Micky said: "Order a brandy for me, would you? I'd better go after Silva and make sure he doesn't throw himself under the wheels of a horse bus." He dashed out.
This was the most subtle part of his plan: he now had to convince the man he had ruined that he was his best friend.
Tonio was hurrying along in the direction of St. James's, not looking where he was going, bumping into people. Micky ran and caught up with him. "I say, Silva, I'm dreadfully sorry," he said.
Tonio stopped. There were tears on his cheeks. "I'm finished," he said. "It's all over."
"Pilaster turned me down flat," Micky said. "I did my best...."
"I know. Thank you."
"Don't thank me. I failed."
"But you tried. I wish there was something I could do to show my appreciation."
Micky hesitated, thinking: Do I dare to ask him for his job, right now? He decided to be bold. "As a matter of fact there is--but we should talk about it another time."
"No, tell me now."
"I'd feel bad. Let's leave it until another day."
"I don't know how many more days I'll be here. What is it?"
"Well ..." Micky feigned embarrassment. "I suppose the Cordovan Minister will eventually be looking for someone to replace you."
"He'll need someone right away." Comprehension showed on Tonio's tear-stained face. "Of course--you should have the job! You'd be perfect!"
"If you could put in a word...."
"I'll do more than that. I'll tell him what a help you've been, and how you tried to get me out of the mess I got myself into. I'm sure he'll want to appoint you."
"I wish I weren't benefiting from your troubles," Micky said. "I feel I'm behaving like a rat."
"Not at all." Tonio took Micky's hand in both of his. "You're a true friend."
Chapter FIVE
SEPTEMBER
Section 1
HUGH'S SIX-YEAR-OLD SISTER Dorothy was folding his shirts and packing them into his trunk. He knew that as soon as she went to bed he would have to take them all out and do them again, because her folding was hopelessly untidy; but he pretended she was very good at it, and encouraged her.
"Tell me about America again," she said.
"America is so far away that in the morning the sun takes four hours to get there."
"Do they stay in bed all morning?"
"Yes--then they get up at lunchtime and have breakfast!"
She giggled. "They're lazy."
"Not really. You see, it doesn't get dark until midnight, so they have to work all evening."
"And they go to bed late! I like going to bed late. I'd like America. Why can't we go with you?"
