Zeno's Conscience by Italo Svevo & William Weaver

Author:Italo Svevo & William Weaver [Svevo, Italo]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Classics, Psychology
ISBN: 9780375413308
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Published: 1923-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THE STORY OF A BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

IT was guido who wanted me with him in his new business firm. I was dying to be a part of it, but I’m sure I never let him guess this desire of mine. Obviously, in my inertia, the proposal of this activity, in partnership with a friend, appealed to me. But there was more to it than that. I still hadn’t abandoned the hope of becoming a good businessman, and it seemed to me easier to progress through teaching Guido than through being taught by Olivi. Many in this world learn only by listening to themselves; in any case, they are unable to learn by listening to anyone else.

There were also other reasons why I wished that association. I wanted to be useful to Guido! In the first place, I was fond of him, and although he wanted to appear strong and self-confident, he seemed to me helpless, in need of the protection I was glad to provide him. Further, to my own conscience and not only to Augusta’s eyes, it seemed that the more attached I became to Guido, the more my absolute indifference to Ada was clear.

In short, I was awaiting only a word from Guido to place myself at his disposal, and this word would have come even earlier, but he didn’t believe I was so inclined toward commerce, as I would have nothing to do with the business offered me at my own firm.

One day he said to me: “I’ve taken every course at the Higher School of Commerce, but still I’m a bit worried about having to handle competently all those details that ensure the smooth functioning of a firm. True, a businessman doesn’t have to know anything, because if he needs books, he calls the bookkeeper and if he needs the law he calls a lawyer, and for his accounts he goes to an accountant. But it’s hard to have to hand over my accounts to an outsider, right at the start!”

It was the first clear allusion to his intention of having me join him. To tell the truth, I had no experience of accounting beyond those few months when I kept the books for Olivi, but I was sure that, for Guido, I was the only accountant who wasn’t an outsider.

The first time we openly discussed the eventuality of our partnership was when he went to pick out the furniture for his office. Without hesitation he ordered two desks for the director’s office.

Blushing, I asked him: “Why two?

He replied: “The other one’s yours.”

I felt such gratitude that I could have hugged him.

When we had left the shop, Guido, a bit awkwardly, explained that he couldn’t as yet offer me a position in his firm. He was leaving that space for me in his office, only to induce me to come and keep him company whenever I liked. He didn’t want to commit me to anything and he too would remain free. If his business went well, he would give me a position in the management of the firm.

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