ner judgment, the possession of the
apartment attracted us greatly. It was too vast to be used with
comfort as a sitting-room. The occasions upon which we should enjoy it
as '_une salle de fete_,' would be comparatively few. Four ordinary
_salons_ would require less service and fuel. Yet, in spite of
everything, we wanted it very much.

The rest of the house was convenient. The parlours were fine and airy;
there were two bathrooms; the bedrooms were good; the offices were
admirable. As for the basement, we lost our way there. It was
profound. It was also indubitably damp. There the dank smell upon
which Berry had remarked was most compelling. In the garden stood a
garage which would take both the cars.

After a final inspection of the ballroom, we tipped the caretaker,
promised to let the agent know our decision, and, to the great
inconvenience of other pedestrians, strolled talkatively through the
streets towards the Boulevard.

"I suppose," said Adele, "those were the other people."

"Who were the other people?" I demanded.

"The two men standing in the hall as we came downstairs."

"I never saw them," said I. "But if you mean that one of them was the
fellow who's after the house, I fancy you're wrong, because the agent
told me he'd gone to Bordeaux."

"Well, I don't know who they were, then," replied my wife. "They were
talking to the caretaker. I saw them through the banisters. By the
time we'd got down, they'd disappeared. Any way, it doesn't matter.
Only, if it was them, it looks as if they were thinking pretty
seriously about it. You don't go to see a house four times out of
curiosity."

"You mean," said Berry, "that if we're fools enough to take it, we'd
better get a move on."

"Exactly. Let's go and have tea at Bouzom's, and thrash it out there."

No one of us, I imagine, will ever forget that tea.

Crowded about a table intended to accommodate four, we alternately
disputed and insulted one another for the better part of two hours.
Not once, but twice of her agitation my sister replenished the teapot
with Jill's chocolate, and twice fresh tea had to be brought. Berry
burned his mouth and dropped an apricot tartlet on to his shoe. Until
my disgust was excited by a nauseous taste, I continued to drink from a
cup in which Jonah had extinguished a cigarette.

Finally Berry pushed back his chair and looked at his watch.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "we came here this memorable