“I have done it,” answered Jan.  “I wrote this morning.  I must get a new brass plate for the door.  ‘Jan Verner, Surgeon, etc.,’ in place of the present one, ‘West and Verner.’”

“I think I should put Janus Verner, instead of Jan,” suggested Lionel, with a half smile.

“Law!” repeated Jan.  “Nobody would know it was meant for me if I put Janus.  Shall I have ‘Mr.’ tacked on to it, Lionel?—­’Mr. Jan Verner.’”

“Of course you will,” answered Lionel.  “What is going to be done about Deborah and Amilly West?”

“In what way?”

“As to their residence.”

“You saw what Dr. West says in his letter.  They can stop.”

“It is not a desirable arrangement, Jan, their remaining in the house.”

“They won’t hurt me,” responded Jan.  “They are welcome.”

“I think, Jan, your connection with the West family should be entirely closed.  The opportunity offers now:  and, if not embraced, you don’t know when another may arise.  Suppose, a short while hence, you were to marry?  It might be painful to your feelings, then, to have to say to Deborah and Amilly—­’You must leave my house:  there’s no further place for you in it.’  Now, in this dissolution of partnership, the change can take place as in the natural course of events.”

Jan had opened his great eyes wonderingly at the words.  “I marry!” uttered he.  “What should bring me marrying?”

“You may be marrying some time, Jan.”

“Not I,” answered Jan.  “Nobody would have me.  They can stop on in the house, Lionel.  What does it matter?  I don’t see how I and Cheese should get on without them.  Who’d make the pies?  Cheese would die of chagrin, if he didn’t get one every day.”

“I see a great deal of inconvenience in the way,” persisted Lionel.  “The house will be yours then.  Upon what terms would they remain?  As visitors, as lodgers—­as what?”

Jan opened his eyes wider.  “Visitors! lodgers!” cried he.  “I don’t know what you mean, Lionel.  They’d stop on as they always have done—­as though the house were theirs.  They’d be welcome, for me.”

“You must do as you like, Jan; but I do not think the arrangement a desirable one.  It would be establishing a claim which Dr. West may be presuming upon later.  With his daughters in the house, as of right, he may be for coming back some time and taking up his abode in it.  It would be better for you and the Misses West to separate; to have your establishments apart.”

“I shall never turn them out,” said Jan.  “They’d break their hearts.  Look at the buttons, too!  Who’d sew them on?  Cheese bursts off two a day, good.”

“As you please, Jan.  My motive in speaking was not ill-nature towards the Misses West; but regard for you.  As the sisters of my late wife, I shall take care that they do not want—­should their resources from Dr. West fail.  He speaks of allowing them a liberal sum annually; but I fear they must not make sure that the promise will be carried out.  Should it not be, they will have no one to look to, I expect, but myself.”