“Well, a good writing is not your strong point,” laughed Prigson, “otherwise you never would have risen so high. The man with the worst hand gets on best, because they can’t keep him on as a copying clerk. Just give me a pen.”
“But, Prigson, it’s a great document! strictly secret—no one is to know anything about it!”
“I’ll promise not to tell; let’s have a look.” And before Van Arlen could prevent it, his brother-in-law had already glanced over the paper.
“Heaven be good to us! a magnificent bargain!”
“Why, of course! Now-a-days it’s not their own sons that ministers help forward; they do it for each other’s. Regenstein is to get this, and your man’s son has just been put into a good thing by his father’s colleague. Splendid exchange! Did you draw up the proposal?”
“I have no time now, Prigson. Do be kind enough to let me alone.”
Van Arlen rang the bell, and sent for one of the clerks. Van Teuten entered.
“We’ll see to that presently. Sit down, Mr Van Teuten, and write—here—recopy this page; but mind you put in the insertion! The first time a document of mine has been disfigured by an insertion! My head’s going!”
Van Teuten wrote as he was told, and in a quarter of an hour the work was finished. He perceived, with visible complacency, how much better his writing was than that of his colleague.
“Two different kinds of writing! Never yet happened with a document of mine; and it’s got to go to the King and the Cabinet Council!”
With these words Van Arlen rushed out of the room, leaving Prigson alone with Van Teuten.
“I venture to say, sir, that there isn’t another hand like mine in this department.”
“Six hundred guilders, sir. Mr Van Arlen has perhaps told you that I am financially in circumstances of great difficulty.”
“Well, it is indeed too little for a man who writes a hand like that; but surely you’re out of all your troubles now?”
“Why, a man who knows all about a secret document like this need not be poor any longer than he likes.”
“Most particularly so,” said Prigson, turning away, while Van Teuten considered with himself whether it could really be the case, and whether, if so, he could profit by it.
Van Arlen came back, thanked the copying clerk, and recommended him to keep the matter secret.