"
"Very cheap, love; and you think I can guide you? Well, well, I have
had, as you wisely say, my experiences. About what figure would you be
inclined to go to, my dear?"
"I don't know," answered Jasmine. "Our house in the country was twelve
pounds a year--I don't think we ought to pay as much as that, for of
course we should not want a whole house, only two rooms. A nice,
large, airy bedroom, and a cheerful sitting-room. We should not mind
how plain the furniture was, if only it was very, very clean. You know
the kind of place, with snow-white boards--the sort of boards you
could eat off--and little plain beds with dimity frills round them,
and very white muslin blinds to the windows--we have got our own white
muslin curtains; Hannah washed them for us, and they are as white as
snow. Oh! the place we want might be very humble, and very
inexpensive. Do tell us if you know of any rooms that would suit us."
While Jasmine was speaking Mrs. Dredge kept on gazing at her, her
round face growing long, and her full blue eyes becoming extended to
their largest size.
"My dear child," she said, "wherever were you brought up? Don't you
know that the kind of lodgings you want are just the hardest of all to
get? Yes, my dear, I have experience in London apartments, and about
them, and with regard to them, there is one invariable and unbroken
rule--cheapness and dirt--expense and cleanliness.
Pages:
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162