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Page 36
Mr Waller intervened at this point.
'I think you must really let Jackson go on with his work, Smith,' he
said. 'There seems to be too much talking.'
'My besetting sin,' said Psmith sadly. 'Well, well, I will go back and
do my best to face it, but it's a tough job.'
He tottered wearily away in the direction of the Postage Department.
'Oh, Jackson,' said Mr Waller, 'will you kindly take my place for a few
minutes? I must go round and see the Inward Bills about something. I
shall be back very soon.'
Mike was becoming accustomed to deputizing for the cashier for short
spaces of time. It generally happened that he had to do so once or
twice a day. Strictly speaking, perhaps, Mr Waller was wrong to leave
such an important task as the actual cashing of cheques to an
inexperienced person of Mike's standing; but the New Asiatic Bank
differed from most banks in that there was not a great deal of
cross-counter work. People came in fairly frequently to cash cheques
of two or three pounds, but it was rare that any very large dealings
took place.
Having completed his business with the Inward Bills, Mr Waller made his
way back by a circuitous route, taking in the Postage desk.
He found Psmith with a pale, set face, inscribing figures in a ledger.
The Old Etonian greeted him with the faint smile of a persecuted saint
who is determined to be cheerful even at the stake.
'Comrade Bristow,' he said.
'Hullo, Smithy?' said the other, turning.
Psmith sadly directed Mr Waller's attention to the waistcoat, which was
certainly definite in its colouring.
'Nothing,' said Psmith. 'I only wanted to look at you.'
'Funny ass,' said Bristow, resuming his work. Psmith glanced at Mr
Waller, as who should say, 'See what I have to put up with. And yet I
do not give way.'
'Oh--er--Smith,' said Mr Waller, 'when you were talking to Jackson just
now--'
'Say no more,' said Psmith. 'It shall not occur again. Why should I
dislocate the work of your department in my efforts to win a
sympathetic word? I will bear Comrade Bristow like a man here. After
all, there are worse things at the Zoo.'
'No, no,' said Mr Waller hastily, 'I did not mean that. By all means
pay us a visit now and then, if it does not interfere with your own
work. But I noticed just now that you spoke to Bristow as Comrade
Bristow.'
'It is too true,' said Psmith. 'I must correct myself of the habit. He
will be getting above himself.'
'And when you were speaking to Jackson, you spoke of yourself as a
Socialist.'
'Socialism is the passion of my life,' said Psmith.
Mr Waller's face grew animated. He stammered in his eagerness.
'I am delighted,' he said. 'Really, I am delighted. I also--'
'A fellow worker in the Cause?' said Psmith.
'Er--exactly.'
Psmith extended his hand gravely. Mr Waller shook it with enthusiasm.
'I have never liked to speak of it to anybody in the office,' said Mr
Waller, 'but I, too, am heart and soul in the movement.'
'Yours for the Revolution?' said Psmith.
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