believe he would not be as enthusiastic as before about my proposed motoring

trip - indeed, that he would not repeat his most kind offer to 'foot the bill

for the gas'. Nevertheless, I considered most carefully what might be the most

opportune occasion to bring the matter up with him; for although I would not for

one moment, as I say, suspect Mr Farraday of inconsistency, it nevertheless made

sense not to broach the topic when he was preoccupied or distracted. A refusal

in such circumstances may well not reflect my employer's true feelings on the

matter, but once having sustained such a dismissal, I could not easily bring it

up again. It was clear, then, that I had to choose my moment wisely.

 

In the end, I decided the most prudent moment in the day would be as I served

afternoon tea in the drawing room. Mr Farraday will usually have just .returned

from his short walk on the downs at that point, so he is rarely engrossed in his

reading or writing as he tends to be in the evenings. In fact, when I bring in

the afternoon tea, Mr Farraday is inclined to close any book or periodical he

has been reading, rise and stretch out his arms in front of the windows, as

though in anticipation of conversation with me.

 

As it was, I believe my judgement proved quite sound on the question of timing;

the fact that things turned out as they did is entirely attributable to an error

of judgement in another direction altogether. That is to say, I did not take

sufficient account of the fact that at that time of the day, what Mr Farraday

enjoys is a conversation of a light-hearted, humorous sort. Knowing this to be

his likely mood when I brought in the tea yesterday afternoon, and being aware

of his general propensity to talk with me in a bantering tone at such moments,