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Show I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907. Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from The Ambassadors being dictated to a young typist. Neglecting my Blue-book, i turned round to watch the operator ticking off senten~es which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me. When my bewilderment had broke" iAto a question, I learnt that HenTy James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making ac<\aaintance with his style. Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it. I was told, to my amazement, that { need not wait. The established ca!ldidate was not enthusiastic about the prospect before her, was even ge!luinely relieved to look in another direction. Ifi set about practising typewrit'i~ tg on a Remington machine at once, I could be interviewed by He11ry James as soon as he arrived in London. Within an hour I had begun work on the typewriter. By the time he was ready to interview me, I could tap out p3-ragraphs of The /JwbaJsadori at quite a fair speed. 3 |