'I've come,' was the best speech he could think of. It was not a good
speech. It was too sinister. He felt that even as he said it. It was
the sort of thing Mephistopheles would have said to Faust by way of
opening conversation. And he was not sure, either, whether he ought not
to have added, 'Sir.'

Apparently such subtleties of address were not necessary, for Mr
Bickersdyke did not start up and shout, 'This language to me!' or
anything of that kind. He merely said, 'Oh! And who are you?'

'Jackson,' said Mike. It was irritating, this assumption on Mr
Bickersdyke's part that they had never met before.

'Jackson? Ah, yes. You have joined the staff?'

Mike rather liked this way of putting it. It lent a certain dignity to
the proceedings, making him feel like some important person for whose
services there had been strenuous competition. He seemed to see the
bank's directors being reassured by the chairman. ('I am happy to say,
gentlemen, that our profits for the past year are 3,000,006-2-2 1/2
pounds--(cheers)--and'--impressively--'that we have finally succeeded
in inducing Mr Mike Jackson--(sensation)--to--er--in fact, to join the
staff!' (Frantic cheers, in which the chairman joined.)

'Yes,' he said.

Mr Bickersdyke pressed a bell on the table beside him, and picking up a
pen, began to write. Of Mike he took no further notice, leaving that
toy of Fate standing stranded in the middle of the room.