opening, all ready made for him, but he refrained from depositing me in
the soup. I tell you, Comrade Jackson, my rugged old heart was touched.
I said to myself, "There must be good in Comrade Rossiter, after all. I
must cultivate him." I shall make it my business to be kind to our
Departmental head. He deserves the utmost consideration. His action
shone like a good deed in a wicked world. Which it was, of course. From
today onwards I take Comrade Rossiter under my wing. We seem to be
getting into a tolerably benighted quarter. Are we anywhere near?
"Through Darkest Dulwich in a Taximeter."'

The cab arrived at Dulwich station, and Mike stood up to direct the
driver. They whirred down Acacia Road. Mike stopped the cab and got
out. A brief and somewhat embarrassing interview with the pantomime
dame, during which Mike was separated from a week's rent in lieu of
notice, and he was in the cab again, bound for Clement's Inn.

His feelings that night differed considerably from the frame of mind in
which he had gone to bed the night before. It was partly a very
excellent dinner and partly the fact that Psmith's flat, though at
present in some disorder, was obviously going to be extremely
comfortable, that worked the change. But principally it was due to his
having found an ally. The gnawing loneliness had gone. He did not look
forward to a career of Commerce with any greater pleasure than before;
but there was no doubt that with Psmith, it would be easier to get
through the time after office hours. If all went well in the bank he
might find that he had not drawn such a bad ticket after all.