IV
Tommy, having successfully got himself to the City office in question,was received by a man of 35 to 40 years of age who looked at him with theeye of one determined¹ to do the worst without delay. Tommy felt that hewas suspected of many things, possibly carrying a bomb in some decept-ive container, or prepared to hijack² or kidnap anyone or to hold up with arevolver the entire staff. It made Tommy extremely nervous.
‘You have an appointment with Mr Robinson? At what time, did yousay? Ah, three forty-five.’ He consulted a ledger³. ‘Mr Thomas Beresford, isthat right?’
‘Yes,’ said Tommy.
‘Ah. Just sign your name here, please.’
Tommy signed his name where he was told.
‘Johnson.’
A nervous-looking young man of about twenty-three seemed like an ap-parition rising out of a glass partitioned desk. ‘Yes, sir?’
‘Take Mr Beresford up to the fourth floor to Mr Robinson’s office.’
‘Yes, sir.’
He led Tommy to a lift, the kind of lift that always seemed to have itsown idea of how it should deal with those who came into it. The doorsrolled open. Tommy passed in, the doors very nearly pinched him in doingso and just managed to slam themselves shut about an inch from hisspine.
‘Cold afternoon,’ said Johnson, showing a friendly attitude to someonewho was clearly being allowed to approach the high one in the highest.
‘Yes,’ said Tommy, ‘it always seems to be cold in the afternoons.’
‘Some say it’s pollution, some say it’s all the natural gas they’re takingout of the North Sea,’ said Johnson.
‘Oh, I haven’t heard that,’ said Tommy.
‘Doesn’t seem likely to me,’ said Johnson.
They passed the second floor and the third floor and finally arrived atthe fourth floor. Johnson led Tommy, again escaping the closing doors by amere inch, along a passage to a door. He knocked, was told to enter, heldthe door open, insinuated⁴ Tommy across the threshold, and said:
‘Mr Beresford, sir. By appointment.’
He went out and shut the door behind him. Tommy advanced. The roomseemed to be mainly filled by an enormous desk. Behind the desk sat arather enormous man, a man of great weight and many inches. He had, asTommy had been prepared for by his friend, a very large and yellow face.

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