He said I could.
I invoiced my stock in trade and found I had just thirteen bottles of polish on hand, and immediately went to work.
The second house at which I called was a new and unfinished one, and I was obliged to enter from the back way. I found three or four very polite and pleasant ladies, to whom I showed my polish,—without effecting a sale, however.
When ready to leave the house I noticed three doors in a row, exactly alike. I was certain that the middle one was the one through which I had entered. Accordingly, facing the ladies and politely thanking them for their kind attention, and when just about saying good-bye, I opened the door and stepped back to close it after me, when I heard one of the ladies scream at the top of her voice.
It was too late.
I had disappeared—gone out of sight—where, I didn't know. But I realized when I struck that I had alighted full weight on my valise of furniture polish. It was total darkness, and I heard voices saying:
"What a pity! What a shame! Do send for some one."
Then the outside cellar door opened, letting in daylight as well as a little light on the situation.
The lady of the house had quickly come to my rescue by this entrance.
She hastily explained that the house was unfinished, and that they had not yet put stairs in their cellar-way, from the inside.