embroidered with a coat-of-arms, which he carefully
concealed in the hollow of his hand. This purse was of a
thinness, a flabbiness, a hollowness, which did not escape
the eye of Cropole.

The unknown emptied the purse into his hand. It contained
three double louis, which amounted to the six louis demanded
by the host.

But it was seven that Cropole had required.

He looked, therefore, at the unknown, as much as to say,
"And then?"

"There remains one louis, does there not, master hotelier?"

"Yes, monsieur, but ---- "

The unknown plunged his hand into the pocket of his
haut-de-chausses, and emptied it. It contained a small
pocket-book, a gold key, and some silver. With this change
he made up a louis.

"Thank you, monsieur," said Cropole. "It now only remains
for me to ask whether monsieur intends to occupy his
apartments to-morrow, in which case I will reserve them for
him; whereas, if monsieur does not mean to do so, I will
promise them to some of the king's people who are coming."

"That is but right," said the unknown, after a long silence,