Читать книгу The £1,000,000 bank-note, and other new stories онлайн

26 страница из 31

When the month was up, at last, I had a million dollars to my credit in the London and County Bank, and Hastings was fixed in the same way. Dressed at my level best, I drove by the house in Portland Place, judged by the look of things that my birds were home again, went on towards the minister’s and got my precious, and we started back, talking salary with all our might. She was so excited and anxious that it made her just intolerably beautiful. I said:

‘Dearie, the way you’re looking it’s a crime to strike for a salary a single penny under three thousand a year.’

‘Henry, Henry, you’ll ruin us!’

‘Don’t you be afraid. Just keep up those looks, and trust to me. It’ll all come out right.’

So, as it turned out, I had to keep bolstering up her courage all the way. She kept pleading with me, and saying:

‘Oh, please remember that if we ask for too much we may get no salary at all; and then what will become of us, with no way in the world to earn our living?’

We were ushered in by that same servant, and there they were, the two old gentlemen. Of course they were surprised to see that wonderful creature with me, but I said: