"
Full of indignation, I made in my mind a note of M. Gringuet's
name; but at the moment I said no more, and we proceeded to the
house, the exterior of which, though meagre, and even miserable,
gave me an impression of neatness. From the inside, however, a
hoarse, continuous noise was issuing, which resolved itself as we
crossed the threshold into a man's voice. The speaker was out of
sight, in an upper room to which a ladder gave access, but his
oaths, complaints, and imprecations almost shook the house. A
middle-aged woman, scantily dressed, was busy on the hearth; but
perhaps that which, next to the perpetual scolding that was going
on above, most took my attention was a great lump of salt that
stood on the table at the woman's elbow, and seemed to be
evidence of greater luxury--for the GABELLE had not at that time
been reduced--than I could easily associate with the place.
The roaring and blustering continuing upstairs, I stood a moment
in sheer astonishment. "Is that M. Gringuet?" I said at last.
The inn-keeper nodded sullenly, while his wife stared at me.
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