"
And Mr Vanslyperken thought it would be worth his while to reconnoitre
this widow before he closed with the Frau Vandersloosh. How selfish
men are!
In a quarter of an hour Mr Vanslyperken and the little girl had arrived
at the public-house in question. Mr Vanslyperken did not much admire the
exterior of the building, but it was too dark to enable him to take an
accurate survey. It was, however, evident, that it was a pot-house, and
nothing more; and Mr Vanslyperken thought that lodgings must be very
scarce in Portsmouth. He entered the first and inner door, and the
little girl said she would go upstairs and let her mistress know that he
was come. She ran up, leaving Mr Vanslyperken alone in the dark passage.
He waited for some time, when his naturally suspicious temper made him
think he had been deceived, and he determined to wait outside of the
house, which appeared very disreputable. He therefore retreated to the
inner door to open it, but found it fast. He tried it again and again,
but in vain, and he became alarmed and indignant. Perceiving a light
through another keyhole, he tried the door, and it was open; a screen
was close to the door as he entered, and he could not see its occupants.
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