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She was standing stock still staring at the pastry she was making。
She turned to me； and there was a curious smile about her lips。
〃Do you know what you ought to be wearing？〃 she said。 〃Wings； and a
little bow and arrow。〃
She didn't even think to wipe her hands； but went straight upstairs。
It was about half an hour later when the bell rang。 Mr。 John was
standing by the window。
〃Is that bag ready？〃 he said。
〃It will be；〃 I said。
I went out into the hall and returned with the clothes brush。
〃What are you going to do？〃 he said。
〃Perhaps you don't know it；〃 I said； 〃but you are all over flour。〃
〃Cook's going with me to Scotland；〃 he said。
I have looked after Mr。 John ever since he was a boy。 He was
forty…two last birthday； but when I shook hands with him through the
cab window I could have sworn he was twenty…five again。
THE LESSON。
The first time I met him； to my knowledge； was on an evil…smelling；
one…funnelled steam boat that in those days plied between London
Bridge and Antwerp。 He was walking the deck arm…in…arm with a
showily dressed but decidedly attractive young woman； both of them
talking and laughing loudly。 It struck me as odd； finding him a
fellow…traveller by such a route。 The passage occupied eighteen
hours； and the first…class return fare was one pound twelve and six；
including three meals each way； drinks； as the contract was careful
to explain； being extra。 I was earning thirty shillings a week at
the time as clerk with a firm of agents in Fenchurch Street。 Our
business was the purchasing of articles on commission for customers
in India； and I had learned to be a judge of values。 The beaver
lined coat he was wearingfor the evening； although it was late
summer； was chillymust have cost him a couple of hundred pounds；
while his carelessly displayed jewellery he could easily have pawned
for a thousand or more。
I could not help staring at him； and once； as they passed； he
returned my look。
After dinner； as I was leaning with my back against the gunwale on
the starboard side； he came out of the only private cabin that the
vessel boasted； and taking up a position opposite to me； with his
legs well apart and a big cigar between his thick lips； stood coolly
regarding me； as if appraising me。
〃Treating yourself to a little holiday on the Continent？〃 he
inquired。
I had not been quite sure before he spoke； but his lisp； though
slight； betrayed the Jew。 His features were coarse； almost brutal；
but the restless eyes were so brilliant； the whole face so
suggestive of power and character； that； taking him as a whole； the
feeling he inspired was admiration； tempered by fear。 His tone was
one of kindly contemptthe tone of a man accustomed to find most
people his inferiors； and too used to the discovery to be conceited
about it。
Behind it was a note of authority that it did not occur to me to
dispute。
〃Yes；〃 I answered； adding the information that I had never been
abroad before； and had heard that Antwerp was an interesting town。
〃How long have you got？〃 he asked。
〃A fortnight；〃 I told him。
〃Like to see a bit more than Antwerp； if you could afford it；
wouldn't you？〃 he suggested。 〃Fascinating little country Holland。
Just long enougha fortnightto do the whole of it。 I'm a
Dutchman； a Dutch Jew。〃
〃You speak English just like an Englishman；〃 I told him。 It was
somehow in my mind to please him。 I could hardly have explained
why。
〃And half a dozen other languages equally well；〃 he answered；
laughing。 〃I left Amsterdam when I was eighteen as steerage
passenger in an emigrant ship。 I haven't seen it since。〃
He closed the cabin door behind him； and； crossing over； laid a
strong hand on my shoulder。
〃I will make a proposal to you；〃 he said。 〃My business is not of
the kind that can be put out of mind； even for a few days； and there
are reasons〃he glanced over his shoulder towards the cabin door；
and gave vent to a short laugh〃why I did not want to bring any of
my own staff with me。 If you care for a short tour； all expenses
paid at slap…up hotels and a ten…pound note in your pocket at the
end； you can have it for two hours' work a day。〃
I suppose my face expressed my acceptance； for he did not wait for
me to speak。
〃Only one thing I stipulate for；〃 he added； 〃that you mind your own
business and keep your mouth shut。 You're by yourself； aren't you？〃
〃Yes；〃 I told him。
He wrote on a sheet of his notebook； and； tearing it out； handed it
to me。
〃That's your hotel at Antwerp；〃 he said。 〃You are Mr。 Horatio
Jones's secretary。〃 He chuckled to himself as he repeated the name；
which certainly did not fit him。 〃Knock at my sitting…room door at
nine o'clock tomorrow morning。 Good night！〃
He ended the conversation as abruptly as he had begun it； and
returned to his cabin。
I got a glimpse of him next morning； coming out of the hotel bureau。
He was speaking to the manager in French； and had evidently given
instructions concerning me； for I found myself preceded by an
obsequious waiter to quite a charming bedroom on the second floor；
while the 〃English breakfast〃 placed before me later in the
coffee…room was of a size and character that in those days I did not
often enjoy。 About the work； also； he was as good as his word。 I
was rarely occupied for more than two hours each morning。 The
duties consisted chiefly of writing letters and sending off
telegrams。 The letters he signed and had posted himself； so that I
never learnt his real namenot during that fortnightbut I
gathered enough to be aware that he was a man whose business
interests must have been colossal and world…wide。
He never introduced me to 〃Mrs。 Horatio Jones；〃 and after a few days
he seemed to be bored with her； so that often I would take her place
as his companion in afternoon excursions。
I could not help liking the man。 Strength always compels the
adoration of youth； and there was something big and heroic about
him。 His daring； his swift decisions； his utter unscrupulousness；
his occasional cruelty when necessity seemed to demand it。 One
could imagine him in earlier days a born leader of savage hordes； a
lover of fighting for its own sake； meeting all obstacles with
fierce welcome； forcing his way onward； indifferent to the misery
and destruction caused by his progress； his eyes never swerving from
their goal； yet not without a sense of rough justice； not altogether
without kindliness when it could be indulged in without danger。
One afternoon he took me with him into the Jewish quarter of
Amsterdam； and threading his way without hesitation through its maze
of unsavoury slums； paused before a narrow three…storeyed house
overlooking a stagnant backwater。
〃The room I was born in；〃 he explained。 〃Window with the broken
pane on the second floor。 It has never been mended。〃
I stole a glance at him。 His face betrayed no suggestion of
sentiment； but rather of amusement。 He offered me a cigar； which I
was glad of； for the stench from the offal…laden water behind us was
distracting； and for a while we both smoked in silence： he with his
eyes half…closed； it was a tri