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III. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
Parker?We’vegotaflat—atlast!InMontaguMansions.”
“Well,”saidParker,“I’vealwayssaidthereareplentyofflats—ataprice!”
“Yes,butthisisn’tataprice.It’sdirtcheap.Eightypoundsayear!”
“But—butMontaguMansionsisjustoffKnightsbridge,isn’tit?Bighandsomebuilding.Orareyoutalkingofapoorrelationofthesamenamestuckintheslumssomewhere?”
“No,it’stheKnightsbridgeone.That’swhatmakesitsowonderful.”
“Wonderfulistheword!It’sablinkingmiracle.Buttheremustbeacatchsomewhere.Bigpremium,Isuppose?”
“Nopremium!”
“Noprem—oh,holdmyhead,somebody!”groanedParker.
“Butwe’vegottobuythefurniture,”continuedMrs.Robinson.
“Ah!”Parkerbriskedup.“Iknewtherewasacatch!”
“Forfiftypounds.Andit’sbeautifullyfurnished!”
“Igiveitup,”saidParker.“Thepresentoccupantsmustbelunaticswithatasteforphilanthropy.”
Mrs.Robinsonwaslookingalittletroubled.Alittlepuckerappearedbetweenherdaintybrows.
“Itisqueer,isn’tit?Youdon’tthinkthat—that—theplaceishaunted?”
“Neverheardofahauntedflat,”declaredParkerdecisively.
“N-o.”Mrs.Robinsonappearedfarfromconvinced.“Buttherewereseveralthingsaboutitallthatstruckmeas—well,queer.”
“Forinstance——”Isuggested.
“Ah,”saidParker,“ourcriminalexpert’sattentionisaroused!Unburdenyourselftohim,Mrs.Robinson.Hastingsisagreatunravellerofmysteries.”
Ilaughed,embarrassedbutnotwhollydispleasedwiththerôlethrustuponme.
