"Naturally I said that I couldn't possibly leave you--unless you told me to go, and that I owed everything to you. Then he asked me what I did for you, and I said I was particularly busy at present making a schedule of all your new purchases and checking the outfitters' accounts, and so on. That reminds me, I haven't been able to get the neckties right yet." "Good heavens!" exclaimed Mr. Prohack. "Not been able to get the neckties right! But this is very serious. The neckties are most important. Most important!" "Oh!" said Mimi. "If necessary I shall run round to Bond Street in my lunch-hour." At this point the drawer in the desk started to unlock itself and open of its own accord, and Mr. Prohack's eye caught a glimpse of a page of the sermon. Mimi continued: "We mustn't forget there'll be hundreds of things to see to about the new house." "Will there?" "Well, Mrs. Prohack told Machin, and Machin has just told me, that it's all settled about taking the house. And I know what taking a house is. Mr. Carrel Quire was always taking new houses." "But perhaps you could keep an eye on the house even if you went over to Mr. Charles?" "Then it's true," said Mimi. "You do want me to go." But she showed no sign of weeping afresh. "You must understand," Mr. Prohack said with much benevolence, "that my son is my son. Of course my clothes are also my clothes. But Charles is in a difficult position. He's at the beginning of his career, whereas I'm at the end of mine. He needs all the help he can get, and he can afford to pay more than I can. And even at the cost of having to check my own neckties I shouldn't like to stand in his way. That's how I look at it. Mind you, I have certainly not told Charlie that I'll set you free." "I quite see," said Mimi. "And naturally if you put it like that--" "You'll still be in the family." "I shall be very sorry to leave you, Mr. Prohack." "Doubtless. But you'll be even gladder to go over to Charles, though with him you'll be more like a kettle tied to the tail of a mad dog than a confidential secretary." Mimi raised the tip of her nose. "Excuse me, Mr. Prohack, I shall _not_ be gladder to go over to Mr. Charles. Any girl will tell you that she prefers to work for a man of your age than for a boy. Boys are not interesting."