“I am afraid we can not divide them.”
He looked disappointed. An idea seemed to strike the landlady.
“There is a little room at the top you might have,” she said; “but it would not be very comfortable. It would be only five shillings a week, including attendance.”
“Allow me to see it,” said Frithiof.
He felt so tired and ill that if she had shown him a pig-sty he would probably have taken it merely for the sake of settling matters. As it was, the room, though bare and comfortless, was spotlessly clean, and, spite of her severe face, he rather took to his landlady.
“My things are at the Arundel Hotel,” he explained. “I should want to come in at once. Does that suit you?”
“Oh, yes,” she said, scanning him closely. “Can you give us any references?”
“You can, if you wish, refer to the Swedish consul at 24 Great Winchester Street.”
“Oh, you are a Swede,” she said.
“No; I am a Norwegian, and have only been in London since yesterday.”