登陆注册
5406200000049

第49章

"Of course, sir," Pearson apologized, "leaving New York so hurriedly, your--your man evidently had not time to-- er--"Tembarom looked at him a few seconds longer, as if making up his mind to something.Then he threw himself easily into the big chair by the fire, and leaned back in it with the frankest and best- natured smile possible.

"I hadn't any man," he said."Say, Pearson," waving his hand to another chair near by, "suppose you take a seat."Long and careful training came to Pearson's aid and supported him, but he was afraid that he looked nervous, and certainly there was a lack of entire calm in his voice.

"I--thank you, sir,--I think I'd better stand, sir.""Why?" inquired Tembarom, taking his tobacco-pouch out of his pocket and preparing to fill another pipe.

"You're most kind, sir, but--but--" in impassioned embarrassment--"Ishould really PREFER to stand, sir, if you don't mind.I should feel more--more at 'ome, sir," he added, dropping an h in his agitation.

"Well, if you'd like it better, that's all right," yielded Mr.Temple Barholm, stuffing tobacco into the pipe.Pearson darted to a table, produced a match, struck it, and gave it to him.

"Thank you," said Tembarom, still good-naturedly."But there are a few things I've GOT to say to you RIGHT now."Pearson had really done his best, his very best, but he was terrified because of the certain circumstances once before referred to.

"I beg pardon, sir," he appealed, "but I am most anxious to give satisfaction in every respect." He WAS, poor young man, horribly anxious."To-day being only the first day, I dare say I have not been all I should have been.I have never valeted an American gentleman before, but I'm sure I shall become accustomed to everything QUITEsoon--almost immediately."

"Say," broke in Tembarom, "you're 'way off.I'm not complaining.

You're all right."

The easy good temper of his manner was so singularly assuring that Pearson, unexplainable as he found him in every other respect, knew that this at least was to be depended upon, and he drew an almost palpable breath of relief.Something actually allured him into approaching what he had never felt it safe to approach before under like circumstances--a confidential disclosure.

"Thank you, sir: I am most grateful.The--fact is, I hoped especially to be able to settle in place just now.I--I'm hoping to save up enough to get married, sir.""You are?" Tembarom exclaimed."Good business! So was I before all this"--he glanced about him--"fell on top of me.""I've been saving for three years, sir, and if I can know I'm a permanency--if I can keep this place--""You're going to keep it all right," Tembarom cheered him up with."If you've got an idea you're going to be fired, just you forget it.Cut it right out.""Is--I beg your pardon, sir," Pearson asked with timorous joy, "but is that the American for saying you'll be good enough to keep me on?"Mr.Temple Barholm thought a second.

"Is 'keep me on' the English for 'let me stay'?""Yes, sir."

"Then we're all right.Let's start from there.I'm going to have a heart-to-heart talk with you, Pearson.""Thank you, sir," said Pearson in a deferential murmur.But if he was not dissatisfied, what was going to happen?

"It'll save us both trouble, and me most.I'm not one of those clever Clarences that can keep up a bluff, making out I know things I don't know.I couldn't deceive a setting hen or a Berlin wool antimacassar."Pearson swallowed something with effort.

"You see, I fell into this thing KERCHUNK, and I'm just RATTLED--I'm rattled." As Pearson slightly coughed again, he translated for him, "That's American for 'I don't know where I'm at'.""Those American jokes, sir, are very funny indeed," answered Pearson, appreciatively.

"Funny!" the new Mr.Temple Barholm exclaimed even aggrievedly."If you think this lay-out is an American joke to me, Pearson, there's where you're 'way off.Do you think it a merry jest for a fellow like me to sit up in a high chair in a dining-room like a cathedral and not know whether he ought to bite his own bread or not? And not dare to stir till things are handed to him by five husky footmen? I thought that plain-clothes man was going to cut up my meat, and slap me on the back if I choked."Pearson's sense of humor was perhaps not inordinate, but unseemly mirth, which he had swallowed at the reference to the setting hen and the Berlin wool antimacassar, momentarily got the better of him, despite his efforts to cough it down, and broke forth in a hoarse, ill-repressed sound.

