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"The trouble is ... Well--Bindon, that brown little old man your father
wanted you to marry. He's an important person.... I can't go back to my
flying-stage work, because he is now a Commissioner of the Flying Stage
Clerks."
"
"
I didn't know that," said Elizabeth.
He was made that in the last few weeks ... or things would be easy
enough, for they liked me on the flying stage. But there's dozens of
other things to be done--dozens. Don't you worry, dear. I'll rest a
little while, and then we'll dine, and then I'll start on my rounds. I
know lots of people--lots."
So they rested, and then they went to the public dining-room and dined,
and then he started on his search for employment. But they soon realised
that in the matter of one convenience the world was just as badly off as
it had ever been, and that was a nice, secure, honourable, remunerative
employment, leaving ample leisure for the private life, and demanding no
special ability, no violent exertion nor risk, and no sacrifice of any
sort for its attainment. He evolved a number of brilliant projects, and
spent many days hurrying from one part of the enormous city to another
in search of influential friends; and all his influential friends were
glad to see him, and very sanguine until it came to definite proposals,
and then they became guarded and vague. He would part with them coldly,
and think over their behaviour, and get irritated on his way back, and
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