trying for a secretaryship; but she's tried, and tried, and nothing's come of it; and now she'd be only too glad to do anything by which she could earn money. You see, sir, you know all kinds of people, and I thought that if you saw her, so that you might know what she's like, and how it is with her, you might think of some one who could give her work; I know you wouldn't regret it if you did."
"Mr. Gibb, you're a--you're a person of a Mephistophelian habit! Mind you, I've no more chance of putting anything in the way of your lady born and bred, who's as high as the heavens above you, than the man in the moon; but I've got plenty of time on my hands; I'm always ready to see any one; and I've no objection to see her."
"Thank you, sir. Will you see her to-morrow morning?"
"Pawning her things! and you say she's a lady."
"Yes, sir, she is pawning her things, and she is a lady; and it's because I've reason to know that she may have to pawn29 something else either to-day or to-morrow that I've mentioned her to you at all; because when she's pawned31 all she's got what will she do?"
"Do you want me to lend her some money? or to give her some?"
Mr. Gibb smiled.
"When you've seen her, sir, you won't need to ask me that. Then you'll see her to-morrow morning?"
"Now don't you go putting any false hopes in her head, you'll only be doing her a disservice if you do; nothing will come of my seeing her, I'm only doing it to oblige you; let that be clearly understood."
"Yes, sir; thank you very much."
When Mr. Gibb got home he rushed straight up to Miss Lindsay, who was commencing the nondescript apology for a meal which served her as tea and supper.
"Miss Lindsay, I believe I've found you something which may lead to something."
"Oh, Eustace! have you? what is it?"
"It's my chief." Mr. Gibb never would refer to him as "governor," as other clerks did; he thought it vulgar. "It's Mr. Hooper!"
"Mr. Hooper?"
"I happened to mention to him to-day that you were looking out for a secretaryship, and he said would you call round and see him to-morrow morning."
"Oh, Eustace! how shall I ever thank you? Is it for himself he wants a secretary?"
"That I can't say; but if you'll take my advice you'll call and see him."
"Of course I'll call and see him; I'm--I'm all trembling! as if I wouldn't call and see him! Do you think I've any chance?"
"That also I can't say; but if you'll allow me to give you what I should describe as a hint----"
"Please do! What is it? You are so clever!"
"If I were you I should put on your prettiest frock, and your prettiest hat, and the prettiest everything you've got."
"Eustace! Why?"
Mr. Gibb put his hand up to his mouth, and coughed discreetly32.
"Fact is, Mr. Hooper's more of an eye for female beauty than he thinks, and if you come to him looking as I've seen you look, you'll knock him."
"Knock him?"
Mr. Gibb was apologetic.
"It's not often that I do use words of that kind, but, asking your pardon, this time I mean it."
"But--I don't understand what you do mean. You can't mean that Mr. Hooper would engage me as his secretary merely because I happened to be wearing my prettiest frock?"
"I don't say anything of the kind; not at all. I don't know that he wants a secretary; I only know he told me to ask you to call. You want to make a good impression when you do call, don't you?"
"Of course I do."
"Exactly; of course you do! What I say is don't leave anything undone33 which will help you to make a good impression; and that's all I do say."
When Mr. Gibb went Nora was left blushing, trembling, excited, and slightly bewildered; she continued her meal without having any clear idea of what it was that she was eating.
"That's a queer boy," she said to herself, more than once.
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1
expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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3
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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4
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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5
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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6
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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7
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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8
discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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9
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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10
allude
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| v.提及，暗指 | |
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11
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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12
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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13
sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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14
zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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15
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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16
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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17
chaff
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| v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳 | |
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18
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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prescription
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| n.处方，开药；指示，规定 | |
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20
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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21
alluding
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| 提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
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22
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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23
blighted
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| adj.枯萎的，摧毁的 | |
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24
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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25
explicit
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| adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的 | |
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26
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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27
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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28
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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29
pawn
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| n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押 | |
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30
pawning
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| v.典当，抵押( pawn的现在分词 )；以（某事物）担保 | |
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31
pawned
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| v.典当，抵押( pawn的过去式和过去分词 )；以（某事物）担保 | |
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32
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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33
undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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34
alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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