“Barilla,” said the assistant, biting the end of his pen, and added pensively, “and blethers.”

“Fad,” said Blendershin, “Just fad.  Newspapers talk rot about commercial education, Duke of Devonshire catches on and talks ditto—­pretends he thought it himself—­much he cares—­parents get hold of it—­schoolmasters obliged to put something down, consequently assistants must.  And that’s the end of the matter!”

“All right,” said Lewisham, catching his breath in a faint sob of shame, “Stick ’em down.  But mind—­a non-resident place.”

“Well,” said Blendershin, “your science may pull you through.  But I tell you it’s hard.  Some grant-earning grammar school may want that.  And that’s about all, I think.  Make a note of the address....”

The assistant made a noise, something between a whistle and the word “Fee.”  Blendershin glanced at Lewisham and nodded doubtfully.

“Fee for booking,” said the assistant; “half a crown, postage—­in advance—­half a crown.”

But Lewisham remembered certain advice Dunkerley had given him in the old Whortley days.  He hesitated.  “No,” he said.  “I don’t pay that.  If you get me anything there’s the commission—­if you don’t—­”

“We lose,” supplied the assistant.

“And you ought to,” said Lewisham.  “It’s a fair game.”

“Living in London?” asked Blendershin.

“Yes,” said the clerk.

“That’s all right,” said Mr. Blendershin.  “We won’t say anything about the postage in that case.  Of course it’s the off season, and you mustn’t expect anything at present very much.  Sometimes there’s a shift or so at Easter....  There’s nothing more....  Afternoon.  Anyone else, Binks?”

Messrs. Maskelyne, Smith, and Thrums did a higher class of work than Blendershin, whose specialities were lower class private establishments and the cheaper sort of endowed schools.  Indeed, so superior were Maskelyne, Smith, and Thrums that they enraged Lewisham by refusing at first to put him on their books.  He was interviewed briefly by a young man dressed and speaking with offensive precision, whose eye adhered rigidly to the waterproof collar throughout the interview.

“Hardly our line,” he said, and pushed Lewisham a form to fill up.  “Mostly upper class and good preparatory schools here, you know.”

As Lewisham filled up the form with his multitudinous “’ologies” and “’ographies,” a youth of ducal appearance entered and greeted the precise young man in a friendly way.  Lewisham, bending down to write, perceived that this professional rival wore a very long frock coat, patent leather boots, and the most beautiful grey trousers.  His conceptions of competition enlarged.  The precise young man by a motion of his eyes directed the newcomer’s attention to Lewisham’s waterproof collar, and was answered by raised eyebrows and a faint tightening of the mouth.  “That bounder at Castleford has answered me,” said the new-comer in a fine rich voice.  “Is he any bally good?”