Gmail / 24. DERSINGHAM

^DERSINGHAM

HOWARD BROMPORT DERSINGHAM is one of the main characters of the novel "Angel Pavement", written by Priestly. He is the only owner (after the death of his uncle) of the Twigg and Dersingham. But he is not apt to run the firm and he doesn't like it. Before joining his uncle at Twigg and Dersingham's, he had tried various things, but with no particular success. His parents had the intention to send him to Oxford or Cambridge, but he failed to obtain a scholarship and had been compelled to stroll into business.

At a first glance, he might have been accepted as a typical specimen of the smart younger City man. He was too good for Angel Pavement But another glance or two, however, would reveal the fact that he was only a "rough, weakly unfinished sketch of the type. Mrs. Matfield characterized him as "sloppy (слезливый) and a bit feeble (хилый), and a familiar type, with nothing at all weird about him".

He was a year or 2 under 40, tallish, fairly well-built, but beginning to sag a little, his hair which was now rapidly taking leave of him, was light brown, and his eyes light blue, and they neither sparkled nor pierced (пронзать) but just regarded the world blandly (вежливо) and amiably. In spirit, however, he went on to the University and thus he became one of those men who are haunted by a lost Oxford or Cambridge career. He was a tremendous 'old boy'. He never missed a reunion, never failed to renew his stock , of school ties. The public school spirit worked for ever in him. And he was always ready to do decent things 'for the sake of the old school'.

He is not an ambitious man, as if he were, he would have found some business so his liking. In reality, he doesn't make any attempts to change his life he simply goes with the flow.

He didn't appear to be very busy. And appeared in the office quite seldom, but liked to signalize his arrival in his own fashion. It always looked like as if he was starting the day for everybody. His voice had a triumphant ring and there about his whole manner a Napoleonic abruptness and self-confidence. He presented the spectacle of an old Worrelian in big business.

The Dersingham's occupied a lower maisonette in Barkfield gardens, where all the people who live there, have the privilege of over-looking gardens", which means that their windows stare down at iron railings, and laurel hedges, and lawns and flower-beds that look as if they are only too willing to give up the unequal struggle. The Dersingham's didn't like Barkfield gardens, their maisonette, all rooms of which seemed higher than they were long or broad and were singularly cheerless. Mr. Dersingham never did anything about it, because he was waiting until he knew where he stood financially and he never succeeded, in knowing where he stood financially.

His firm was on the brink (край) of collapse before Mr.Golspie arrived. And although Mr.Golspie didn't arouse trust, confidence in people, although it was touch-and-go business, he believed him, accepted his offer, and decided to work with him. Mr. Dersingham didn't like Golspie, as he was dogmatic, rough, domineering and was apt to jeer (насмехаться) and sneer in a way that left Mr. Dersinsham's mind bruised and resentful.

We can also say that he is mean and greedy. It can be proved by the fact that he wanted to outwit (перехитрить) Mr.Golspie, as he wrote a letter to Michorsky, where he suggested him another business agreement leaving Golspie out. But he didn't know they were all in league together. And actually he had to pay for his deed. Michorsky raised the prises up to 70 per cent in revenge (месть) for trying to outwit Golspie. Mr. Dersingham understood that such a state of business mean sheer (абсолютный) ruination. They have simply been taken in by foreign swindlers.

He was also rather self-assured and stubborn and never listened to what Mr. Smeeth was talking about. He thought that he knew everything himself and better than any other person in the office.

But his life does not stop here. He finds support and consolation (утешение) in his family. His wife turned out to be a strong woman, she wasn't depressed unlike her husband, who appeared to be only half the man he usually was, a listless lump.

This situation changed her. She was no longer playing or pretending background.

There was even some perspective for him to find a new job by his neighbour out East as he never liked working there.

So we can say that the present state does not sound for him very pessimistic. There's light in the end of the tunnel.