not creak or make any noise; sometimes the sole is made of felt; at
other times, and especially in winter, the kid slipper, or dogskin shoe,
is replaced by list shoes, with which they can walk, go up stairs, or
descend a staircase, without any noise. The theft _au bonjour_, is
effected without violence, without skeleton keys, without burglariously
entering. If a thief sees a key in a door of a room, he first knocks
very gently, then a little harder, then very loudly; if no person
answers, he turns the handle, and thus enters the antechamber.
He then advances to the eating-room, penetrates even to the adjoining
apartments, to see if there be any person there; returns, and if the key
of the sideboard is not to be seen, he looks in all the places in which
he knows it is generally deposited, and if he finds it, he instantly
uses it to open the drawers, and taking out the plate, he places it
generally in his hat, after which, he covers it with a napkin, or fine
cambric handkerchief, which, by its texture and whiteness, announces the
gentleman. Should the _bonjourier_, whilst on his enterprise, hear
any person coming, he goes straight towards him, and accosting him,
wishes him good morning (_le bonjour_) with a smiling and almost
familiar air, and inquires if it be not Monsieur 'such a one,' to whom
he has the honour of addressing himself. He is directed to the story
higher or lower, and, then still smiling, evincing the utmost politeness
and making a thousand excuses and affected bows, he withdraws. It may so
happen, that he has not had time to consummate his larceny, but most
frequently the business is perfected, and the discovery of loss only
made too late to remedy it.

"The majority of the thieves in this particular line commence their
incursions with morning, at the hour when the housekeepers go out for
their cream, or have a gossip whilst their masters and mistresses are in
bed. Other _bonjouriers_ do not open the campaign until near dinner