British -- California -- Fiction; British -- China -- Fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction
“That dame certainly was a goatgetter,” he admitted. “These folks is
fifty fifty. Sometimes they fall for dope like that most before you begin
putting it over. Sometimes they don’t, that’s all there is to it. It’s
fifty fifty.”
Mathematically speaking he was wrong. The percentage of weak housewives
willing to invest money in the Classics was nothing like fifty per cent.
Yet the general result of the day was not discouraging to Edward. He
looked back with a certain excitement to a day spent climbing up steep
geranium-bordered steps to inexplicably friendly interviews. He looked
forward still to making five dollars a day and refused to analyse, even
to himself, the differences of manner between himself and his instructor.
Next day he was allowed to go by himself.
He studied North Berkeley on the map like a lover studying the portrait
of his mistress. He decided to begin work at a street the name of which
reminded him, without reason, of Emily. He made the stopping of the
street-car a secret test of the coming day’s chance of success. If it
should stop at his corner for passengers other than himself it would mean
success—five dollars—perhaps a record—ten dollars.... A group of women
stopped the car at his corner and he was very glad until, on calling at
the first two houses, he found that the group had consisted of potential
clients of Milton, departing for their marketing. At the third house the
housewife was in. Edward did not begin with, “Say, mother, what are you
doing for your boy?” He lost his head.
He began lamentably, “I say, I’ve got a book here to sell.”
The mistress of the house shook her head sadly at him. “I dare say you
have, but I haven’t the money to spend.”
“Oh, sorry ...” said Edward and turned towards the street again.
“Wait a moment. I believe you’re English. I am English too—a remittance
woman. How rash of you to take up salesman’s work in a country of
salesmen. Would you like to come in?”
“I have my methods and the instructor had his,” thought Edward
complacently as he followed her in. “The results seem to be the same.”
He looked with cool hope at the “remittance woman.” She had rather a flat
crumpled face and very soft looking matt skin. Her pince-nez were the
only firm thing in her face; they obviously pinched very strongly.
“I must introduce you to my only friend,” she said waving her hands
towards an apparently empty corner of the living-room. Then Edward saw
that a canary was suspiciously eyeing him from the dresser.
Edward chuckled doubtfully. “Have you really no other friends?” he said,
telling himself that the woman was rather morbid.
“None,” replied the Englishwoman placidly. “The people I know in England
pay me to make my home on another continent. I am unfortunate in being
hateful to everyone I meet.”
“Haven’t you any relations?” asked Edward lamely.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account