Not an expert on late 19 century England but this is not the way the story goes:
... He was bemoaning himself
this morning because he could not get someone
to go halves with him in some nice rooms which
he had found, and which were too much for his
purse.”
“By Jove!” I cried, “if he really wants someone
to share the rooms and the expense, I am the very
man for him. I should prefer having a partner to
being alone.
Note: story. "I should prefer having a partner to being alone." The character is reassuring the reader that he isn't the sort of oddball loner who might actually want to live alone. They may have expenses, but they both feel a societal need not to be that strange man living alone in an empty apartment.
... He was bemoaning himself this morning because he could not get someone to go halves with him in some nice rooms which he had found, and which were too much for his purse.” “By Jove!” I cried, “if he really wants someone to share the rooms and the expense, I am the very man for him. I should prefer having a partner to being alone.