She led the way; and I, helping myself by the banisters, made shift to get up with less fatigue than I expected from ancles so weak.  But oh!  Jack, what was Sixtus the Vth.’s artful depression of his natural powers to mine, when, as this half-dead Montalto, he gaped for the pretendedly unsought pontificate, and the moment he was chosen leapt upon the prancing beast, which it was thought by the amazed conclave he was not able to mount, without help of chairs and men?  Never was there a more joyful heart and lighter heels than mine joined together; yet both denied their functions; the one fluttering in secret, ready to burst its bars for relief-ful expression, the others obliged to an hobbling motion; when, unrestrained, they would, in their master’s imagination, have mounted him to the lunar world without the help of a ladder.

There were three rooms on a floor:  two of them handsome; and the third, she said, still handsomer; but the lady was in it.

I saw, I saw she was! for as I hobbled up, crying out upon my weak ancles, in the hoarse mumbling voice I had assumed, I beheld a little piece of her as she just cast an eye (with the door a-jar, as they call it) to observe who was coming up; and, seeing such an old clumsy fellow, great coated in weather so warm, slouched and muffled up, she withdrew, shutting the door without any emotion.  But it was not so with me; for thou canst not imagine how my heart danced to my mouth, at the very glimpse of her; so that I was afraid the thump, thump, thumping villain, which had so lately thumped as much to no purpose, would have choked me.

I liked the lodging well; and the more as she said the third room was still handsomer.  I must sit down, Madam, [and chose the darkest part of the room]:  Won’t you take a seat yourself?—­No price shall part us—­but I will leave the terms to you and my wife, if you please.  And also whether for board or not.  Only please to take this for earnest, putting a guinea into her hand—­and one thing I will say; my poor wife loves money; but is not an ill-natured woman.  She was a great fortune to me:  but, as the real estate goes away at her death, I would fain preserve her for that reason, as well as for the love I bear her as an honest man.  But if she makes too close a bargain with you, tell me; and, unknown to her, I will make it up.  This is my constant way:  she loves to have her pen’orths; and I would not have her vexed or made uneasy on any account.

She said, I was a very considerate gentleman; and, upon the condition I had mentioned, she was content to leave the terms to my lady.

But, Madam, cannot a body just peep into the other apartment; that I may be more particular to my wife in the furniture of it?

The lady desires to be private, Sir—­but—­and was going to ask her leave.

I caught hold of her arm—­However, stay, stay, Madam:  it mayn’t be proper, if the lady loves to be private.  Don’t let me intrude upon the lady—­