When she went down to the drawing-room to receive him, she found him standing in the middle of the room gazing about with a quizzical expression. As soon as the greetings were over he said:
"You must get out of here, Mildred. This won't do."
"Indeed I shan't," said she. "I've looked everywhere, and this is the only comfortable place I could find—where the rates were reasonable and where the landlady didn't have her nose in everybody's business."
"You don't understand," said he. "This is a bird-cage. Highly gilded, but a bird-cage."
She had never heard the phrase, but she understood—and instantly she knew that he was right. She colored violently, sat down abruptly. But in a moment she recovered herself, and with fine defiance said:
"I don't care. Mrs. Belloc is a kind-hearted woman, and it's as easy to be respectable here as anywhere."
"Sure," assented he. "But you've got to consider appearances to a certain extent. You won't be able to find the right sort of a boarding-house—one you'd be comfortable in. You've got to have a flat of your own."
"I can't afford it," said Mildred. "I can't afford this, even. But I simply will not live in a shabby, mussy way."
"That's right!" cried Stanley. "You can't do proper work in poor surroundings. Some women could, but not your sort. But don't worry. I'm going to see you through. I'll find a place—right away. You want to start in at once, don't you?"
"I've got to," said Mildred.