SPRING AND WINTER PASTIMES 191 



living: "Oh," he answers lightly, "only ten 

 minutes from the Marble Arch !" (My poor 

 friend, I am not deceived ! I know well that 

 those ten minutes must be spent threading the 

 devious and dingy purlieus of the Edgware Road 

 until at length some obscure terrace is reached 

 on the north side of Paddington, far beyond the 

 parish boundaries of any Marble Archdeacon !) 



When the house-agent has gathered from your 

 maunderings that all you require is a large resi- 

 dence with an exiguous rent, situated within 

 hail of tubes, buses and theatres, facing south, 

 with plenty of air and light, and close to the 

 Park, he will make out a long list of vacant 

 houses and press it into your hand, with a 

 number of " orders to view." You then stagger 

 out of his office in a bemused condition, spring 

 into a taxi, and hasten to the first address men- 

 tioned on your list. 



After ringing the bell you stand on the door- 

 step for a quarter of an hour, while a female of 

 unaUuring aspect peers up at you from the base- 

 ment, and then retires to complete her toilet. 

 By dint of perpetual ringing you may eventually 

 lure this caretaker from her subterranean lair, 

 when she will half open the door, gaze at you 

 with marked disapproval and inquire suspiciously 

 whether you possess an order of admittance. 



Should you go house-hunting on your own 



