“That’s the worst insult I ever heard! The population of the world’s over two billion!”
Mr. Archer laughed, but his eyes showed approval. 236 “It’s simply something for you to keep in mind, my boy––about the bank. It’s a possible career, unless you want to go on with the Orpheum. Of course, you’d have to start pretty low, at first, but you know as well as I do that nobody’s asked to come into that bank unless he’s well thought of.”
Henry didn’t repeat this conversation to Bob Standish, because he thought it would sound too much like saying “Yah!” nor did he repeat it to his wife, because he thought it would sound too egotistical; but on the same day he collected another item of news which he unhesitatingly shared with her.
He said to Anna: “I saw something downtown that’ll amuse you. Cigar store with a sign in front: Trading Stamps, Premium Coupons, and Orpheum Theatre Stubs Bought and Sold. If that isn’t a footprint on the sands of time I’m going to get measured for glasses.”
She laughed a trifle recessively. “I’ll be glad when it’s all over, though. Won’t you?”
Inspecting her, he realized with a little thrill of self-accusation, that Anna had worn herself 237 out; she hadn’t had a day’s freedom from housework, and she had worked twice as hard as he thought necessary. She was very tired, and she showed it; but he knew that when she wanted the year to be over, she wasn’t thinking of herself, but of him. He paid her the compliment of accepting what she said, without tossing it back as though she had meant it for herself. “Well, I told you I’d drag in the bearded lady and the wild man of Borneo, if I had to. What’s the matter; don’t you like the show business?”
“Of course, we didn’t exactly go into it for fun.”
“I seem to remember your calling it a lark, though.”
“I didn’t know it was going to be quite as awful as this.”
“Awful?”