“Seven, fourteen, or twenty-one, at the option of either party, sir.”
“I should have no objection to take it for three years.”
“Three years, my dear sir!—that would be doing yourself an injustice. You would lose half the value of your fixtures provided you left—and then the furniture. Depend upon it, sir, if you once get into it, you will never wish to leave it.”
“That may or not be,” replied I; “but I will not take it for more than three years. The town-air may not agree with me; and if, as you say, people are so anxious to take the houses, of course it can make no difference to you.”
“I’m afraid, sir, that for so short a time—”
“I will not take it for longer,” replied I, rising up, glad of an excuse to be off.
“Oh, papa!”
“My dear Mr B—.”
“On that point,” replied I, “I will not be overruled. I will not take a lease for more than three years, with the right of continuing, if I please.”
The builder perceived that I was in earnest.