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XXXVII

t first the novelty of the work kept Philip interested. Mr.
ACarter dictated letters to him, and he had to make fair
copies of statements of accounts.
Mr. Carter preferred to conduct the office on gentleman-
ly lines; he would have nothing to do with typewriting and
looked upon shorthand with disfavour: the office-boy knew
shorthand, but it was only Mr. Goodworthy who made use
of his accomplishment. Now and then Philip with one of
the more experienced clerks went out to audit the accounts
of some firm: he came to know which of the clients must be
treated with respect and which were in low water. Now and
then long lists of figures were given him to add up. He at-
tended lectures for his first examination. Mr. Goodworthy
repeated to him that the work was dull at first, but he would
grow used to it. Philip left the office at six and walked across
the river to Waterloo. His supper was waiting for him when
he reached his lodgings and he spent the evening reading.
On Saturday afternoons he went to the National Gallery.
Hayward had recommended to him a guide which had been
compiled out of Ruskin’s works, and with this in hand he
went industriously through room after room: he read care-
fully what the critic had said about a picture and then in a
determined fashion set himself to see the same things in
it. His Sundays were difficult to get through. He knew no

Of Human Bondage