The Romance of a Busy Broker (Henry): Difference between revisions

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The Romance of a Busy Broker

Summary of the Short Story
from the Collection «The Four Million»

Microsummary: A busy broker, overwhelmed by work, impulsively proposed to his stenographer during a brief lull in the office chaos, only to be reminded that they had already married the previous evening.

Harvey Maxwell, a busy New York broker, was engrossed in his work, dealing with the constant rush of business in his office. One morning, he entered the office with his stenographer, Miss Leslie, who had been working for him for a year.

👨🏻‍💼

Harvey Maxwell — busy New York broker; forgetful, workaholic, and overwhelmed by his job; disheveled appearance with hair hanging in disorderly strings over his forehead.

👩🏻‍💼

Miss Leslie — Maxwell's stenographer and wife; beautiful, soft-spoken, and understanding; wears a grey dress and a black turban hat with a gold-green macaw wing.

Miss Leslie was a beautiful young woman, dressed modestly and professionally. That day, she seemed to be radiating happiness, with a dreamy expression on her face.

As the day progressed, the office became increasingly chaotic, with the stock market experiencing significant fluctuations. Maxwell was at the center of it all, managing orders, phone calls, and messages with great efficiency. Amidst the chaos, he noticed a woman sent by a stenographer's agency, whom he promptly dismissed, as he had no intention of replacing Miss Leslie.

During a brief lull in the frenzy, Maxwell caught a whiff of lilac, a scent that was uniquely associated with Miss Leslie. This momentary distraction made him realize his feelings for her, and he impulsively decided to propose to her. He rushed into her office and asked her to marry him, explaining that he loved her but had not had the time to express his feelings in a more traditional manner.

"Will you be my wife? I haven't had time to make love to you in the ordinary way, but I really do love you."

Miss Leslie was initially shocked and confused by his proposal, but then she smiled warmly and reminded him that they had already been married the previous evening at the Little Church Around the Corner.

"Don't you remember, Harvey? We were married last evening at 8 o'clock in the Little Church Around the Corner."

Maxwell had been so consumed by his work that he had completely forgotten about their wedding. The revelation brought a sense of relief and happiness to both of them, as they acknowledged their love for each other amidst the chaos of their professional lives.

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 | Cycle = [[The Four Million (Henry)|The Four Million]]
 | Author = O. Henry
-| Genre = short story
+| Literary form = short story
 | Year of publication =
-| Microsummary = A busy broker, consumed by his work, forgot he had requested a new stenographer. Amidst the chaos, he impulsively proposed to his current stenographer, only to be reminded they had married the night before.
+| Microsummary = A busy broker, overwhelmed by work, impulsively proposed to his stenographer during a brief lull in the office chaos, only to be reminded that they had already married the previous evening.
 | Wikidata =
+| Wikisource = The Four Million/The Romance of a Busy Broker
 }}
 {{Start of text}}
-In the busy office of Harvey Maxwell, a broker, his confidential clerk, Pitcher, noticed the entrance of Maxwell and his young lady stenographer one morning. The stenographer, who had been working for Maxwell for a year, was beautiful and dressed modestly. She seemed to be in a particularly good mood that day, and Pitcher observed her lingering in the outer office instead of going straight to her desk.
+Harvey Maxwell, a busy New York broker, was engrossed in his work, dealing with the constant rush of business in his office. One morning, he entered the office with his stenographer, Miss Leslie, who had been working for him for a year.
-Maxwell, completely absorbed in his work, barely acknowledged her presence. When she asked if he had mentioned hiring another stenographer, he seemed confused and denied it. Pitcher, however, confirmed that Maxwell had indeed requested another stenographer, and they were expecting someone from the agency that morning. The young lady decided to continue working until her replacement arrived.
+{{Character
+| Name = Harvey Maxwell
+| Description = busy New York broker; forgetful, workaholic, and overwhelmed by his job; disheveled appearance with hair hanging in disorderly strings over his forehead
+| Emoji = 👨🏻‍💼
+}}
+{{Character
+| Name = Miss Leslie
+| Description = Maxwell's stenographer and wife; beautiful, soft-spoken, and understanding; wears a grey dress and a black turban hat with a gold-green macaw wing
+| Emoji = 👩🏻‍💼
+}}
-The office was a whirlwind of activity, with Maxwell attending to various tasks and dealing with a constant stream of clients, messages, and phone calls. In the midst of this chaos, a self-possessed young lady from the stenographer's agency arrived, but Maxwell, still confused, insisted that he had never requested a replacement and that the current stenographer's position was secure.
+Miss Leslie was a beautiful young woman, dressed modestly and professionally. That day, she seemed to be radiating happiness, with a dreamy expression on her face.
-As the day continued, the pace of business only grew more intense. Maxwell was completely consumed by his work, with no time for personal matters. However, during a brief lull in the activity, he caught a whiff of a familiar lilac scent that belonged to his stenographer. This sudden reminder of her presence prompted him to make a spontaneous decision.
+As the day progressed, the office became increasingly chaotic, with the stock market experiencing significant fluctuations. Maxwell was at the center of it all, managing orders, phone calls, and messages with great efficiency. Amidst the chaos, he noticed a woman sent by a stenographer's agency, whom he promptly dismissed, as he had no intention of replacing Miss Leslie.
-Maxwell rushed into the stenographer's office and, without preamble, asked her to marry him. He explained that he loved her but had not had the time to court her in the traditional manner. The stenographer was initially shocked and confused, but then she smiled and gently reminded him that they had, in fact, been married the previous evening at a small church nearby.
+During a brief lull in the frenzy, Maxwell caught a whiff of lilac, a scent that was uniquely associated with Miss Leslie. This momentary distraction made him realize his feelings for her, and he impulsively decided to propose to her. He rushed into her office and asked her to marry him, explaining that he loved her but had not had the time to express his feelings in a more traditional manner.
-It became clear that Maxwell's intense focus on his work had caused him to forget his own wedding, and the stenographer's earlier behavior was due to her happiness at their recent union. The story highlights the all-consuming nature of the business world and the potential for it to overshadow personal relationships and even the most significant life events.
+{{Quote|
+"Will you be my wife? I haven't had time to make love to you in the ordinary way, but I really do love you."
+}}
+Miss Leslie was initially shocked and confused by his proposal, but then she smiled warmly and reminded him that they had already been married the previous evening at the Little Church Around the Corner.
+{{Quote|
+"Don't you remember, Harvey? We were married last evening at 8 o'clock in the Little Church Around the Corner."
+}}
+Maxwell had been so consumed by his work that he had completely forgotten about their wedding. The revelation brought a sense of relief and happiness to both of them, as they acknowledged their love for each other amidst the chaos of their professional lives.
 {{End of text}}