Остаток дня / The Remains of the Day

As I recall, then, it was only an hour or so after being first entrusted with the mission that I noticed the young Mr Cardinal alone in the library, sitting at one of the writing tables, absorbed in some documents. On studying the young gentleman closely, one could, as it were, appreciate the difficulty experienced by his lordship – and indeed, by the young gentleman’s father. My employer’s godson looked an earnest, scholarly young man, and one could see many fine qualities in his features; yet given the topic one wished to raise, one would have certainly preferred a lighter-hearted, even a more frivolous sort of young gentleman.

‘Excuse me, sir, but I have a message to convey to you.’

‘Oh, really?’ Mr Cardinal said eagerly, looking up from his papers. ‘From Father?’

‘Yes, sir.

‘Just a minute.’

The young gentleman reached down into the attachе case at his feet and brought out a notebook and pencil.

‘Tire away, Stevens.’

I coughed again and set my voice into as impersonal a tone as I could manage.

‘Sir David wishes you to know, sir, that ladies and gentlemen differ in several key respects.’

I must have paused a little to form my next phrase, for Mr Cardinal gave a sigh and said:

‘I’m only too aware of that, Stevens.

‘You are aware, sir?’

‘Father is perpetually underestimating me. I’ve done extensive reading and background work on this whole area.’

‘Is that so, sir?’

‘I’ve thought about virtually nothing else for the past month.’

‘Really, sir. In that case, perhaps my message is rather redundant.’

‘You can assure Father I’m very well briefed indeed. This attachе case’ – he nudged it with his foot – ‘is chock-full of notes on every possible angle one can imagine.

‘Is that so, sir?’

‘I really think I’ve thought through every permutation the human mind is capable of. I wish you’d reassure Father of that.’

‘I will, sir.’

Mr Cardinal seemed to relax a little. He prodded once more his attachе case – which I felt inclined to keep my eyes averted from – and said:

‘I suppose you’ve been wondering why I never let go of this case. Well, now you know. Imagine if the wrong person opened it.