"Fool!" he shouted very loudly.

The young man tried to draw him away.

"I shall not go," he said angrily, "before I tell her." He beat his fists on Miss Martha's counter. "You have spoilt my work," he cried, "I will tell you. You are a stupid¹ old cat."

Miss Martha stood back against the shelves and laid one hand on her heart. The young man took his companion by the arm.

"Come on," he said, "you have said enough."

He drew the angry man out into the street, and then came back.

"I think I must tell you, ma'am," he said, "why he is so angry. That is Blumberger. He is a draughtsman². I work in the same office with him.

He worked very hard for three months drawing a plan for a new City Hall. It was a prize competition. He finished it yesterday. You know, a draughtsman always makes his drawing in pencil first. When it is finished, he rubs out³ the pencil lines "with stale bread. That is better than india-rubber⁴.

Blumberger always bought the bread here. Well, today — well, you know, ma'am, that butter isn't — well, Blumberger's plan isn't good for anything now."

Miss Martha went into the back room. She took off her blue silk blouse and put on the old brown one she had worn before, then she poured⁵ the mixture for her face out of the window.

1 б) Дайте відповіді на запитання.

2 Why did Miss Martha decide to put some butter into the stale

3 bread?

4 Did the man see Miss Martha putting the butter into the bread?

5 What did Miss Martha think after the man had gone?