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           IknewSarah,ourservant,couldnothearthis,asshewasupstairsdoingthebedrooms,soaskedtheboywhyhedidnotringthebell?Herepliedthathedidpullthebell,butthehandlecameoffinhishand.

           Iwashalf-an-hourlateattheoffice,athingthathasneverhappenedtomebefore.Therehasrecentlybeenmuchirregularityintheattendanceoftheclerks,andMr.Perkupp,ourprincipal,unfortunatelychoosethisverymorningtopouncedownuponusearly.Someonehadgiventhetiptotheothers.TheresultwasthatIwastheonlyonelateofthelot.Buckling,oneoftheseniorclerks,wasabrick,andIwassavedbyhisintervention.AsIpassedbyPitt’sdesk,Iheardhimremarktohisneighbour:“Howdisgracefullylatesomeoftheheadclerksarrive!”Thiswas,ofcourse,meantforme.Itreatedtheobservationwithsilence,simplygivinghimalook,whichunfortunatelyhadtheeffectofmakingbothoftheclerkslaugh.ThoughtafterwardsitwouldhavebeenmoredignifiedifIhadpretendednottohaveheardhimatall.Cummingscalledintheevening,andweplayeddominoes.

           April12.—Mustard-and-cressandradishesnotcomeupyet.LeftFarmersonrepairingthescraper,butwhenIcamehomefoundthreemenworking.Iaskedthemeaningofit,andFarmersonsaidthatinmakingafreshholehehadpenetratedthegas-pipe.Hesaiditwasamostridiculousplacetoputthegas-pipe,andthemanwhodiditevidentlyknewnothingabouthisbusiness.IfelthisexcusewasnoconsolationfortheexpenseIshallbeputto.