rriage, and
in every respect my establishment being that of a gentleman.

I had not, however, taken my daughters from school more than two
months, before I was told that we were "living out of the world,"
although not a mile and a half from Hyde Park Corner; and, to my
surprise, my wife joined in the cry; it was always from morn to night,
"We might do this but, we cannot do this, because we are here quite out
of the world." It was too far to dine out in town; too far for people to
come and dine with us; too far to go to the play, or the opera; too far
to drive in the park; too far even to walk in Kensington Gardens. I
remonstrated, that we had managed to dine out, to receive visitors, and
to enjoy all other amusements very well for a considerable number of
years, and that it did not appear to me that Brompton had walked away
from London, on the contrary, that London was making rapid advances
towards Brompton; but it would not do,--all day the phrase rang in my
ears, "out of the world," until I almost began to wish that I was out
too. But it is no use having the best of an argument when opposed to
women. I had my choice, either to give up my house, and take another in
London, or to give up my peace. With an unwilling sigh, I at last
consented to leave a place dear to me, from long association and many
reminiscences; and it was arranged that Brompton Hall was to be let, or
sold, and that we were to look out immediately for a house in some of
the squares in the metropolis. If my wife and daughters found that the
distance from London was too far for other purposes, at all events it
was not too far for house-hunting. They were at it incessantly week
after week; and, at last, they fixed upon one in the neighbourhood of
Belgrave-square, which, as they repeated, possessed all the cheerfulness
and fresh air of the country, with all the advantages of a town
residence. The next day I was to be dragged to see it, and give my
opinion; at the same time, from the commendations bestowed upon it
previous to my going, I felt assured that I was expected to give _their_
opinion, and not my own.

The next day, accordingly, we repaired thither, setting off immediately
after breakfast, to meet the surveyor and builder, who was to be on the
spot. The house in question was one of a row just building, or built,
whitened outside, in imitation of stone. It was No. 2. No. 1 was
finished; but the windows still stained with the drippings of the
whi