A cousin of mine is clerk to the mayor.

He is a good fellow, though he has to pretend to be a violent supporter of the Convention.
"I don't know how you are situated, monsieur, but times are hard, and all salaries terribly in arrears; and when they are paid it is in assignats, and I need hardly say that when you pay in assignats you don't buy cheap." "We have money," Leigh said, "and I would pay any reasonable sum, in gold, for proper papers." "Sapristi! You might almost tempt the maire himself, by offering him gold.

Only he would suspect that you must have more hidden away, and that by arresting you, he could make himself master of the whole, instead of only a part; but since you offer gold, I have no doubt that my cousin would not mind running some little risk.
How much shall I say, monsieur ?" "I would, if necessary, give forty louis." "That is more than his yearly salary," the innkeeper said; "half of that would be ample.

I will go to him at once.

It is important that you should get papers of some kind, for at any moment anyone might come in and demand to see them." "Here are ten louis.