Mike's successor, a youth of the name of Bristow, was causing Psmith a
great deal of pensive melancholy. His worst defect--which he could not
help--was that he was not Mike. His others--which he could--were
numerous. His clothes were cut in a way that harrowed Psmith's sensitive
soul every time he looked at them. The fact that he wore detachable
cuffs, which he took off on beginning work and stacked in a glistening
pile on the desk in front of him, was no proof of innate viciousness of
disposition, but it prejudiced the Old Etonian against him. It was part
of Psmith's philosophy that a man who wore detachable cuffs had passed
beyond the limit of human toleration. In addition, Bristow wore a small
black moustache and a ring and that, as Psmith informed Mike, put the
lid on it.

Mike would sometimes stroll round to the Postage Department to listen
to the conversations between the two. Bristow was always friendliness
itself. He habitually addressed Psmith as Smithy, a fact which
entertained Mike greatly but did not seem to amuse Psmith to any
overwhelming extent. On the other hand, when, as he generally did, he
called Mike 'Mister Cricketer', the humour of the thing appeared to
elude Mike, though the mode of address always drew from Psmith a pale,
wan smile, as of a broken heart made cheerful against its own
inclination.

The net result of the coming of Bristow was that Psmith spent most of
his time, when not actually oppressed by a rush of work, in the
precincts of the Cash Department, talking to Mike and Mr Waller. The
latter did not seem to share the dislike common among the other heads
of departments of seeing his subordinates receiving visitors. Unless
the work was really heavy, in which case a mild remonstrance escaped