Выбрать главу

At the age of twenty-one, my naturally active disposition, coupled with requirements for cash now considerably in excess of the allowance provided by my father, impelled me to begin thinking of making my own living.

My father would have preferred that I continue my schooling a few years longer, but I was not of a very studious nature, and when he saw that I was determined he interposed no further objection and suggested a junior clerkship with the firm in which he was interested. This would have been an advantageous arrangement in many senses, but to me it had inconveniences. My father and I were of distinctly different types. His ideas were strict and inclined toward the puritanical. His constant reproval of what he considered dissipations on my part annoyed me vastly and interferred with my pleasure. The truth is, he never knew the half, but what he did know or guess was enough to maintain between us a certain amount of animosity. I was headstrong, resentful of any restraint and not wishing to be too closely subjected to his observation, declined the opportunity and announced an intention of finding something for myself. His skeptical attitude as to my capability to do this stung my pride, and made me even more de? termined.

For weeks I assiduously answered advertisements with no other results than a few fruitless interviews with firms which invariably required services of a nature which a lack of experience disqualified me from fulfilling, and then, when I was about ready to give up in despair, my efforts were rewarded. I was summoned to and obtained employment in the office of a well

known financier, a man whose. diversified interests extended across half the globe; banks in England and Scotland, diamond mines in Africa, railroads in South America. I was employed to act in capacity of personal assistant to this man, A little which though flattering of sound turned out in reality to mean nothing more than I was sort of glorified office boy and messenger. Nevertheless, the fact that my duties kept me in personal contact with the great man, gave me a certain prestige not enjoyed by other employees, most of whom occupied positions of far greater importance.

My employer turned out to be a man of quick and irrasible temper. His depreciative, and often unnecessarily offensive criticisms soon inspired me with a cordial dislike for him. However, I put forth my best efforts, constantly endeavoring to please him, and before long I began to sense the fact that I was rising in his estimation. Within a short time more important duties were being confided to me, though curiously enough, as his confidence in me increased, my antipathy toward him also grew space and I came to despise him whole heartedly for his arrogance and boorish-ness.

One afternoon when I returned after executing an errand which had taken me to a distant part of the city I saw a young woman leaving his

office. With an ever appreciative eye for feminine pulchritude, I appraised her trim figure, gowned with the simple elegance which bespeaks both taste and wealth. My gaze, starting at the faultlessly shod little feet traveled upward, and rested on a face of such marvelous beauty as had seldom been my lot to behold.

I have always been a bit more partial to brunettes, than to light complected women, influenced possibly by the popular superstitution that brunettes are more passionate than blonds, a supposition which experience has demonstrated to me without foundation. In this instance however, my inclinations suffered a sudden reversal. The young woman on whom my attention was blond. A blond whose skin was the texture of flawless immaculate ivory; whose tresses, visible below the brim of a fashionable little toque, clung around her ears and neck in ringlets of spun gold and in whose violet tinted eyes was reflected all the glorious splendor of ardent young womanhood. In brief the most exquisite, the daintiest, the most seductive bit of feminity imaginable.

For a few fleeting moments only was I permitted to regale my eyes with this delectable vision, and then it passed from my view.

"Who is she?" I gasped, addressing my inquiry to a nearby clerk.

The fellow turned a fishy eye on me and responded superciliously:

"No! If I knew I wouldn't be asking. Who is she?"

"She's the chiefs wife."

More questioning of other employees evoked supplementary information. Our employer had married this girl about four years previously; she was of titled parentage and in her own rights.

My admiration, based on nothing more than one brief glimpse, grew to infatuation. Past loves faded into insignificance, and never did I more ardently long to possess a woman than I did this one. As my mind became more and more obcessed with the infatuation, my dislike for the man who was the rightful possessor of this gem of loveliness increased and for the first time in my life I felt the stinging lash of dominating, unrestrainable jealousy.

I learned that on some occasions she came to the office, and day by day I looked forward to another glimpse of her, with hungry anticipation. It was two months before the longing was gratified, and then I saw her again. She was, or so seemed to me, even more lovely than I had first imagined and so rapt was I in the contemplation that my attitude was observed by other employees and after she had gone I was forced to listen to many jibing witicisms.

During several succeeding weeks I ceaselessly dreamed and thought of this woman, not with exception or hope, but with that blind adoration which finds its only solace in silent, unrequited worship. I had brief glimpses of her once or twice a month, and ultimately it seemed to me that as her glance momentarily met mine, there was an expression of understanding in it, as though she felt, or divined my adoration.

I had been working for nearly a year when my employer summoned me to his office one afternoon.

"Gilbert, here is a little matter I want you to take care of. The wife's private secretary is away on a vacation, and until the girl returns, I have instructed her to send for you once a week to assist her with the household accounts.

The electrical effect of this communication upon me may be easily imagined. At last! An opportunity to be near, if but a few moments to the hitherto unapproachable Goddess of my dreams. I could scarcely conceal my elation as I assured him I would be delightful to be of service to his wife. But how delightful he certainly did not suspect.

It must not be supposed that I was beguiling myself with any fantastic hopes. No; for once, and despite the success with which most of my

previous amorous campaigns had been waged, I was infatuated with a woman I considered far beyond my reach. To me she was little less than a deity; the possibility that she might descend into my sphere of life and being was not entertained even in my wildest dreams. The lines of caste are well defined in England. She was the essence of aristrocracy; I was a plebian, completely outside her world. I expected nothing.

Six days later a message was laid on my desk requesting me to report at the house.

A taxi conveyed me through the city's most exclusive residential section, along flower bordered streets under leafy bowers of foliage, and I shortly ha,d my first glirtipse of my employer's residence. It was a veritable castle of stone architecture, almost concealed under climbing ivy beautiful vines and trees.

In answer to the clang of a .heavy brass knocker, appeared a trim, luscious little maid gowned in a short tylack dress, over which a white lace edged apron was neatly draped. Her plump legs were admirably displayed in glistening silk and these, together with other obvious charms would have captured my heart in a minute, if it had not been otherwise occupied to fullest capacity.