"The house he lives in has six rooms, and he has but three in
family--your own number, I presume"--

"I have four," said Brainard, interrupting me.

"Four?"

"Yes. We have a cook and chambermaid."

"Oh! Mrs. Tyler has but one domestic."

"My wife wasn't brought up to be a household drudge," said Brainard,
contemptuously.

"Your house has ten rooms in it, I believe?" said I, avoiding a
reply to his last remark.

"It has."

"But why should you pay rent for ten rooms, when you have use for
only five or six? Is not that a waste of money that might be applied
to a better purpose?"

"Oh, I like a large house," said my friend, tossing his head, and
putting on an air of dignity and consequence. "A hundred dollars
difference in rent is a small matter compared with the increase of
comfort it brings."

"But the expense doesn't stop with the additional rent," said I.