"Miss Leslie," he began. "I can't stay here long. I am very busy but I want to say something to you. Will you be my wife? I haven't had time to talk to you about love in the ordinary way but I really do love you. Answer quickly, please. I must get back to work."
"Oh, what are you talking about?" cried the secretary. She looked at him with round, surprised eyes.
"Don't you understand?" went on Maxwell. "I wanted to tell you. I waited for a long time; I was too busy before… Oh, dear. There's another telephone call for me now. Tell them to wait a minute, Pitcher… Miss Leslie, will you marry me?"
The secretary acted in a very strange way. At first she was too surprised to move or speak. Then she cried. Then she smiled, like the sun after rain. One of her arms slipped round the businessman's neck.
"I know now," she said softly. "You're so busy, dear. It really makes you forget everything, doesn't it? Harvey, have you really forgotten? We got married yesterday!"
3.2.1 Vocabulary notes
to arrange – договариваться, устраивать(ся)
fierce – жесткий
to hire – нанимать на работу
3.2.2 Answer the questions
What were Mr. Pitcher, Mr. Maxwell and Miss Leslie's jobs?
What kind of company did they work at?
Why did Mr. Pitcher's face had a look of surprise that morning?
3.3 Text 3. Read and answer the questions
CAGED
(after L. E. Reeve)
Purcell was a small man. He owned a pet shop. He sold cats and dogs and monkeys, he dealt in fish food, on his shelves there were long rows of cages.
Each morning when he completed the routine of opening his shop he sat down on a high stool behind the counter and read a morning newspaper.
It was a cold rainy day. Mr. Purcell was reading a newspaper as usual, when a customer appeared in the shop.
"Good morning," Purcell said. "What can I do for you?" The customer didn't answer. He looked around the shop. It was a man with short hair, his suit was cheap and very old.
"Good morning," repeated the shopkeeper. "What do you want?"
The man looked at Purcell and answered:
"I want something in a cage."
"Something in a cage?" Mr. Purcell was a bit confused. "You mean some sort of pet?"
"I mean what I said!" answered the man.
"Something in a cage. Something alive that's in a cage."
"I see," said the shopkeeper, not sure that he did.
"Now, let me think. A white rat, perhaps? I have some very nice white rats."
"No!" said the man. "Not rats. Something with wings. Something that flies."
"A bird!" exclaimed Mr. Purcell.
"A bird is all right." Suddenly the customer pointed to the cage with two white doves.
"How much for those?" "Five-fifty," came the quick answer. "It's a very reasonable price. They are a fine pair." "Five-fifty?" The man produced a five-dollar bill. "I'd like to have those birds. But this is all I've got. Just five dollars."
Mr. Purcell thought that even if he reduced the price by 50 cents he would make a good profit.
"My dear man, if you want them so much, you can certainly have them for five dollars," he smiled.
"I'll take them," the customer said and put the money on the counter. Mr. Purcell handed the cage to him.
"Listen," the man said suddenly. "How long do you think it took me to make those five dollars?"
Mr. Purcell was in a state of panic, but he asked, "Why, how long?" The other laughed. "Ten years! I've spent ten years in jail. Ten years! Fifty cents a year!"
