W. W. Jacobs 
Salthaven [EPUB ebook] 

Excerpt: "Mr. John Vyner, ship-owner, pushed his chair back from his writing-table and gazed with kindly condescension at the chief clerk as he stood before it with a handful of papers. "We shall be able to relieve you of some of your work soon, Hartley, " he said, slowly. "Mr. Robert will come into the firm next week." The chief clerk bowed. "Three years at Cambridge, " resumed Mr. Vyner, meditatively, "and two years spent up and down the world studying the business methods of other nations ought to render him invaluable to us." "No doubt, sir, " said Hartley. "It is an excellent training." "For a time, " said the ship-owner, leaning back and placing the tips of his fingers together, "for a time I am afraid that he will have to have your room. Later on-ha-if a room should-ha-fall vacant in the building, we might consider taking it." "Yes, sir, " said the other. "And, of course, " resumed Mr. Vyner, "there is one great advantage in your being in the general office which must not be overlooked; you can keep an eye on the juniors better." "It is cheerful, too, sir, " suggested the chief clerk; "the only thing-" "Yes?" said Mr. Vyner, somewhat loudly. Mr. Hartley shrank a little. "I was going to say that it is rather a small room for Mr. Robert, " he said, quickly. "It will do for a time, " said the other. "And-and I think I told you, sir, that there is an unpleasant sm-odour." Mr. Vyner knitted his brows. "I offered to have that seen to, but you said that you didn’t mind it, " he remarked. "Just so, sir, " said Hartley; "but I was thinking of Mr. Robert. He might not like it; it’s very strong at times-very strong indeed." "You ought to have had it attended to before, " said Mr. Vyner, with some severity. "You had better call at Gillows’ on your way home and ask them to send a man up first thing to-morrow morning." He drew his chair to the table again, and Hartley, after lingering a moment, withdrew to his own room…"