What remained? The air of New York is bracing and healthy, but a man cannot live on it. Obviously he must find a job. But what job?
What could he do?
A gnawing sensation in the region of the waistcoat answered the question. The solution–which it put forward was, it was true, but a temporary one, yet it appealed strongly to Jimmy. He had found it admirable at many crises. He would go and lunch, and it might be that food would bring inspiration.
He moved from his doorway and crossed to the entrance of the subway. He caught a timely express, and a few minutes later emerged into the sunlight again at Grand Central. He made his way westward along Forty-second Street to the hotel which he thought would meet his needs. He had scarcely entered it when in a chair by the door he perceived Ann Chester, and at the sight of her all his depression vanished and he was himself again.
“Why, how do you do, Mr. Bayliss? Are you lunching here?”
“Unless there is some other place that you would prefer,” said Jimmy. “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting.”
Ann laughed. She was looking very delightful in something soft and green.
“I’m not going to lunch with you. I’m waiting for Mr. Ralstone and his sister. Do you remember him? He crossed over with us. His chair was next to mine on the promenade deck.”
Jimmy was shocked. When he thought how narrowly she had escaped, poor girl, from lunching with that insufferable pill Teddy–or was it Edgar?–he felt quite weak. Recovering himself, he spoke firmly.
“When were they to have met you?”
“At one o’clock.”
“It is now five past. You are certainly not going to wait any longer. Come with me, and we will whistle for cabs.”
“Don’t be absurd!”
“Come along. I want to talk to you about my future.”
“I shall certainly do nothing of the kind,” said Ann, rising. She went with him to the door. “Teddy would never forgive me.” She got into the cab. “It’s only because you have appealed to me to help you discuss your future,” she said, as they drove off. “Nothing else would have induced me…”
“I know,” said Jimmy. “I felt that I could rely on your womanly sympathy. Where shall we go?”
“Where do you want to go? Oh, I forget that you have never been in New York before. By the way, what are your impressions of our glorious country?”
“Most gratifying, if only I could get a job.”
“Tell him to drive to Delmonico’s. It’s just around the corner on Forty-fourth Street.”
“There are some things round the corner, then?”
“That sounds cryptic. What do you mean.”
“You’ve forgotten our conversation that night on the ship. You refused to admit the existence of wonderful things just round the corner. You said some very regrettable things that night. About love, if you remember.”
“You can’t be going to talk about love at one o’clock in the afternoon! Talk about your future.”
“Love is inextricably mixed up with my future.”
“Not with your immediate future. I thought you said that you were trying to get a job. Have you given up the idea of newspaper work, then?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, I’m rather glad.”
The cab drew up at the restaurant door, and the conversation was interrupted. When they were seated at their table and Jimmy had given an order to the waiter of absolutely inexcusable extravagance, Ann returned to the topic.
“Well, now the thing is to find something for you to do.”
Jimmy looked round the restaurant with appreciative eyes. The summer exodus from New York was still several weeks distant, and the place was full of prosperous-looking lunchers, not one of whom appeared to have a care or an unpaid bill in the world. The atmosphere was redolent of substantial bank-balances. Solvency shone from the closely shaven faces of the men and reflected itself in the dresses of the women. Jimmy sighed.
“I suppose so,” he said. “Though for choice I’d like to be one of the Idle Rich. To my mind the ideal profession is strolling into the office and touching the old dad for another thousand.”