I crept down the stairs like a cat, and walked along the lower hall, smelling under all the doors, listening as I went.

There was no night light burning down here, and it was quite dark, but if there had been any strange person about I would have smelled him.
I was surprised when I got near the farther end of the hall, to see a tiny gleam of light shine for an instant from under the dining-room door.

Then it went away again.

The dining-room was the place to eat.
Surely none of the people in the house would be there after the supper we had.
I went and sniffed under the door.

There was a smell there; a strong smell like beggars and poor people.