"[...] "Which the greens at the shops," their hostess explained, "are by no means dependable upon. Here you has them on the premises, and of the best." "Does the window open?" was always Balbus' first question in testing a lodging: and "Does the chimney smoke?" his second. Satisfied on all points, he secured the refusal of the room, and they moved on to Number Twenty-five. This landlady was grave and stern. "I've nobbut one room left," she told them: "and it gives on the back[...]".