"I beg pardon, sir," he said with a laudable endeavor to recover his professional bearing."It's your--American way of expressing it which makes me forget myself.I beg pardon."Tembarom laughed outright boyishly.

"Oh, cut that out," he said."Say, how old are you?""Twenty-five, sir."

"So am I.If you'd met me three months ago, beating the streets of New York for a living, with holes in my shoes and a celluloid collar on, you'd have looked down on me.I know you would.""Oh, no, sir," most falsely insisted Pearson.

"Oh, yes, you would," protested Tembarom, cheerfully."You'd have said I talked through my nose, and I should have laughed at you for dropping your h's.Now you're rattled because I'm Mr.Temple Temple Barholm; but you're not half as rattled as I am.""You'll get over it, sir, almost immediately," Pearson assured him, hopefully.

"Of course I shall," said Tembarom, with much courage."But to start right I've got to get over YOU.""Me, sir?" Pearson breathed anxiously.

"Yes.That's what I want to get off my chest.Now, first off, you came in here to try to explain to me that, owing to my New York valet having left my New York wardrobe behind, I've not got anything to wear, and so I shall have to buy some clothes.""I failed to find any dress-shirts, sir," began Pearson, hesitatingly.

Mr.Temple Barholm grinned.

"I always failed to find them myself.I never had a dress-shirt.Inever owned a suit of glad rags in my life."

同类推荐
  • 铁岭县志

    铁岭县志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • To Have and To Hold

    To Have and To Hold

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 余墨偶谈

    余墨偶谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 北江诗话

    北江诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 颜元集

    颜元集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 听南怀瑾讲佛学

    听南怀瑾讲佛学

    从20世纪50年代到90年代,南怀瑾先生发表了大量著作,堪称博学多产的著述名家。目前可知的南氏著作已达三十多种,内容涉及儒、道、佛和神仙巫术等三教九流的各家思想学说,以及古代文学、历史、哲学的方方面面。本书主要总结了南怀瑾先生的学术理 论和研究成果,是对其系统整理研究的一个全面过程。对于佛学爱好者来说,能够从本书中详细了解到佛学的起源、发展以及现状,还能对佛学著作有一个全面的了解。
  • 愿你安生不离笑

    愿你安生不离笑

    七岁,还是记忆模糊陆离的年龄,可是我却记得异常清楚,那个午后,那个女人,还有那个小男孩。七岁的我和八岁的顾念年在那年狭路相逢,自那天起他便在我家住下了,我多了个不知从哪冒出来的漂亮哥哥……
  • 特种兵迎战天下

    特种兵迎战天下

    这是一个生死未知的战场,这注定是强者的路。热血男儿,保家卫国。林子豪被父亲一脚踹着就当了兵,一步一步,成为特种兵,华丽蜕变,成为特种兵中的王者。迎战天下,我怕谁。
  • 甜吻99次:恶魔少爷宠翻天

    甜吻99次:恶魔少爷宠翻天

    被一只大灰狼捡回家后,江希妍开始过上了凄惨的生活,她不旦要暖床,还得陪睡。她千方百计的想要逃离,可他却开出了一个个诱人的条件。“嫁给我,我的一切都是你的。”江希妍犹豫了好久,“可他们都说你这颗大白菜被我这头猪给拱了,我配不上你。”男子沉思半晌,“确实是被你这头猪给嚯嚯了,所以你得负责。”江希妍,“……滚!!”
  • 米格飞机的传奇:米格风云

    米格飞机的传奇:米格风云

    米格系列战斗机是苏联/俄罗斯战斗机的重要组成部分,也是世界著名的战斗机,本书主要从型号入手,讲述了米格设计局从诞生至今的基本情况。从型号的研制背景、型号的使用情况等进行介绍,在讲述型号研制生产的同时,还侧面讲述了世界政治和社会的演变,是了解米格战斗机较为理想的参考读物。本书适合军事和航空爱好者阅读,也可以作为从事飞机设计、生产和使用的专业人员的参考读物。
  • 妃你不宠:拽妃,给我站住!

