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Page 20
'Hall Caine,' said Psmith regretfully, 'has also proved a frost. I
wandered round to Comrade Rossiter's desk just now with a rather brainy
excursus on "The Eternal City", and was received with the Impatient
Frown rather than the Glad Eye. He was in the middle of adding up a
rather tricky column of figures, and my remarks caused him to drop a
stitch. So far from winning the man over, I have gone back. There now
exists between Comrade Rossiter and myself a certain coldness. Further
investigations will be postponed till after lunch.'
The postage department received visitors during the morning. Members of
other departments came with letters, among them Bannister. Mr Rossiter
was away in the manager's room at the time.
'How are you getting on?' said Bannister to Mike.
'Oh, all right,' said Mike.
'Had any trouble with Rossiter yet?'
'No, not much.'
'He hasn't run you in to Bickersdyke?'
'No.'
'Pardon my interrupting a conversation between old college chums,' said
Psmith courteously, 'but I happened to overhear, as I toiled at my
desk, the name of Comrade Rossiter.'
Bannister looked somewhat startled. Mike introduced them.
'This is Smith,' he said. 'Chap I was at school with. This is
Bannister, Smith, who used to be on here till I came.'
'In this department?' asked Psmith.
'Yes.'
'Then, Comrade Bannister, you are the very man I have been looking for.
Your knowledge will be invaluable to us. I have no doubt that, during
your stay in this excellently managed department, you had many
opportunities of observing Comrade Rossiter?'
'I should jolly well think I had,' said Bannister with a laugh. 'He saw
to that. He was always popping out and cursing me about something.'
'Comrade Rossiter's manners are a little restive,' agreed Psmith. 'What
used you to talk to him about?'
'What used I to talk to him about?'
'Exactly. In those interviews to which you have alluded, how did you
amuse, entertain Comrade Rossiter?'
'I didn't. He used to do all the talking there was.'
Psmith straightened his tie, and clicked his tongue, disappointed.
'This is unfortunate,' he said, smoothing his hair. 'You see, Comrade
Bannister, it is this way. In the course of my professional duties, I
find myself continually coming into contact with Comrade Rossiter.'
'I bet you do,' said Bannister.
'On these occasions I am frequently at a loss for entertaining
conversation. He has no difficulty, as apparently happened in your
case, in keeping up his end of the dialogue. The subject of my
shortcomings provides him with ample material for speech. I, on the
other hand, am dumb. I have nothing to say.'
'I should think that was a bit of a change for you, wasn't it?'
'Perhaps, so,' said Psmith, 'perhaps so. On the other hand, however
restful it may be to myself, it does not enable me to secure Comrade
Rossiter's interest and win his esteem.'
'What Smith wants to know,' said Mike, 'is whether Rossiter has any
hobby of any kind. He thinks, if he has, he might work it to keep in
with him.'
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