fire, was partaking of a poor meal of black bread and onions. He
was a tall, spare man, with sloping shoulders and a long sour
face, of which, as I entered, he gave me the full benefit.

I looked round the room, but look as I might I could see no one
else, nor anything that explained what we had witnessed and I
accosted the man civilly, wishing him good evening. He made an
answer, but indistinctly, and, this done, went on with his meal
like one who viewed our arrival with little pleasure; while I,
puzzled and astonished by the ordinary look of things and the
stillness of the house, affected to warm my feet at the logs. At
length, espying no signs of disturbance anywhere, I asked him if
he was alone.

"I was, sir," he answered gravely.

I was going on to tell him, though reluctantly, what we had seen
outside, and to question him upon it, when on a sudden, before I
could speak again, he leaned towards me and accosted me with
startling abruptness. "Sir," he said, "I should like to have
your opinion of Louis Eleven."

I stared at him in the most perfect astonishment; and was for a
moment so completely taken aback that I mechanically repeated his
words. For answer, he did so also.

"The Eleventh Louis?" I said.

"Yes," he rejoined, turning his pale visage full upon me. "What
is your opinion of him, sir? He was a man?"