The Passing of the Third Floor Back
by Jerome K. Jerome

The household of a Bloomsbury lodginghouse is composed of the landlady, who cheats her lodgers; a slavey; a major-who drinks and bullies his wife; a shark a cad; a retired bookmaker; and others all as unpleasant as one could wish.

The third-floor back is taken by a passer-by a mysterious personage, who interviews all the boarders, and influences them to lead better lives.