But it was not easy to get out now without confirming the suspicion, and I deemed it wise to appear indifferent.
"If monsieur can give me a bed, I will put up with him," said I to the interpreter; "if not--" "Citizen Picquot sees his money before he sells his wares," said the other.
I laid a gold piece on the table.

"Citizen Picquot is a wise man," said I.
Then followed a cross-examination of me, prompted by the cautious Picquot and interpreted by his ally.
"Who was I?
Where did I come from?
Why did I seek a lodging at his house of all others?
How long was I going to stay?
What was my occupation in Paris?
How much more money had I got ?" and so on.
To all of which I answered my best; and when I produced my letter to the Depute Duport they treated me more ceremoniously.

I was shown to a room, the like of which for filth I had never slept in before, and shall never, I hope, sleep in again.

It was a large chamber, the boards of which were furred with mildew, and the valance on the bed was dropping off with rottenness.

Generations of cats had haunted it and slept on the coverlet.