Madame Thénardier changed very quickly her cross looks for her pleasing grin, and looked eagerly at the newcomer.
“This is the gentleman?” said she.
“Yes, Madame,” answered the man as he touched his cap.
Rich travelers are not so polite. This gesture, and the view of the clothes and the bundle of the stranger, which the woman took in with a quick glance, made her change her pleasant grin for her cross looks again. Then she said dryly, “Come in, fellow.”
The “fellow” came in. The woman took another glance at him, looked carefully at his coat, which was very shabby, and at his hat, which was quite battered, then turned up her nose and winked her eyes at her husband, who was sitting with the other men. Then he answered with a movement of his finger on the lips which said as plainly as words, “Very poor.”
Then the woman cried at once: “Ah, my good fellow, I am very sorry, but I have no room for you.”
“Put me anywhere you like,” said the man, “in the barn or the stable. I will pay as if I had a room.”
“Two francs?”[15]
“Yes, two francs.”
“Very well.”