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Mrs. Merivale became dumb and began to twist her hands again in a most distressing way.

"I'm so frightfully sorry," she said, in a tearful voice, "but when people ask me how much I charge I could kill them."

Jane looked at her with some alarm.

"I know I'm horrid," said Mrs. Merivale, "but it's so awful talking about money. I'd rather let the rooms for nothing if I could afford it."

This, though highly creditable to human nature, was hardly helpful and indeed rather silly. Jane, who really did not know what to suggest, stood silent.

"Would three guineas be too much, do you think?" said Mrs. Merivale, nervously.

Jane at once said it would be far too little, especially if the boarders were to have a dining-room and sitting-room to themselves, not to speak of the lounge, and begged Mrs. Merivale to name a higher figure. But as that lady would do nothing but repeat that she knew she was horrid but it seemed so unkind to ask people for money, Jane had to say that she would tell Mr. Adams how nice the rooms were, and probably he would come and settle everything himself, to which Mrs. Merivale agreed. As they went towards the front door Jane paused to look through the glass door of the lounge into the garden.