d once
been a large private dwelling but which had been transformed into a
series of flats. It was situated in Lord Street, almost in the centre
of the town.

At one time this had been a most aristocratic locality, but most of the
former residents had migrated to the newer suburb at the west of the
town. Notwithstanding this fact, Lord Street was still a most
respectable neighbourhood, the inhabitants generally being of a very
superior type: shop-walkers, shop assistants, barber's clerks, boarding
house keepers, a coal merchant, and even two retired jerry-builders.

There were four other flats in the house in which Owen lived. No. 1
(the basement) was occupied by an estate agent's clerk. No. 2--on a
level with the street--was the habitat of the family of Mr Trafaim, a
cadaverous-looking gentleman who wore a top hat, boasted of his French
descent, and was a shop-walker at Sweater's Emporium. No. 3 was
tenanted by an insurance agent, and in No. 4 dwelt a tallyman's
traveller.

Lord Street--like most other similar neighbourhoods--supplied a
striking answer to those futile theorists who prate of the equality of
mankind, for the inhabitants instinctively formed themselves into
groups, the more superior types drawing together, separating themselves
from the inferior, and rising naturally to the top, while the others
gathered themselves into distinct classes, grading downwards, or else
isolated themselves altogether; being refused admission to the circles
they desired to enter, and in their turn refusing to associate with
their inferiors.

The most exclusive set consisted of the families of the coal merchant,
the two retired jerry-builders and Mr Trafaim, whose superiority was
demonstrated by the fact that, to say nothing of his French extraction,
he wore--in addition to the top hat aforesaid--a frock coat and a pair
of lavender trousers every day. The coal merchant and the jerry
builders also wore top hats, lavender trousers and frock coats, but
only on Sundays and other special occasions. The estate agent's clerk
and the insurance agent, though excluded from the higher circle,
belonged to another select coterie from which they excluded in their
turn all persons of inferior rank, such as shop assistants or barbers.

The only individual who was received with equal cordiality by all
ranks, was the tallyman's traveller. But whatever differences existed
amongst them regarding each other's social standing they were u