Free Poor Caroline by Winifred Holtby

sitting aloof, sullen, indifferent, scribbling private calculations on his writing-block; and he saw St. Denis, whose enthusiasm for the circulars had had time to cool since the completion of their design, watching him with amusement, entertained to see that even the little Jew could not resist the excitement of quarrelling about lay-out and type-setting.

    §4

    Joseph was about to leave the office after the meeting when Miss Denton-Smyth approached him. 'Could you spare a few moments when the others have gone? I want to speak to you. It's rather urgent,'
    'Well, let me see. I have a dinner engagement.'
    4 I really shan't keep you a moment.'
    The other men were collecting hats and sticks, continuing arguments, and shaking hands with the secretary. Joseph waited. The thought that he would arrive home too late to see the boy before he went to bed made him irritable with impatience. Ben was splendid in his bath - great at gym nastics on the nursery floor. He looked forward to half an hour with his father. Damn the woman. Damn the woman. Why did she want him now?
    Guerdon and Johnson followed St. Denis. Joseph was left with Macafee and Miss Denton-Smyth. The young Scots man stood by the table, unhappily turning over slips of paper.
    'Well?' inquired Joseph.
    'It's all right, Mr. Isenbaum. Mr. Macafee can stay for our little talk. It concerns him.'
    Macafee did not look up. His young sullen face was heavy with trouble.
    'What's the matter? What can I do for you?'
    The nurse would be taking Ben up from the drawing- room now. Probably he would resist, kicking and shouting for Daddy. A boy ought to be full of spirit.
    'It's Mr. Macafee,' said Miss Denton-Smyth. 'I told him to go to you himself because I always say that there's nothing like the direct appeal. But he asks me to explain. You see, Mr. Isenbaum, I've been trying to make him understand that pioneer work is not like ordinary business. We must expect rebuffs, mustn't we? We must take the long view and the broad vision, When crushing the commercial octopus and fighting against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places. But I keep telling him that the ultimate reward is certain if we have only faith, though I do know the temptation to catch at glittering prizes.'

    'What is it, Macafee? How does this concern me?'
    The Scotsman raised his head.
    'I wanted to tell them all at the Board meeting, but Miss Denton-Smyth asked me to wait and speak to you. I want to know when the company's going to start making Tona Perfecta Films, Isenbaum. You're a business man. Guer don's an old sheep and Johnson's an adventurer and you never know what St. Denis thinks. But you're a business man. I want to ask you a straight question. Is the company going to be able to manufacture my films? If not, I'll go elsewhere.'
    'Why, Mr. Isenbaum, tell him he mustn't be so impatient. We couldn't do without the Tona Perfecta, could we? It's just because the thing's so big that it takes time. It takes time, of course, to tell the public all about it. Why, the circulars haven't gone out yet.'
    'I asked you a straight question, Isenbaum.'
    'Look here, Macafee. I haven't much time now. Lunch with me one day next week.'
    'I've got an interview to-morrow with the managing director of British-American Movietone Company. I want to know if I'm to put the Tona Perfecta into his hands.'
    'That's a dud concern, anyway. I happen to know. But why didn't you bring this up at the Board?'
    'It's my fault, Mr. Isenbaum,' cried Miss Denton-Smyth. 'I didn't want him to raise such a very, very serious subject just when everything was going so nicely. You know how easily frightened Mr. Guerdon is, and Mr. Johnson makes things just a little difficult to deal with, and besides there was your other proposal, Mr. Macafee. And I thought that really, perhaps, seeing that Mr. Isenbaum could really settle everything quite easily, it wasn't worth while making it all a matter for the Board at this stage.'
    'What do