5o 
   importer here, nor should J think of quitting the place, but ^m^^mployer (is about retiring from business, o\vin, to* his advanced' age, and I must look for myself.
   M.  Mr. Slopper, you say ? why (i), he is an old friend of ours. Does he not object to your leaving him ?
   A.  Not at all, for the liquidation of his
   ft '«.O-'v
   business is now alrhost at an end, and he is qiirte willing to help me; so he authorized me to use his name as a reference (2)-
   M.( That's one point settled. What were your duties* in Mr. Slopper's house ?
    % % v V'** I*'
   *
   A.  I was chiefly assigned to correspondence, but I had also a hand in keeping the books.
   M.  I suppose you are acquainted with some foreign language, are you not?
   (1) Quando la parola Why è seguita da una pausa, essa non corrisponde al « perché » interrogativo italiano, ma è un semplice riempitivo comunissimo nella forma parlata, come avviene sovente in italiano delle parole ma, che, e-cc. ».
   il) Il vocabolo Reference significa precisamente l'atto del riferirsi, ma è usato anche per indicare la persona cui uno può riferirsi per avere informazioni. In italiano dicesi anche abusivamente referenza
   A.  I'm sir. Besides english, which is my native tongue, I can read and write most fluently both French and German.
   M.  That's just what we want, the vacant place in our counting-house being that of a corresponding clerk (1), and our export trade being mostly with France and Germany. Would you mind undergoing a sort of a trial in letter-writing ?
   A.  Not in the least; on the contrary, I shall be pleased to do so, that you may f*rm a just opinion of my powers before engaging my services.
   M.  Very well then; let me have your card, and call agaiV'to-morrow morning hetween ten and eleven.
   A.  (handing his card) Here it is, I shall not fail to be punctual - Good afternoon Sir. ^
   (1) Corresponding clerk, il Commesso alla corrispondenza
   in una casa di commercio.