"Pray do not think," he said, "that I should be guilty of such an impertinence. My name is Aynesworth. Walter Aynesworth. I have a letter for you from Lovell. You remember him, I daresay. Here it is!"He produced it from his breast coat pocket, and handed it over.
"Where is Lovell?" Wingrave asked.
"He left for the East early this morning," Aynesworth answered. "He had to go almost at an hour's notice."Wingrave broke the seal, and read the letter through. Afterwards he tore it into small pieces and threw them into the grate.
"What do you want with me, Mr. Aynesworth?" he asked.
"I want to be your secretary," Aynesworth answered.
"My secretary," Wingrave repeated. "I am much obliged to you, but I am not requiring anyone in that capacity.""Pardon me," Aynesworth answered, "but I think you are. You may not have realized it yet, but if you will consider the matter carefully, I think you will agree with me that a secretary, or companion of some sort, is exactly what you do need.""Out of curiosity," Wingrave remarked, "I should be glad to know why you think so.""Certainly," Aynesworth answered. "In the first place, I know the story of your life, and the unfortunate incident which has kept you out of society for the last ten years.""From Lovell, I presume," Wingrave interrupted.
"Precisely," Aynesworth admitted. "Ten years' absence from English life today means that you return to it an absolute and complete stranger. You would be like a Cook's tourist abroad, without a guide or a Baedeker, if you attempted to rely upon yourself. Now I am rather a Bohemian sort of person, but I have just the sort of all-round knowledge which would be most useful to you. I have gone a little way into society, and I know something about politics. I can bring you up-to-date on both these matters. I know where to dine well in town, and where to be amused. I can tell you where to get your clothes, and the best place for all the etceteras. If you want to travel, I can speak French and German; and I consider myself a bit of a sportsman.""I am sure," Wingrave answered, "I congratulate you upon your versatility. Iam quite convinced! I shall advertise at once for a secretary!""Why advertise?" Aynesworth asked. "I am here!"Wingrave shook his head.
"You would not suit me at all," he answered.
"Why not?" Aynesworth asked. "I forget whether I mentioned all my accomplishments. I am an Oxford man with a degree, and I can write tolerable English. I've a fair head for figures, and I don't require too large a salary.""Exactly," Wingrave answered drily. "You are altogether too desirable? Ishould not require an Admirable Crichton for my purpose."Aynesworth remained unruffled.
"All right," he said. "You know best, of course! Suppose you tell me what sort of a man would satisfy you!""Why should I?" Wingrave asked coldly.
"It would amuse me," Aynesworth answered, "and I've come a mile or so out of my way, and given up a whole morning to come and see you. Go on! It won't take long!"Wingrave shrugged his shoulders.
"I will not remind you," he said, "that you came on your own initiative. I owe you the idea, however, so I will tell you the sort of person I shall look out for. In the first place, I do not require him to be a gentleman.""I can be a shocking bounder at times," Aynesworth murmured.
"He must be more a sort of an upper servant," Wingrave continued. "I should require him to obey me implicitly, whatever I told him to do. You have a conscience, I presume?""Very little," Aynesworth answered. "I have been a journalist.""You have the remnants of one, at all events," Wingrave said, "quite sufficient, no doubt, to interfere with your possible usefulness to me. I must have someone who is poor--too poor to question my will, or to dispute my orders, whatever they might be.""I have never," Aynesworth declared, "possessed a superfluous half-crown in my life.""You probably possess what is called a sense of honor," Wingrave continued.
"You would certainly disapprove of some of my proceedings, and you would probably disobey my orders.""Sense of honor!" Aynesworth repeated. "You have too flattering an opinion of me. I don't know what it is. I always cheat at cards if I get the chance."Wingrave turned away.
"You are a fool," he said, "and you won't suit me.""When can I come?" Aynesworth asked.
"You can stay now," Wingrave answered. "Your salary will be four hundred a year. You will live at my expense. The day you disobey an order of mine, you go! No notice, mind!""Agreed," Aynesworth answered. "What should I do first? Send you a tailor, Ishould think."
Wingrave nodded.
"I will give the afternoon to that sort of people," he said. "Here is a list of the tradesmen I used to deal with. Kindly avoid them."Aynesworth glanced at the slip of paper, and nodded.
"All out-of-date now," he remarked. "I'll be back to lunch."
