"I am afraid that is impossible, Sir. You see that the Committee of Inspection are so opposed to any alteration of procedure."
"Well, well, you must do the best you can," I replied. "You see I am very much engaged at this moment."
The chief employé, seeming greatly surprised at my lack of excitement, bowed, and withdrew. I was once more deep in my Mexican Maritime Law, when Portington put in his head.
"Suppose that opinion isn't ready yet, Sir? Mordaunt, Brown, Jones and Snobkins are waiting for it."
"Ready directly. My compliments, and they can call for it in half an hour."
I had just got to the point where I thought I began to comprehend the Mexican method of dealing with a fraudulent bill of lading, when I was again interrupted. A small boy forced himself in.
"Please you are to come round at once. The chess-boards are out of order, and want mending, and there is something wrong with the lift, between the kitchen and the dining-room, and——"
"You had no right to intrude, sirrah!" I exclaimed, with haughty impatience. "Begone!"
Murmuring something about the Committee of Inspection, "kicking up a shindy" the urchin withdrew. Again I dived into Mexican Maritime Law, and nearly got hold of the rules governing a sale of cargo for the benefit of ship-repairs. I had jotted down a line or two upon the brief-paper before me, when the door was again thrown open, and a gentleman of immense presence entered.
"I believe you are Mr. Jowler's substitute?" he began, without removing his hat. I inclined my head and made a gesture with my pen which was intended to convey to him the joint ideas that he was to take a chair and not to disturb me until I was less preoccupied. He ignored my dumb-show. "And that being the case, it is my duty to call your attention to the unsatisfactory condition of the chimney-pots of your Institution, and to mention the fact that a pane of glass in the pantry has been broken, and is still unrepaired."