\"Blessyourheartalive!\"saysshe，\"nobodyevercomesnow。Theoutsideofthehouseisquiteenoughtowarnthemoff。Moresthepity，asIsay。Itusedtokeepmeinspirits，staggering\'emall，oneafteranother，withthefrightfulhighrent——speciallythewomen，drat\'em。\'What\'stherentofthishouse?\'——\'Hundredandtwentypounda-year!\'——\'Hundredandtwenty?why，thereain\'tahouseinthestreetasletsformorethaneighty!\'——Likelyenough，ma\'am；
otherlandlordsmaylowertheirrentsiftheyplease；butthisherelandlordstickstohisrights，andmeanstohaveasmuchforhishouseashisfatherhadbeforehim!\'——\'Buttheneighbourhood\'sgoneoffsincethen!\'——\'Hundredandtwentypound，ma\'am。\'——\'Thelandlordmustbemad!\'——\'Hundredandtwentypound，ma\'am。\'——\'Openthedooryouimpertinentwoman!\'Lord!whatahappinessitwastosee\'embounceout，withthatawfulrenta-ringingintheirearsalldownthestreet!\"
Shestoppedonthesecond-floorlandingtotreatherselftoanotherchuckle，whileTrottleprivatelypostedupinhismemorywhathehadjustheard。\"Twopointsmadeout，\"hethoughttohimself:\"thehouseiskeptemptyonpurpose，andthewayit\'sdoneistoaskarentthatnobodywillpay。\"
\"Ah，dearyme!\"saysBenjamin\'smother，changingthesubjectonasudden，andtwistingbackwithahorrid，greedyquicknesstothoseawkwardmoney-matterswhichshehadbroacheddownintheparlour。
\"Whatwe\'vedone，onewayandanotherforMr。Forley，itisn\'tinwordstotell!Thatnicelittlebitofbusinessofoursoughttobeabiggerbitofbusiness，consideringthetroublewetake，Benjaminandme，tomaketheimpupstairsashappyasthedayislong。IfgoodMr。ForleywouldonlypleasetothinkalittlemoreofwhatadealheowestoBenjaminandme——\"