On the next morning John Eames was very silent when he went into Sir Raffle’s room at the office. There was now only this day and another before that fixed for his departure, and it was of course very necessary that matters should be arranged. But he said nothing to Sir Raffle during the morning. The great man himself was condescending and endeavoured to be kind. He knew that his stern refusal had greatly irritated his private secretary, and was anxious to show that, though in the cause of public duty he was obliged to be stern, he was quite willing to forget his sternness when the necessity for it had passed away. On this morning, therefore, he was very cheery. But to all his cheery good-humour John Eames would make no response. Late in the afternoon, when most of the men had left the office, Johnny appeared before the chairman for the last time that day with a very long face. He was dressed in black, and had changed his ordinary morning coat for a frock, which gave him an appearance altogether unlike that which was customary to him. And he spoke almost in a whisper, very slowly; and when Sir Raffle joked—and Sir Raffle often would joke—he not only did not laugh, but he absolutely sighed. “Is there anything the matter with you, Eames?” asked Sir Raffle.
“I am in great trouble,” said John Eames.
“And what is your trouble?”
“It is essential for the honour of one of my family that I should be at Florence by this day week. I cannot make up my mind what I ought to do. I do not wish to lose my position in the public service, to which, as you know, I am warmly attached; but I cannot submit to see the honour of my family sacrificed!”
“Eames,” said Sir Raffle, “that must be nonsense;—that must be nonsense. There can be no reason why you should always expect to have your own way in everything.”
“Of course if I go without leave I shall be dismissed.”
“Of course you will. It is out of the question that a young man should take the bit between his teeth in that way.”
“As for taking the bit between his teeth, Sir Raffle, I do not think that any man was ever more obedient, perhaps I should say more submissive, than I have been. But there must be a limit to everything.”
“What do you mean by that, Mr. Eames?” said Sir Raffle, turning in anger upon his private secretary. But Johnny disregarded his anger. Johnny, indeed, had made up his mind that Sir Raffle should be very angry. “What do you mean, Mr. Eames, by saying that there must be a limit? I know nothing about limits. One would suppose that you intended to make an accusation against me.”
“So I do. I think, Sir Raffle, that you are treating me with great cruelty. I have explained to you that family circumstances—”
“You have explained nothing, Mr. Eames.”
“Yes, I have, Sir Raffle. I have explained to you that matters relating to my family, which materially affect the honour of a certain one of its members, demand that I should go at once to Florence. You tell me that if I go I shall be dismissed.”
“Of course you must not go without leave. I never heard of such a thing in all my life.” And Sir Raffle lifted up his hands towards heaven, almost in dismay.
“So I have drawn up a short statement of the circumstances, which I hope may be read at the Board when the question of my dismissal comes before it.”
“You mean to go, then?”
“Yes, Sir Raffle; I must go. The honour of a certain branch of my family demands that I should do so. As I have for some time been so especially under you, I thought it would be proper to show you what I have said before I send my letter in, and therefore I have brought it with me. Here it is.” And Johnny handed to Sir Raffle an official document of large dimensions.
Sir Raffle began to be uncomfortable. He had acquired a character for tyranny in the public service of which he was aware, though he thought that he knew well that he had never deserved it. Some official bigwig—perhaps that Chancellor of the Exchequer of whom he was so fond—had on one occasion hinted to him that a little softness of usage would be compatible with the prejudices of the age. Softness was impossible to Sir Raffle; but his temper was sufficiently under his control to enable him to encounter the rebuke, and to pull himself up from time to time when he found himself tempted to speak loud and to take things with a high hand. He knew that a clerk should not be dismissed for leaving his office, who could show that his absence had been caused by some matter really affecting the interest of his family; and that were he to drive Eames to go on this occasion without leave, Eames would be simply called in to state what was this matter of moment which had taken him away. Probably he had stated that matter of moment in this very document which Sir Raffle was holding in his hand. But Sir Raffle was not willing to be conquered
