Дневник незначительного лица
Chapter 1
Intheevening,CummingsunexpectedlydroppedintoshowmeameerschaumpipehehadwoninaraffleintheCity,andtoldmetohandleitcarefully,asitwouldspoilthecolouringifthehandwasmoist.Hesaidhewouldn’tstay,ashedidn’tcaremuchforthesmellofthepaint,andfelloverthescraperashewentout.Mustgetthescraperremoved,orelseIshallgetintoascrape.Idon’toftenmakejokes.
April5.—Twoshouldersofmuttonarrived,Carriehavingarrangedwithanotherbutcherwithoutconsultingme.Gowingcalled,andfelloverscrapercomingin.Mustgetthatscraperremoved.
April6.—Eggsforbreakfastsimplyshocking;sentthembacktoBorsetwithmycompliments,andheneedn’tcallanymorefororders.Couldn’tfindumbrella,andthoughitwaspouringwithrain,hadtogowithoutit.SarahsaidMr.Gowingmusthavetookitbymistakelastnight,astherewasastickinthe‘allthatdidn’tbelongtonobody.Intheevening,hearingsomeonetalkinginaloudvoicetotheservantinthedownstairshall,Iwentouttoseewhoitwas,andwassurprisedtofinditwasBorset,thebutterman,whowasbothdrunkandoffensive.Borset,onseeingme,saidhewouldbehangedifhewouldeverserveCityclerksanymore—thegamewasn’tworththecandle.Irestrainedmyfeelings,andquietlyremarkedthatIthoughtitwaspossibleforacityclerktobeagentleman.Herepliedhewasverygladtohearit,andwantedtoknowwhetherIhadevercomeacrossone,forhehadn’t.
