"No, monsieur, neither from Paris nor Dieppe. But, by the way, as you came from the last named place, you must have seen those wonderful men everybody is talking about."
"What wonderful men?"
"Why, that famous corsair who is death to the English, the brave Captain l'Endurci (a good name for a privateer, isn't it?). With his brig The Hell-hound (another appropriate name by the way), that goes through the water like a fish, not a single English ship seems to escape him. He gobbles them all up, his last haul being a number of vessels loaded with wheat, that he captured after a terrible fight. A wonderful piece of good luck, for wheat is so scarce now! They say the people of Dieppe have gone wild over him! He must have been born under a lucky star, for though it is said that he fights like a tiger, he has never been wounded. Is that true? Do you know him? What kind of a looking man is he? He must be terribly ferocious-looking, and people say he dresses very strangely. You, being a sailor, have probably seen him."
"Never," dryly replied the stranger, who did not appear to share the innkeeper's admiration for the privateer.
Then he added:
"Show me to my room, and when the person who inquires for Master Dupont comes, bring him to me at once. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly, monsieur."
"And as soon as the person comes you are to serve breakfast."
"Very well, monsieur. I will show you to your room now."
"Is it a front room?"