The floor was black with age and filth, and broken everywhere by rat-holes.

She set her noisome, smoking oil lamp on the table, and with some apology for the rudeness of the chamber she asked in tones almost defiant if my excellency would be content.
"Perforce," said I ungraciously, perceiving surliness to be the key to the respect of such a creature; "a king might thank Heaven for a kennel on such a night as this." She bent her back in a clumsy bow, and with a growing humility wondered had I supped.

I had not, but sooner would I have starved than have been poisoned by such foulnesses as they might have set before me.

So I answered her that all I needed was a cup of wine.
When she had brought me that, and, at last, I was alone, I closed the door.

It had no lock, nor any sort of fastening, so I set the three legged stool against it that it might give me warning of intrusion.