    妃你不宠:拽妃,给我站住!

    什么!戴上男友家的祖传戒指后就昏倒,还被风老头给丢到了一个不知名的国家去,穿越成十二岁小娃子!五年后,某女突发奇想,去考场晃了一圈结果就晃回了一个新科状元,!悲催的是,她不就是泡了泡皇家温泉,就被那腹黑皇帝逮到,还要答应他三个要求!第一件事是要她治好太后的病,她爽快答应!然而,当她哼着小曲翻箱倒柜找出灵药,却被告知太后的病在一个月前就好了,她仰天吼了一声“展飐竡,你这个骗子!”第二件事是要她拯救灾民,她花费了无数的脑细胞想出办法,还忍痛割爱,打算把她的白花花的银子给灾民!但是,戏剧性的一幕又发生了,老天居然下了一场‘米’雨,这个问题又解决了!某女黑着脸,用手指着天,“老天!你也帮着展飐竡!我和你誓不两立!”第三件事是要某女进宫为妃!某女的眸子里闪烁着狡黠的光芒,贼贼地笑着“展飐竡,我要让你知道得罪本姑娘的可怕下场!我要闹得你的后宫鸡飞狗跳,然后拍拍屁股走人!哈哈~~”但是,为什么当她成功钻地道逃脱时,遇到美男,并与美男谈笑风生时,他却出现来捣乱了呢!而当两国发生战争时,她却会为他伤心,难过和心疼!
  • 历史不忍细看大全集

    历史不忍细看大全集

    闯入历史尘封千年的禁地,窥探谁都不曾告诉过你的秘闻轶事!你知道康熙登基原来还仰仗一位德国人吗?你知道皇子们每日的生活有多苦吗?你知道中国历史上最响的一个马屁是谁拍的吗?你知道皇帝吃饭要有多少讲究吗?你知道秦桧与岳飞之间到底是何关系吗?
  • 女神永远不会老

    女神永远不会老

    本书以女性“更年期”作为切入点,作者结合自己多年的生活经验和临床经验,把女性在步入“更年期”以后会遇到的众多问题都加以详细的讲解,从心理方面和生理方面给出了具体的建议。诺斯鲁普的专业医学背景以及她多年来对女性心理的研究,为女性健康打开了一片全新的天地,深厚的专业背景也为这部伟大作品提供了强大的说服力和实用价值。作者不是单纯利用枯燥难懂的医学知识给予读者生理方面的指导,更不是用平庸乏味的心灵鸡汤来慰藉读者的心灵,而是利用生动的案例,作者的亲身体会,以及一些简单明了的文字让读者可以在*时间就能接受到作者想要传达的信息,给人予豁然开朗的感觉。这是一部充满诚意,充满力量的作品。
  • 重生铸梦

    重生铸梦

    带着十几年的经历和先知,赵泽君一头扎回2001年。**************************新书已发,书名《逆流惊涛》‘网上每年各种挂法穿越的小伙伴,手拉手可以组成一个中等规模的城市;而他们创立的伟大事业,加起来可以买下整个银河系!其实吧,才穿越那几天,陆岳涛满心愤懑,恨不得和这个世界同归于尽。很快的,他释然了。算了吧,又不是不能过。虽然大学落榜在复读,爹妈闹离婚,家里还欠了一屁股债……’
  • 捡个男人背回家

    捡个男人背回家

    又是一年大雪冰封隔绝人烟的时刻。风雪肆虐张狂成了一切生命的的主宰,放眼望去到处一片望不到边的耀眼白茫茫。远处高大的雪峰笔直地直插云霄象天神一般耸立在那里,成了一切生灵都无法逾越的屏障。远处葱茏的森林也披上一层皑皑白衣,大雪压青松,鸟雀无声,寒枝料峭。静静地黑水河在冰下缓缓地流淌着,厚厚的艰冰,象一面镜子,更象一面盾牌,无坚可摧。风雪弥漫,呼啸而过,纵横天地,放眼……