But, as far as he was concerned, he swore he had not seen any.

While he was speaking he moved about the office turning over all the papers.

Then he opened the drawers and the portfolios.

Felicite waited, quite calm and collected.
"Yes, indeed, you're right, here's a letter for you," he cried at last, as he took a few papers from a portfolio.

"Ah! those confounded clerks, they take advantage of the situation to do nothing in the proper way." Felicite took the letter and examined the seal attentively, apparently quite regardless of the fact that such scrutiny might wound Vuillet's susceptibilities.