roses. At the same time the conversation had the bad effect of leading
to an acute relapse in the matter of homesickness. The rose-garden at
home had been one of Mike's favourite haunts on a summer afternoon. The
contrast between it and the basement of the new Asiatic Bank, the
atmosphere of which was far from being roselike, was too much for his
feelings. He emerged from the depths, with his punched stamps, filled
with bitterness against Fate.

He found Psmith still baffled.

'Hall Caine,' said Psmith regretfully, 'has also proved a frost. I
wandered round to Comrade Rossiter's desk just now with a rather brainy
excursus on "The Eternal City", and was received with the Impatient
Frown rather than the Glad Eye. He was in the middle of adding up a
rather tricky column of figures, and my remarks caused him to drop a
stitch. So far from winning the man over, I have gone back. There now
exists between Comrade Rossiter and myself a certain coldness. Further
investigations will be postponed till after lunch.'

The postage department received visitors during the morning. Members of
other departments came with letters, among them Bannister. Mr Rossiter
was away in the manager's room at the time.

'How are you getting on?' said Bannister to Mike.

'Oh, all right,' said Mike.

'Had any trouble with Rossiter yet?'

'No, not much.'