证券经纪人的书记员09（在线收听）

“‘Don’t be disheartened, Mr. Pycroft,’ said my new acquaintance, seeing the length of my face. ‘Rome was not built in a day, and we have lots of money at our backs, though we don’t cut much dash yet in offices. Pray sit down, and let me have your letter.’

“I gave it to him, and he read it over very carefully.

“‘You seem to have made a vast impression upon my brother Arthur,’ said he, ‘and I know that he is a pretty shrewd judge. He swears by London, you know; and I by Birmingham; but this time I shall follow his advice. Pray consider yourself definitely engaged.’

“‘What are my duties?’ I asked.

“‘You will eventually manage the great depot in Paris, which will pour a flood of English crockery into the shops of a hundred and thirty-four agents in France. The purchase will be completed in a week, and meanwhile you will remain in Birmingham and make yourself useful.’

“‘How?’

“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.’

“请不要泄气，派克罗夫特先生，”我的新相识看到我脸上露出不快的样子，便说道，“罗马也不是一天建成的，我们的资本雄厚，但不在办公室上摆阔气。请坐，把那封信给我。”

“我把信一交一给他，他十分仔细地看了一遍。

“看来我哥哥阿瑟对你的印象非常深刻，”他说道，“我知道他很知人善任。你知道，他深深信赖伦敦人，而我信赖伯明翰人，可是这回我接受了他的推荐，你已被正式录用了。”

“我的任务是什么呢？”我问道。

“你将来要管理巴黎的大货栈，把英国造的陶器源源不断地运给法国一百三十四家代售店。一星期内就可购齐这批商品，在这段时间内你还要待在伯明翰做些有益的事。”

“什么事呢？’

“他没有回答，从一抽一屉里取出一本大红书来。

“这是一本巴黎工商行名录，”他说道，“人名后面有行业名称。我想请你把它带回家去，把五金商和他们的地址都抄下来。这对我们有很大用处。”

“一定照办，不过不是有分类表了吗？”我建议说。

“那些表不可靠。他们的分类和我们的不同。加紧抄吧，请在星期一十二点把单子一交一给我。再见，派克罗夫特先生。如果你继续表现得热情而能干，你会看得出来公司是一个好东道主的。”