but, summoning courage, thought it better to ring the bell.  A withered old lady, in just the same stage of decay as the square, and adorned after the same fashion as the house, came to the door, cast a doubtful look at Hugh, and when he had stated his object, asked him, in a hard, keen, unmodulated voice, to walk in.  He followed her, and found himself in a dining-room, which to him, judging by his purse, and not by what he had been used to of late, seemed sumptuous.  He said at once: 

“It is needless for me to trouble you further.  I see your rooms will not suit me.”

The old lady looked annoyed.

“Will you see the drawing-room apartments, then?” she said, crustily.

“No, thank you.  It would be giving you quite unnecessary trouble.”

“My apartments have always given satisfaction, I assure you, sir.”

“Indeed, I have no reason to doubt it.  I wish I could afford to take them,” said Hugh, thinking it better to be open than to hurt her feelings.  “I am sure I should be very comfortable.  But a poor —­ "

He did not know what to call himself.

“O-oh!” said the landlady.  Then, after a pause —­ “Well?” interrogatively.

“Well, I was a tutor last, but I don’t know what I may be next.”

She kept looking at him.  Once or twice she looked at him from head to foot.

“You are respectable?”

“I hope so,” said Hugh, laughing.

“Well!” —­ this time not interrogatively.

“How many rooms would you like?”

“The fewer the better.  Half a one, if there were nobody in the other half.”

“Well! —­and you wouldn’t give much trouble, I daresay.”

“Only for coals and water to wash and drink.”

“And you wouldn’t dine at home?”

“No —­ nor anywhere else,” said Hugh; but the second and larger clause was sotto voce.

“And you wouldn’t smoke in-doors?”

“No.”

“And you would wipe your boots clean before you went up-stairs?”

“Yes, certainly.”  Hugh was beginning to be exceedingly amused, but he kept his gravity wonderfully.

“Have you any money?”

“Yes; plenty for the meantime.  But when I shall get more, I don’t know, you see.”

“Well, I’ve a room at the top of the house, which I’ll make comfortable for you; and you may stay as long as you like to behave yourself.”

“But what is the rent?”

“Four shillings a week —­ to you.  Would you like to see it?”

“Yes, if you please.”

She conducted him up to the third floor, and showed him a good-sized room, rather bare, but clean.

“This will do delightfully,” said Hugh.

“I will make it a little more comfortable for you, you know.”

“Thank you very much.  Shall I pay you a month in advance?”

“No, no,” she answered, with a grim smile.  “I might want to get rid of you, you know.  It must be a week’s warning, no more.”