When you have said that you wish to see the head of the firm, you naturally imagine that your name will be at once shouted up the tube, and that in a minute or two, at farthest, you will be ushered into the presence of the principal.

In that small country town there cannot surely be much work for a lawyer, and a visitor must be quite an event.

Instead, however, of using the tube they turn to the elder clerk, and a whispered conversation takes place, of which some broken sentences may be caught--'He can't be disturbed,' 'It's no use,' 'Must wait.' Then the elder clerk looks over his brass rail and says he is very sorry, but the principal is engaged, the directors of a company are with him, and it is quite impossible to say exactly when they will leave.

It may be ten minutes, or an hour.

But if you like to wait (pointing with his quill to a chair) your name shall be sent up directly the directors leave.
You glance at the deck, and elect to wait.