The Japanese Girl Read Free Page A

any better. The fiction was still put about but nobody believed in it any more. Armitage had not been appointed head cashier until he was 47. I was only 35. But I was his second man. If he retired – as he must very soon – there was every prospect of me taking his place. That meant nearly double what I was making now – and four weeks’ holiday a year, instead of two. If that happened, I thought, I’d have the courage to tell Hettie about Yodi. Whether I left Hettie might depend on her, but I would be able to keep Yodi in a really pleasant little flat somewhere and we could spend all our spare time together and all my holidays. If Hettie would divorce me, so much the better: then I could make a clean break. Also as head cashier at Annerton’s I would be in a good position to apply for a still better position somewhere and one that would give me a chance to travel.
    I was very excited when I told Yodi all this, and she quickly caught on to the idea. ‘You mean if you could you would marry me, Jack?’
    â€˜Of course! It’s the one thing I’d like most in the world. Didn’t you know?’
    â€˜Well … Between this and being married – there is a gap. I was not so sure.’
    â€˜Why are you so modest, Yodi, so sort of self-effacing?’
    â€˜If I am, it is the way of Japanese women.’
    â€˜But you’ve been brought up in the West, brought up in our ways.’
    She was silent. ‘When I was small the Japanese were not popular in England. Some of the little girls I went to school with, their fathers had been in the prison camps – So it was not very nice for me. Since I grew up, young men … well, they have not wanted marriage. Perhaps it has given me a sense of inferiority.’ ‘I’ve got to put that to rights,’ I said.
    All the next two weeks I was on tenterhooks. I heard Armitage had sent in his resignation. I knew the board would be thinking about his successor – probably had been for some time. I worked furiously, wondering when the call would come and if it would come. Rumours of all sorts flew about, but I didn’t believe half of them. I knew Armitage hadn’t liked me, but I thought my work was good enough. I was ripe for the big move. Because of Yodi I had to have it.
    Then one Friday afternoon Mr Head sent for me. I went in, mouth dry, hands hot, but cool in the head, not nervous so that anyone could see, not shaking.
    He said: ‘Ah, Jack, sit down. You know of course that Mr Armitage has resigned. Poor chap, I think he’s about done for. The result of the latest tests he’s had could hardly have been worse.’
    I said: ‘ I’m sorry. Of course I knew he was leaving.’
    â€˜Yes, well, there it is, there it is. A good and loyal servant. Naturally the board have been considering his successor.’
    â€˜Yes,’ I said, ‘I expect they have.’
    â€˜They’ve interviewed a number of candidates and yesterday they appointed a new man. His name is Cassell, and he comes from Palmer’s, the textile combine. I hope you’ll get on well with him. He comes with the highest references.’
    Hettie, of course, was not surprised and not too upset. ‘After all, dear, you are a bit young, aren’t you?’
    â€˜The new man’s 39,’ I said.
    â€˜Well, he’s had a lot of other experience, I expect.’
    â€˜What’s other experience to do with it? I know Annerton’s business through and through! D’you know, this new fellow will have to lean on me for months before he knows whether he’s coming or going! I ‘II have to teach him what I know before he can begin to do his job properly! It’s just too damned unfair. That bastard Ward! And I expect Armitage had his say!’
    â€˜Don’t be so angry, Jack. It’ll upset me. What’s the use of carrying on? They’ve made their choice. You – maybe you