One evening at ten o'clock we came in from making a call and found the elevator-boy in his shirt-sleeves washing the hall floor. I asked him if it wasn't a little early to be doing such a thing, as people were still going and coming, and he said he was acting under Mr. Jepson's orders. Jepson was the agent.
We said we would remonstrate, and we wrote a letter to Jepson asking him to have the hall cleaned after twelve o'clock at night and before six o'clock in the morning. He wrote back that, after consulting the convenience of all the people in the house, he had decided on eight in the morning and ten at night, as everybody was at breakfast at the first hour and that ten was the freest hour for the halls at night. He added that the gentleman on the first floor went fishing at six every morning, and had complained of having the halls washed at that hour, as he was inconvenienced thereby.
A few days later we met Jepson on the street, and Aubrey stopped him and said:
"There are several matters about the house I wish you would look into,
Mr. Jepson."
"Now look here, Mr. Jardine, if you expect me to run that whole apartment-house to suit you, you are going to be mistaken."
"For whose comfort and convenience is it run?" I broke in before Aubrey could stop me.
"For mine, madam! I arrange everything outside of your four walls."
"Then we have no rights as to entrance, elevator, and our upper hall?" asked Aubrey.
"None, sir!"
I pulled the Angel away.