'I ask only shelter for the night.' 'The time has not yet come when we cannot give our friends that!' she answered with noble courtesy.

'When it does, Monsieur, we shall be homeless ourselves.' I shivered, looking anywhere but at her; for, if the truth be told, I had not sufficiently pictured this scene of my arrival--I had not foredrawn its details; and now I took part in it I felt a miserable meanness weigh me down.

I had never from the first liked the work, but I had had no choice, and I had no choice now.

Luckily, the guise in which I came, my fatigue, and wound were a sufficient mask, or I should have incurred suspicion at once.

For I am sure that if ever in this world a brave man wore a hang-dog air, or Gil de Berault fell below himself, it was then and there--on Madame de Cocheforet's threshold, with her welcome sounding in my ears.
One, I think, did suspect me.