The Diary of a Nobody

wing rather tiresomewith his complaints of the

: "Then what are you making all thisfuss about it for?" And he shouted out at the top of his voice, so that allthe neighbours could hear: "Pah! go along. Ugh! I could buy up'things' like you by the dozen!"I shut the door, and was giving Carrie to understand that thisdisgraceful scene was entirely her fault, when there was a violent kickingat the door, enough

f-a-day calling atwarehouses to see if he could get it. He suggested he should entirelyrepaint the stairs. It would cost very little more; if he tried to match it, hecould only make a bad job of

onduct such small jobs personally, but for me he would do so. I thanked him, andwent to town. It is disgraceful how late some o

d it."I gave him an indignant look, and said: "I demand from you somerespect, sir." He replied: "All right, go on demanding." I would notargue with him any further. You cannot argue with people like that. Inthe

the impertinence to bring his basket to the hall- door, and had left themarks of his dirty boots on the fresh- cleaned door-steps. He said he hadknocked at the side door with his knuckles for a quarter of an ho

egularity in the attendanceof the clerks, and Mr. Perkupp, our principal, unfortunately choose thisvery morning to pou

me of the head clerks arrive!" Thiswas, of course, meant for me. I treated the observation with silence,simply giving him a look, which unfortunately had the effect of makingbot

sked the meaning of it, and Farmerson said that in making afresh hole he had penetrated the gas-pipe. He said it was a mostridiculous place to put

ch for her. It was also rather toomuch for me, for Gowing had given me what he called a green cigar, onethat his friend Shoemach had just brought over from America. The cigar

another cigar, which I politely declined. Gowing began his usual sniffing,so, anticipating him, I said: "You're not going to complain of the

aid her sides quite ached with laughter. I never was soimmensely tickled by anything I have

wing-room chairs and sofato prevent the sun fading the green rep of the furniture. I saw the woman,and recogni

nce a capital little book, in good condition, on GARDENING. I procured and sowed some half-hardy annuals in what I f

covered we have got a lo

I said: "Look at the

I am busy in the house." The stairs lookedvery nice. Gowing called, and said the stairs looked ALL RIGHT, but itmade the banisters look ALL WRONG, and suggested a

, that is r

d Finchley, and brought with them afriend named Stillbrook. We walked and chatted together, exceptStill

should make for "The Cow and Hedge" and get sometea. Stillbrook said: "A brandy-and-soda w

put uphis arm, and declined to let me pass. I turned back for a moment, when Isaw Stillbrook, closely followed by Cummings and Gowing, make for theentrance. I watched them, and thought I

spirits, and the only one who made an effort to apologise was Mr. Stillbrook, who said to me: "It wasvery rough on you to be kept waiting, but we had another spin for

s and Gowing (who neither called, for a wonder;perhaps they were ashamed of themselves) abo

ttle note to Gowing andCummings about last Su

n explanation of MY (mind you, MY) extraordinaryconduct coming home on Sunday. At last I wrote: "I thought I was theaggrieved party; but as I freely forgive you, you - feeling yourselfaggrieved - should bestow forgiveness on me."

e with theshivers. Was startled by a loud knock at the front door. Carrie awfullyflurried. Sarah still out, so went up, opened the door, and found it wasonly Cummings. Remembered the grocer's boy

oes with Cummings in

ld him my cellars, which were very small, were full up. To myhorror, at that very moment, Sarah entered the room, and putting a bottleof whisky, wrapped in a dirty piece of newspaper, on the table in front ofus, said: "Please,