Miss Brass finishes her work and informs Swiveller she is going out. She tells him to take a message if anyone comes to the office.
Swiveller is not happy about being a clerk. His aunt has disowned him. He stops working as soon as he is alone.
He ignores a knock at the door. The person enters anyway. It is a little girl asking him to show the room up for rent. She tells him the details. He asks why she doesn’t show it. She says Miss Sally doesn’t want prospective lodgers to see what type of help they have until they’ve taken the room.
Swiveller goes out to meet the prospective lodger, who is carrying a trunk upstairs. Swiveller tells the details of the room, upping the price. The man agrees and pays the rent for ten years. He then asks not to be disturbed. Swiveller reflects on what an odd house this is with the lawyer, the little girl with a dirty face, the dragon sister, and the mysterious lodger.