I looked across the charming room, and by the bright wood fire was an old gentleman seated at breakfast at eleven o'clock in the morning.
'Good-morning,' I said, 'I'm afraid I'm rather early.'
'Not at all,' said he. 'I'm afraid I'm rather late. Have some breakfast?'
'No, thank you, I haven't come to call.'
'Oh, he replied, 'I thought you had.'
'No,' and my words began to tumble over one another in my agitation, 'that is to say, not in the ordinary sense of the word, but I came—I hope you won't mind—I hope you won't think it awful cheek, but now I am inside your house I feel it is, though outside it seemed the most ordinary thing to do, but the fact is I am looking—oh——' I broke off as the appallingness of the situation came upon me afresh. 'Promise you will not be offended, but that you will take my visit in the spirit in which it is intended.'
'Is this to be an offer of marriage, my dear young lady?'
'Oh, no,' I gasped, 'much worse, it's an offer for your house.'
'Aha, aha,' said he, 'I thought I heard the tenth commandment crack as you fell down the step.'
'Crack,' I exclaimed, 'it's broken into a million pieces.'