He tried to put on a half-jesting air, to make out that his difficulty was of the most passing kind.

Mrs.Bower ungraciously bade him not to trouble himself, to pay as soon as he could.

But when the second day of default came, the landlady was even less gracious.
'I ain't an unreasonable woman, Mr.Boddy,' she said, 'and nobody could never say I was.

But then I've a 'ome to keep up, as you know.

Isn't it time as you thought things over a bit?
I dessay there's them as 'll see you don't want, if only you'll speak a word.