Читать книгу The Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald онлайн

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The secretary bowed and went out. Girard turned to Parrish and Van Buren with an angry light in his eyes.

“Well, that finishes him,” he said determinedly. “Any young man who won’t even attempt to obey my orders doesn’t deserve a good chance.” He sat down and began drumming with his fingers on the arm of his chair.

“All right, Parrish, let’s hear what you’ve been doing with your leisure hours.”

Parrish smiled ingratiatingly.

“Mr. Girard,” he began, “I’ve had a bully time. I’ve been traveling.”

“Traveling where? The Adirondacks? Canada?”

“No, sir. I’ve been to Europe.”

Cyrus Girard sat up.

“I spent five days going over and five days coming back. That left me two days in London and a run over to Paris by aeroplane to spend the night. I saw Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and the Louvre, and spent an afternoon at Versailles. On the boat I kept in wonderful condition—swam, played deck tennis, walked five miles every day, met some interesting people and found time to read. I came back after the greatest two weeks of my life, feeling fine and knowing more about my own country since I had something to compare it with. That, sir, is how I spent my leisure time and that’s how I intend to spend my leisure time after I’m retired.”