but enough to
live on. I live in furnished apartments, and have twelve shirts and the
clothes you see on my back, and that is enough for my happiness.

"'Nec ultra deos lacesso.'"

I was pleased with this honest man, who spoke Italian with the most
exquisite correctness.

On the way back I asked him what I had better do to get a comfortable
lodging. When he heard the style in which I wished to live and the time I
proposed to spend in London, he advised me to take a house completely
furnished.

"You will be given an inventory of the goods," said he, "and as soon as
you get a surety your house will be your castle."

"I like the idea," I answered, "but how shall I find such a house?"

"That is easily done."

He went into a shop, begged the mistress to lend him the Advertiser,
noted down several advertisements, and said,--

"That's all we have to do."

The nearest house was in Pall Mall and we went to see it. An old woman
opened the door to us, and shewed us the ground floor and the three
floors above. Each floor contained two rooms and a closet. Everything
shone with cleanliness; linen, furniture, carpets, mirrors, and china,
and even the bells and the bolts on the doors. The necessary linen was
kept in a large press, and in another was the silver plate and several
sets of china. The arrangements in the kitchen were excellent, and in a
word, nothing was lacking in the way of comfort. The rent was twenty
guineas a week, and, not stopping to bargain, which is never of any use
in London, I told Martinelli that I would take it on the spot.

Martinelli translated what I said to the old woman, who told me that if I
liked to keep her on as housekeeper I need not have a surety, and that it
would only be necessary for me to pay for each week in advance. I
answered that I would do so, but that she must get me a servant who could
speak French or Italian as well as English. She promised to get one in a
day's time, and I paid her for four weeks' rent on the spot, for which
she gave me a receipt under the name of the Chevalier de Seingalt. This
was the name by which I was known during the whole of my stay in London.

Thus in less than two hours I was comfortably settled in a town which is
sometimes described as a chaos, especially for a stranger. But in London
everything is easy to him who has money and is not afraid of spending it.
I was delighted to be able to escape so soon from a house where I was
welcomed so il