"P. G. Wodehouse - Indiscretions of Archie v1 0" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wodehouse P G)

Archie, a true philosopher, bore this hostility with fortitude, but
it worried Lucille.

"I do wish father understood you better," was her wistful comment
when Archie had related the conversation.

"Well, you know," said Archie, "I'm open for being understood any
time he cares to take a stab at it."

"You must try and make him fond of you."

"But how? I smile winsomely at him and what not, but he doesn't
respond."

"Well, we shall have to think of something. I want him to realise
what an angel you are. You ARE an angel, you know."

"No, really?"

"Of course you are."

"It's a rummy thing," said Archie, pursuing a train of thought which
was constantly with him, "the more I see of you, the more I wonder
how you can have a father like--I mean to say, what I mean to say
is, I wish I had known your mother; she must have been frightfully
attractive."

"What would really please him, I know," said Lucille, "would be if
you got some work to do. He loves people who work."

"Yes?" said Archie doubtfully. "Well, you know, I heard him
interviewing that chappie behind the desk this morning, who works
like the dickens from early morn to dewy eve, on the subject of a
mistake in his figures; and, if he loved him, he dissembled it all
right. Of course, I admit that so far I haven't been one of the
toilers, but the dashed difficult thing is to know how to start. I'm
nosing round, but the openings for a bright young man seem so
scarce."

"Well, keep on trying. I feel sure that, if you could only find
something to do, it doesn't matter what, father would be quite
different."

It was possibly the dazzling prospect of making Mr. Brewster quite
different that stimulated Archie. He was strongly of the opinion
that any change in his father-in-law must inevitably be for the
better. A chance meeting with James B. Wheeler, the artist, at the
Pen-and-Ink Club seemed to open the way.

To a visitor to New York who has the ability to make himself liked