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Page 29
Psmith got up, looked at his forehead once more in the glass, sighed,
and sat down again.
'All very disturbing,' he said.
'Great Scott,' said Mike, 'I wish I'd come. Why on earth didn't you
tell me you were going to rag? I think you might as well have done. I
wouldn't have missed it for worlds.'
Psmith regarded him with raised eyebrows.
'Rag!' he said. 'Comrade Jackson, I do not understand you. You surely
do not think that I had any other object in doing what I did than to
serve Comrade Bickersdyke? It's terrible how one's motives get
distorted in this world of ours.'
'Well,' said Mike, with a grin, 'I know one person who'll jolly well
distort your motives, as you call it, and that's Bickersdyke.'
Psmith looked thoughtful.
'True,' he said, 'true. There is that possibility. I tell you, Comrade
Jackson, once more that my bright young life is being slowly blighted
by the frightful way in which that man misunderstands me. It seems
almost impossible to try to do him a good turn without having the
action misconstrued.'
'What'll you say to him tomorrow?'
'I shall make no allusion to the painful affair. If I happen to meet
him in the ordinary course of business routine, I shall pass some
light, pleasant remark--on the weather, let us say, or the Bank
rate--and continue my duties.'
'How about if he sends for you, and wants to do the light, pleasant
remark business on his own?'
'In that case I shall not thwart him. If he invites me into his private
room, I shall be his guest, and shall discuss, to the best of my
ability, any topic which he may care to introduce. There shall be no
constraint between Comrade Bickersdyke and myself.'
'No, I shouldn't think there would be. I wish I could come and hear
you.'
'I wish you could,' said Psmith courteously.
'Still, it doesn't matter much to you. You don't care if you do get
sacked.'
Psmith rose.
'In that way possibly, as you say, I am agreeably situated. If the New
Asiatic Bank does not require Psmith's services, there are other
spheres where a young man of spirit may carve a place for himself. No,
what is worrying me, Comrade Jackson, is not the thought of the push.
It is the growing fear that Comrade Bickersdyke and I will never
thoroughly understand and appreciate one another. A deep gulf lies
between us. I do what I can do to bridge it over, but he makes no
response. On his side of the gulf building operations appear to be at
an entire standstill. That is what is carving these lines of care on my
forehead, Comrade Jackson. That is what is painting these purple
circles beneath my eyes. Quite inadvertently to be disturbing Comrade
Bickersdyke, annoying him, preventing him from enjoying life. How sad
this is. Life bulges with these tragedies.'
Mike picked up the evening paper.
'Don't let it keep you awake at night,' he said. 'By the way, did you
see that Manchester United were playing this afternoon? They won. You'd
better sit down and sweat up some of the details. You'll want them
tomorrow.'
'You are very right, Comrade Jackson,' said Psmith, reseating himself.
'So the Mancunians pushed the bulb into the meshes beyond the uprights
no fewer than four times, did they? Bless the dear boys, what spirits
they do enjoy, to be sure. Comrade Jackson, do not disturb me. I must
concentrate myself. These are deep waters.'
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