William had a room in the house which was partly sitting-room and partly
study, and there he kept many of his papers. He was supposed to ponder
over matters of business in this room, and it gave him a good excuse for
arriving late at the office in the morning. He had been sitting up into
the small hours, he would tell his uncle; although he would sometimes
vary the excuse by saying that it was quieter at home than in the City,
and that he had spent the early part of the morning in reading documents.
The first time William got an answer from the new housemaid was when he
expressed his anxiety about the care of this room. He said that servants
generally were very careless, and he hoped she would attend to things,
and see that his papers were kept nicely in order. This, without glancing
up at him, the girl promised to do, and William thereafter found his
apartment kept with a scrupulous neatness which would have delighted the
most particular of men.
One morning when he was sitting by his table, enjoying an after-breakfast
cigarette, the door opened softly, and the new housemaid entered. Seeing
him there, she seemed confused, and was about to retire, when William,
throwing his cigarette away, sprang to his feet.
'No, don't go,' he said; 'I was just about to ring.'
The girl paused with her hand on the door.
'Yes,' he continued, 'I was just going to ring, but you have saved me
the trouble; but, by the way, what is your name?'
'Susy, if you please, sir,' replied the girl modestly.
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