An Accidental Man Read Online Free PDF Page B

pulled into it too —’
    â€˜Don’t get excited, sweetie —’
    â€˜Your going there is like secret police or something. It’s not very important to you, seeing Dorina, is it?’
    â€˜I guess not — But how can I — I’m supposed to be going there tomorrow. What will they think?’
    â€˜One mustn’t worry about what people think. You said that to me once. Make some excuse.’
    â€˜But poor old Austin, he hasn’t got anyone —’
    â€˜Austin gives me the creeps.’
    â€˜But why — is it his funny hand?’
    â€˜No, of course not, I don’t mind his funny hand. He finds me attractive.’
    â€˜How do you know? God, he never made a pass at you, did he?’
    â€˜No, but a woman knows. A young girl always knows.’
    â€˜So what? I guess everyone finds you attractive. It’s not a crime, poppet darling.’
    â€˜I find him repulsive — no, that’s too strong. He’s old. I hate it when old people find me attractive.’
    â€˜He’s not fifty!’
    â€˜His face creams and mantles like a standing pond.’
    â€˜I think he’s got a very nice face.’
    â€˜He’s so unfortunate.’
    â€˜That’s not a crime either!’
    â€˜It is in him. Bad luck is a sort of wickedness in some people. No, I don’t mean that either. I hate his soupy sort of emotions, the way he looks at life. Sorry. I just don’t want you to go to Valmorana. If you do you’ll get involved in their thing. I don’t want you to be interested in them and in their horrible messy world of quarrelling and forgiving. Please. Do you see?’
    Ludwig felt distress. How could he hurt Austin and Dorina who had both been so kind to him? And why shouldn’t he be interested and try to help? He was about to argue when he realized: she is jealous of Dorina. He felt touched, tender, delighted, grateful.
    â€˜All right, honeybun, anything you like. Say, do you think your parents have gone out? I can’t hear a thing.’
    â€˜No, I can hear papa typing. Please, Ludwig. Oh darling, I’m suddenly so frightened. We will be all right, won’t we? Oh let us be all right for ever. There are such terrible things in the world.’

‘Recession. Yes,’ said Austin Gibson Grey. He was not sure what recession meant, but he knew what Mr Bransome meant.
    â€˜It is a matter of computerization.’
    â€˜Indeed.’
    â€˜There is nothing personal involved.’
    â€˜Quite.’
    â€˜The management consultants who were here last month —’
    â€˜I thought they were interior decorators.’
    â€˜Possibly they were so described.’
    â€˜They were.’
    â€˜It was a matter of being tactful.’
    â€˜I see.’
    â€˜Recommended a thoroughgoing streamlining of staff ratios.’
    â€˜Ah yes.’
    â€˜You appreciate that we have been losing money.’
    â€˜I do.’
    â€˜Our situation, I say in confidence, is difficult.’
    â€˜I am sorry.’
    â€˜We shall pay you of course for the entire month.’
    â€˜Thank you.’
    â€˜But I trust you will feel free to leave at any time.’
    â€˜How kind.’
    â€˜I expect you will wish to find another post.’
    â€˜I will.’
    â€˜I am sure you will have no difficulty in doing so.’
    â€˜I hope you are right.’
    â€˜And in fact your successor here —’
    â€˜I thought I didn’t have a successor. I thought that was the point.’
    â€˜Well, just a graduate trainee — I will provide you with excellent references.’
    â€˜About my pension —’
    â€˜I thought you would ask that.’
    â€˜Can I take it in a lump sum?’
    â€˜You were enrolled among our temporary non-pensionable staff.’
    â€˜That was a long time ago.’
    â€˜Time does not alter such things, Mr Gibson Grey.’
    â€˜But I distinctly remember