Part 13 (1/2)

”Yes, sir,” said Joseph

”I presu at the lounge-suit

His father had informed him of his new master's predicaet the , no doubt, partly to a general uneasiness in his unusual surroundings, and partly also to a special uneasiness caused by the propinquity of a sleeping valet; but the in of it was certainly his dreadful anxiety about the question of a first-class tailor In the organization of his new life a first-class tailor was essential, and he was not acquainted with a first-class London tailor He did not know a great deal concerning clothes, though quite passably well dressed for a provincial, but he knew enough to be sure that it was inboard, and therefore that if, wandering in the precincts of Bond Street, he entered the first establishood chance of being ”done in the eye” So he phrased it to himself as he lay in bed He wanted a definite and utterly reliable address

He rang the bell Only, as it happened to be the wrong bell, he obtained the presence of Joseph in a roundabout way, through the agency of a gentle Such, however, is the human faculty of adaptation to environ by an error which, on the previous night, would have put hi, sir,” said Joseph

Edward Henry nodded, his hands under his head as he lay on his back

He decided to leave all initiative to Joseph Thethe double s at the top opened the, sir,” said Joseph, letting in vast quantities of air from Devonshi+re Square

Clearly, Sir Nicholas Winkworth had been a breezy master

”Oh!” murmured Edward Henry

He felt a careless contempt for Joseph's flunkeyism Hitherto he had had the theory that footmen, valets and all male personal attendants were an inexcusable excrescence on the social fabric The h for some reason he had no objection whatever to servility in a nice-looking maid--indeed, rather enjoyed it But now, in the person of Joseph, he saw that there were hus born to self-abasement, and that, if their destiny was to be fulfilled, valetry was a necessary institution He had no pity for Joseph, no sha him He scorned Joseph; and yet his desire, as a man-about-town, to keep Joseph's esteem, was in no way diminished!

”Shall I prepare your bath, sir?” asked Joseph, stationed in a supple attitude by the side of the bed

Edward Henry was visited by an idea

”Have you had yours?” he demanded like a pistol-shot

Edward Henry saw that Sir Nicholas had never asked that particular question

”No, sir”

”Not had your bath, man! What on earth do you mean by it? Go and have your bath at once!”

A faint sycophantic shtened the aht: ”It's astonishi+ng, all the same, the way they can read their masters This chap has seen already that I'm a card

And yet how?”

”Yes, sir,” said Joseph

”Have your bath in the bathroo in order for one Edward Henry jumped out of bed and listened He heard the discreet Joseph respectfully push the bolt of the bathroom door Then he crept with noiseless rapidity to the small bedroom and are therein of a lack of order and of ventilation

The rich and distinguished overcoat was hanging on the brass knob at the foot of the bed He seized it, and, scrutinizing the loop, read in yellow letters: ”_Quayther & Cuthering_, 47 _Vigo Street, W_” He knew that Quayther & Cuthering must be the tailors of Sir Nicholas Winkworth, and hence first-class

Hoping for the best, and putting his trust in the general decency of human nature, he did not trouble hiift or an appropriation? But he preferred to assuenerosity of Sir Nicholas rather than the dishonesty of Joseph