This tickled Rosa so that she burst out laughing, and thenceforward giggled at intervals, wit of this refined nature having all the charm of novelty for her.

They inspected the stables, which were indeed the one redeeming feature in the horrid little Bijou; and then the agent would show them the kitchen, and the new stove.  He expatiated on this to Mrs. Staines.  “Cook a dinner for thirty people, madam.”

“And there’s room for them to eat it—­in the road,” said Staines.

The agent reminded him there were larger places to be had, by a very simple process, viz., paying for them.

Staines thought of the large, comfortable house in Harewood Square.  “One hundred and thirty pounds a year for this poky little hole?” he groaned.

“Why, it is nothing at all for a Bijou.”

“But it is too much for a bandbox.”

Rosa laid her hand on his arm, with an imploring glance.

“Well,” said he, “I’ll submit to the rent, but I really cannot give the premium, it is too ridiculous.  He ought to bribe me to rent it, not I him.”

“Can’t be done without, sir.”

“Well, I’ll give a hundred pounds and no more.”

“Impossible, sir.”

“Then good morning.  Now, dearest, just come and see the house at Harewood Square,—­eighty-five pounds and no premium.”

“Will you oblige me with your address, doctor?” said the agent.

“Dr. Staines, Morley’s Hotel.”

And so they left Mayfair.

Rosa sighed and said, “Oh, the nice little place; and we have lost it for two hundred pounds.”

“Two hundred pounds is a great deal for us to throw away.”

“Being near the Coles would soon have made that up to you:  and such a cosey little nest.”

“Well the house will not run away.”

“But somebody is sure to snap it up.  It is a Bijou.”  She was disappointed, and half inclined to pout.  But she vented her feelings in a letter to her beloved Florry, and appeared at dinner as sweet as usual.

During dinner a note came from the agent, accepting Dr. Staine’s offer.  He glozed the matter thus:  he had persuaded the owner it was better to take a good tenant at a moderate loss, than to let the Bijou be uninhabited during the present rainy season.  An assignment of the lease—­which contained the usual covenants—­would be prepared immediately, and Dr. Staines could have possession in forty-eight hours, by paying the premium.

Rosa was delighted, and as soon as dinner was over, and the waiters gone, she came and kissed Christopher.

He smiled, and said, “Well, you are pleased; that is the principal thing.  I have saved two hundred pounds, and that is something.  It will go towards furnishing.”