"there was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs and a deal table, behind which sat a small man with a head that was even redder than mine. he said a few words to each candidate as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault in them which would disqualify them. getting a vacancy did not seem to be such a very easy matter, after all. however, when our turn came the little man was much more favourable to me than to any of the others, and he closed the door as we entered, so that he might have a private word with us.