"For answer, he took a big red book out of a drawer.

"'This is a directory of Paris,' said he, 'with the
trades after the names of the people. I want you to
take it home with you, and to mark off all the hardware
sellers, with their addresses. It would be of the
greatest use to me to have them.'

"'Surely there are classified lists?' I suggested.

"'Not reliable ones. Their system is different from
ours. Stick at it, and let me have the lists by
Monday, at twelve. Good-day, Mr. Pycroft. If you
continue to show zeal and intelligence you will find
the company a good master.'

"I went back to the hotel with the big book under my
arm, and with very conflicting feelings in my breast.
On the one hand, I was definitely engaged and had a
hundred pounds in my pocket; on the other, the look of
the offices, the absence of name on the wall, and
other of the points which would strike a business man
had left a bad impression as to the position of my
employers. However, come what might, I had my money,
so I settled down to my task. All Sunday I was kept
hard at work, and yet by Monday I had only got as far
as H. I went round to my employer, found him in the
same dismantled kind of room, and was told to keep at
it until Wednesday, and then come again. On Wednesday
it was still unfinished, so I hammered away until