Volume V Part 37 (1/2)
”All the better Nothing is the worse for being a little odd”
It happened just as the old woman had foretold; as soon as the notice was up, everybody stopped to read it, made various comments, and passed on On the second day after it was up, ro told me that my notice was printed in full in the St Ja reht up to me, and fanny translated it It ran as follows:
”The landlord of the second and third floors probably occupies the first floor hiood taste, for he wants a young and pretty lodger; and as he forbids her to receive visits, he will have to keep her company himself”
He added,--
”The landlord should take care lest he becoer would only take the room to sleep in, and possibly only to sleep in now and then; and if she chose she would have a perfect right to refuse to receive the proprietor's visits”
These sensible re theive their chief interest to the English newspapers They are allowed to gossip about everything, and the writers have the knack ofHappy is the nation where anythingsaid!
Lord Peratulate me on my idea, and he was succeeded by Martinelli; but he expressed some fears as to the possible consequences, ”for,” said he, ”there are plenty of woe with you to be your ruin”
”In that case,” I answered, ”it would be a case of GreekGreek; however, we shall see If I ah at me, for I have been warned”
I will not trouble my readers with an account of the hundred women who came in the first ten days, when I refused on one pretext or another, though sorace and beauty But one day, when I was at dinner, I received a visit froantly dressed; her features were sweet and gracious, though soave me a bohich I had to rise to return, and as I reed ed her to be seated and to take dessert, but she refused with an air of hted me
This fair lady said, not in French, but in Italian worthy of a Sinnese, its purity was so perfect, that she hoped I would let her have a rooladly submit to all my conditions
”You may only make use of one roo to you”
”Although the notice says the rooms will be let cheaply, I shall not be able to afford s a week is all I can spend”
”That's exactly what I want for the whole suite of rooms; so you see you can use theet you whatever food you may require, and wash your linen as well You can also eo out for trifles”
”Then I will dismiss my maid,” she said; ”she robs me of little, it is true, but still too much for my small means I will tell your maid what food to buy for me every day, and she shall have six sots a week for her pains”
”That will be ample I should advise you to apply to et your dinner and supper for you as cheaply as you could buy it”
”I hardly think so, for I am ashamed to tell you how little I spend”
”Even if you only spend two sols a day, she will give you two sols'
worth All the saet fro about the price, for I usually have provision h I dine alone, and the rest is the cook's perquisite I merely advise you to the best of my ability, and I hope you will not be offended at my interest in your welfare”
”Really, sir, you are too generous”
”Wait awill be settled comfortably”
I told Clairmont to order up the maid and the cook's wife, and I said to the latter:
”For howlady who is not rich, and only wants to eat to live?”