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CII

thelny told Philip that he could easily get him some-
Athing to do in the large firm of linendrapers in which
himself worked. Several of the assistants had gone to the
war, and Lynn and Sedley with patriotic zeal had promised
to keep their places open for them. They put the work of the
heroes on those who remained, and since they did not in-
crease the wages of these were able at once to exhibit public
spirit and effect an economy; but the war continued and
trade was less depressed; the holidays were coming, when
numbers of the staff went away for a fortnight at a time:
they were bound to engage more assistants. Philip’s experi-
ence had made him doubtful whether even then they would
engage him; but Athelny, representing himself as a per-
son of consequence in the firm, insisted that the manager
could refuse him nothing. Philip, with his training in Paris,
would be very useful; it was only a matter of waiting a little
and he was bound to get a well-paid job to design costumes
and draw posters. Philip made a poster for the summer sale
and Athelny took it away. Two days later he brought it back,
saying that the manager admired it very much and regret-
ted with all his heart that there was no vacancy just then in
that department. Philip asked whether there was nothing
else he could do.
‘I’m afraid not.’

Of Human Bondage