This gentleman, Mr Montmorency, whom I think you have met before, is an agent for houses of this kind.

He has a special line in arboreal villas.

It's being kept rather quiet at present, because the people who want these houses don't want them to get too common.

But it's just the sort of thing a fellow like myself, racketing about in all sorts of queer corners of London, naturally knocks up against." "Are you really an agent for arboreal villas ?" asked Rupert eagerly, recovering his ease with the romance of reality.
Mr Montmorency, in his embarrassment, fingered one of his pockets and nervously pulled out a snake, which crawled about the table.
"W-well, yes, sir," he said.

"The fact was--er--my people wanted me very much to go into the house-agency business.