The Blg Change
He wasn’t the kind to pick a secretary by the color of her hair.Not Bill Hargrave.Both PaulaandNancyhadbeensmartenoughtoknowthat.Andforsometimeeveryoneintheofficehad known that one of them，Paula and Nancy，was going to get the job.In fact，the decision would probably be made this afternoon.Hargrave was leaving town and wanted to settle the matter before he left.
The two girls could see him from their desks outside his office.Maybe it was only some correspondence that he was looking at with cool，keen eyes.But for a moment his finger seemed to pause above those two efficient little pushbuttons.If he pressed the left one，it would be Paula’s pulse which would begin to beat faster.
Paula couldn’t keep her eyes off that light on her desk.She kept making mistakes in her typing and nervously taking the sheets of paper out in order to start all over again.
She leaned across her typewriter and said to Nancy，“The boss is all dressed up today.He must be going on a special trip.”
She was just talking to relieve her nervousness.Nancy took her time about answering.She wasn’t used to having Paula talk to her in such an intimate tone.Not since they’d learned a month ago that they were both in line for a promotion，for the important job as Bill Hargrave’s secretary.
“He does look nice.”
The two girls saw him get up from his desk and walk to the doorway of his office.He stood there with the keen，unrevealing smile on his face.
“Did you send for the tickets ”he asked Nancy.
“I got the tickets all right，”she answered，“but
”she tried to smile in the same hard way the boss did.“But there just aren’t any staterooms to be had，”she told him.“Not for love or money.”
The boss was certainly disappointed.Anybody could see that.
“Suppose I try it ”Paula suggested quickly.
And for the next ten minutes，half the office employees could hear Paula telling the ticket agent exactly what she thought of him.
“Listen，”she said，“I don’t care whose reservations you have to cancel
”
Well，the job was worth going after.There was the salary，for one thing.And there was the prestige.The boss’secretary knew a great deal about the business.And there were the interesting people she got to talk to.The important people.And the boxes of perfume，flowers，and candy they often left on her desk.And there was Bill Hargrave for a boss.Young and clever and attractive.That was a factor，too.
Paula didn’t need any lessons when it came to office politics.She was the one who was always busy when someone of little importance in the office wanted his material typed.“Sorry，but it’s impossible，Jack.Why not ask Nancy ”
And they did ask Nancy.It left Paula free to do Bill Hargrave’s work in a hurry.She was never too busy for Bill’s work.
When Hargrave finally pressed one of those buttons it was at Paula’s desk that the light went on.She started to make a grab for her notebook，but she quickly took out her mirror first.Then she grabbed up her notebook and an envelope that was on the desk.
As for Nancy，what else could she do but sit there with her pretty blonde head bent over hertypewriter Nancy was a natural blonde，and that seemed the best way to describe her.She just didn’t seem to know any tricks such as Paula did for making herself more popular with the boss.
The moment Paula got inside Hargrave’s office he asked about that stateroom.
“Any luck，Paula ”
She handed him the envelope.It contained the two tickets.“That’s your stateroom number on the outside，”she said in a businesslike way.
She had on a blue flannel suit，something like Bill’s，and it was clear he thought she looked pretty smart in it.
“Don’t forget the time，”she added，“eight⁃fifteen.”
Hargrave smiled.“So there were no staterooms for love or money，eh ”
He looked again at the number of his stateroom and he put the envelope carefully in his inside pocket.
Then he told her.She was going to have a new job.He mentioned the salary，too.He didn’t neglect to mention the salary.
She took it just right—in a very businesslike manner.Just enough of gratitude.And then，the old sportsmanship.How sorry she felt about Nancy.She didn’t look sorry.
And neither did Bill.He told her it was okay，that she shouldn’t worry about Nancy，that Nancy wasn’t made for the job anyway，and that besides，he and Nancy were leaving on their honeymoon tonight.Tonight at eight⁃fifteen.
