..
"Will it be sent to me?"
"My dear fellow! How absurd you are! Can you get out to-morrow evening
about nine o'clock?"
"Yes, easily."
"Then I will meet you at the corner of Victoria Street, by the hotel,
and hand you your first quarter's salary. Will that be satisfactory?"
"Perfectly," said Soames, his small eyes sparkling with avarice. "Most
decidedly, Mr. Gianapolis. Many thanks."...
"And by the way," continued the other, "it is rather fortunate that you
rang me up this evening, because it has saved me the trouble of ringing
you up."
"What?"--Soames' eyes half closed, from the bottom lids upwards:--"there
is something"...
"There is a trifling service which I require of you--yes, my dear
Soames."
"Is it?"...
"We will discuss the matter to-morrow evening. Oh! it is a mere trifle.
So good-by for the present."
Soames, with the fingers of his two hands interlocked before him, and
his thumbs twirling rapidly around one another, stood in the lobby,
gazing reflectively at the rug-strewn floor. He was working out in his
mind how handsomely this first payment would show up on the welcome
side of his passbook. Truly, he was fortunate in having met the generous
Gianapolis....
He thought of a trifling indiscretion committed at the expense of one
Mr.
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