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Sween Myth-tery of Life :: Asprin Robert
Страница: 96 из 110Take my advice and don't let her go ... as if I had to tell you that."
This was, of course, accompanied by a smirk and a wink.
While I had grown to expect this sort of comment from Grimble whenever the subject of Bunny came up, I found I was no more fond of it than when they had first met. At least now, he was refraining from such behavior in her presence ... which was a victory of sorts, I suppose. Still, I was annoyed and decided to take another shot at it.
"I'm surprised to hear you talk that way, Grimble," I said. "Are you really so hung up on hormones that you can't just acknowledge her worth as a colleague without adding sexual innuendos?"
"Well ... I ..." the Chancellor began, but I cut him off.
"... Especially realizing that the Queen ... you know, your employer? ... is also female. I wonder if she's aware of your slanted views regarding her gender, or, if she isn't, how she'd react if she found out. Do you think she'd just fire you, or would she want to see if you were bluffing, first? From what I can tell, she's as interested in playing around as you claim to be."
Grimble actually blanched which, realizing how pale his complexion was to start with, was quite a sight.
"You wouldn't tell her, would you, Lord Skeeve?" he stammered. "I meant no disrespect to Bunny. Really. She has one of the best financial minds it's been my privilege to work with ... male or female. I was just trying to make a little joke. You know, man to man? It's one of the rituals of male bonding."
"Not with all males," I pointed out. "Relax, though. You should know me well enough by now to realize it's not my style to go running to the Queen with reports or complaints. Just don't push it so hard in the future. Okay?"
"Thank you, Lord Skeeve. I ... Thanks. I'll make a point of it."
"Now then," I said, starting to rise, "I assume we're done here? That the report on the collections and budget was what you wanted to see me about?"
"No, that was just a casual update," Grimble corrected, back on familiar ground now. "The real reason I had to see you was this."
He reached somewhere on the floor behind him and produced a large bag which jingled as he plopped it onto his desk.
"I don't understand," I said, eyeing the bag. "What is it?"
"It's your wages," he smiled. "I know that normally you let your assistants handle these matters, but realizing the amount involved due to your promotion, I thought you might like to deal with it personally."
I stared at the bag uncomfortably. It was a very big bag.
This was, of course, accompanied by a smirk and a wink.
While I had grown to expect this sort of comment from Grimble whenever the subject of Bunny came up, I found I was no more fond of it than when they had first met. At least now, he was refraining from such behavior in her presence ... which was a victory of sorts, I suppose. Still, I was annoyed and decided to take another shot at it.
"I'm surprised to hear you talk that way, Grimble," I said. "Are you really so hung up on hormones that you can't just acknowledge her worth as a colleague without adding sexual innuendos?"
"Well ... I ..." the Chancellor began, but I cut him off.
"... Especially realizing that the Queen ... you know, your employer? ... is also female. I wonder if she's aware of your slanted views regarding her gender, or, if she isn't, how she'd react if she found out. Do you think she'd just fire you, or would she want to see if you were bluffing, first? From what I can tell, she's as interested in playing around as you claim to be."
Grimble actually blanched which, realizing how pale his complexion was to start with, was quite a sight.
"You wouldn't tell her, would you, Lord Skeeve?" he stammered. "I meant no disrespect to Bunny. Really. She has one of the best financial minds it's been my privilege to work with ... male or female. I was just trying to make a little joke. You know, man to man? It's one of the rituals of male bonding."
"Not with all males," I pointed out. "Relax, though. You should know me well enough by now to realize it's not my style to go running to the Queen with reports or complaints. Just don't push it so hard in the future. Okay?"
"Thank you, Lord Skeeve. I ... Thanks. I'll make a point of it."
"Now then," I said, starting to rise, "I assume we're done here? That the report on the collections and budget was what you wanted to see me about?"
"No, that was just a casual update," Grimble corrected, back on familiar ground now. "The real reason I had to see you was this."
He reached somewhere on the floor behind him and produced a large bag which jingled as he plopped it onto his desk.
"I don't understand," I said, eyeing the bag. "What is it?"
"It's your wages," he smiled. "I know that normally you let your assistants handle these matters, but realizing the amount involved due to your promotion, I thought you might like to deal with it personally."
I stared at the bag uncomfortably. It was a very big bag.