"Consideration, my dear!" replied my wife; "what! now that you have gone over it?"
"I am afraid that I cannot give you very long, sir," observed the builder; "there are two other parties after the house, and I am to give them an answer by two o'clock."
"Mr Smithers told me the same yesterday," whispered my wife.
"What did you say the rent was, Mr Smithers?"
"The rent appears to me to be very high."
"High, my dear sir! consider the situation, the advantages. We can't build them fast enough at that price. But of course, sir, you best know," replied he, carelessly walking towards the window.
"Mr Whats-your-name, I beg your pardon----"
"Smithers, sir," said the builder, turning round.
"Pray, Mr Smithers, what term of lease do you let at?"
"Seven, fourteen, or twenty-one, at the option of either party, sir."
"I should have no objection to take it for three years."
"Three years, my dear sir!--that would be doing yourself an injustice. You would lose half the value of your fixtures provided you left--and then the furniture. Depend upon it, sir, if you once get into it, you will never wish to leave it."
"That may or not be," replied I; "but I will not take it for more than three years. The town-air may not agree with me; and if, as you say, people are so anxious to take the houses, of course it can make no difference to you."
"I'm afraid, sir, that for so short a time----"
"I will not take it for longer," replied I, rising up, glad of an excuse to be off.
"On that point," replied I, "I will not be overruled. I will not take a lease for more than three years, with the right of continuing if I please."
The builder perceived that I was in earnest.
"Well, sir," replied he, "I hardly know what to say; but rather than disappoint the ladies, I will accept you as a tenant for three years certain."
Confound the fellow, thought I; but I was pinned, and there was an end of the matter. Mr Smithers pulled out paper and ink; two letters of agreement were written upon a small deal table, covered with blotches of various-coloured paints; and the affair was thus concluded.
We got into the carriage and drove home, my wife and daughters in ecstasies, and I obliged to appear very well satisfied, that I might not damp their spirits; yet I must say that although the house appeared a very nice house, I had my forebodings.