升职记
他，比尔·哈格雷夫，不是那种依据头发的颜色挑选秘书的人，保拉和南希对此都心知肚明。一时间，办事处里的每一个人都知道保拉和南希中间有一个人会得到秘书这个职位。事实上，哈格雷夫要出城，他想在出城之前把这件事定下来，所以可能下午就会有结果了。
两个女孩的桌子在他办公室的外面，坐在座位上就能看到他。或许他正在注视着某个相关的东西，目光冷峻、专注。一时间，他的手指似乎停在两个强大的小小的按钮上了，一触即发，结局如何，在此一决。假如他按的是左键，那心跳加快的就是保拉了。
保拉的目光无法从自己桌子上的那盏灯上移开。她打字不断地出错，紧张地把纸抽出来再整理好，一遍遍地重打。
她俯身对对面的南希说道：“老板今天穿戴整齐，一定是要出趟特殊的差。”
她不过是靠说话来缓解紧张的情绪罢了。南希不紧不慢地回应着保拉的话，她还没习惯保拉用这么亲密的口吻跟自己说话，至少从一个月前得知他们都是比尔·哈格雷夫秘书的候选人的那天就是如此，因为这个职位很重要。
“他看起来确实挺好。”
两个女孩看到他从桌前站起来向办公室门口走去，他的脸上挂着掩饰不住的渴望的笑。
“你订好票了吗？”他问南希。
“我已经把票拿到手了，”她答道，“但是……”她想笑，却像老板一样笑得艰难。“不过没有套间了，”她告诉他，“办法都用尽了，还是搞不到。以爱的名义和钱的名义都没用。”
老板自然很失望，对此，大家都一目了然。
“我来试试如何？”保拉很快毛遂自荐。
在接下来的十分钟里，办公室里一半职员都能清清楚楚地听见保拉对售票处的投诉。
“听着，”她说，“我不管你把谁的预订取消……”
嗯，这份工作值得一争，一方面是薪水问题，此外还有身份问题。老板的秘书对生意情况大都了如指掌，她还可以跟有趣的人打交道，那些重要人物，那些人将会留在她桌子上一盒盒的香水、鲜花、糖果。还有年轻漂亮、聪慧迷人的比尔·哈格雷夫做老板，这是另外一个因素。
办公室政治课，保拉根本不需要上。在办公室里，不论哪个无关轻重的人找她要打材料，她总装出一副忙得不可开交的样子，说：“对不起，不行，杰克。你为什么不让南希打？”
于是他们就让南希打，这就使得保拉有足够的时间来做哈格雷夫交代的工作，从来不用匆匆忙忙地赶着做阿猫阿狗交代的工作了。
哈格雷夫最后按了按钮以后，亮的是保拉的桌子上的那盏灯。她开始抓的是笔记本，但很快就放了下来先掏出了小镜子，然后才抓起了笔记本和桌子上的一个信封。
至于南希，漂亮的金发垂在打字机上，她除了坐在那里还能怎么样？南希是天然的金发碧眼，这个词用来形容她再合适不过。她似乎不会像保拉那样捣鬼来讨老板的欢心。
保拉一进哈格雷夫的办公室，哈格雷夫就问起套间的事。
“有希望吗，保拉？”
她把信封递给他，信封里装着两张票。“您套间的号码在信封上写着呢。”她用公事公办的口吻说。
她穿着一套蓝色法兰绒套装，跟比尔的衣服有点儿相像，可以看得出，他觉得她穿这身很精干。
“别忘了时间，”她又补充道，“八点十五分。”
哈格雷夫微笑地说：“这么说原来是办法都用尽了，还是搞不到套间，对吗？”
他又看了一眼套间的号码，把信封小心翼翼地放进了口袋。
接着，他告诉她，她会得到一份新工作。他还提到了薪水，他没忘记提及薪水。
她举止得体地接受了——公事公办的样子，有一点点感激，还有宠辱不惊的姿态。她可真为南希难过啊，可是南希看起来一点儿也不难过。
比尔也不为南希难过，他告诉保拉南希要她不用为南希难过，因为南希不适合这份工作。他还说，他和南希今夜要去蜜月旅行，今晚八点十五分。