speech, but Psmith took the situation in hand.

'Apparently no,' he said, swiftly removing his hat from the ruler. 'In
reality, yes. Mr Rossiter and I were just scheming out a line of work
for me as you came up. If you had arrived a moment later, you would
have found me toiling.'

'H'm. I hope I should. We do not encourage idling in this bank.'

'Assuredly not,' said Psmith warmly. 'Most assuredly not. I would not
have it otherwise. I am a worker. A bee, not a drone. A
_Lusitania,_ not a limpet. Perhaps I have not yet that grip on my
duties which I shall soon acquire; but it is coming. It is coming. I
see daylight.'

'H'm. I have only your word for it.' He turned to Mr Rossiter, who had
now recovered himself, and was as nearly calm as it was in his nature
to be. 'Do you find Mr Smith's work satisfactory, Mr Rossiter?'

Psmith waited resignedly for an outburst of complaint respecting the
small matter that had been under discussion between the head of the
department and himself; but to his surprise it did not come.

'Oh--ah--quite, quite, Mr Bickersdyke. I think he will very soon pick
things up.'

Mr Bickersdyke turned away. He was a conscientious bank manager, and
one can only suppose that Mr Rossiter's tribute to the earnestness of
one of his _employes_ was gratifying to him. But for that, one would have
said that he was disappointed.