{"product_id":"2940013375062","title":"THE CLIQUE OF GOLD","description":"THE CLIQUE OF GOLD\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere is not in all Paris a house better kept or more inviting-looking\u003cbr\u003ethan No. 23 in Grange Street. As soon as you enter, you are struck by a\u003cbr\u003eminute, extreme neatness, which reminds you of Holland, and almost sets\u003cbr\u003eyou a-laughing. The neighbors might use the brass plate on the door as a\u003cbr\u003emirror to shave in; the stone floor is polished till it shines; and the\u003cbr\u003ewoodwork of the staircase is varnished to perfection.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the entrance-hall a number of notices, written in the peculiar\u003cbr\u003estyle which owners of houses affect, request the tenants to respect the\u003cbr\u003eproperty of others, without regard to the high price they pay for their\u003cbr\u003eshare. \"Clean your feet, if you please,\" they say to all who come in or\u003cbr\u003ego out. \"No spitting allowed on the stairs.\" \"Dogs are not allowed in\u003cbr\u003ethe house.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNevertheless, this admirably-kept house \"enjoyed\" but a sorry reputation\u003cbr\u003ein the neighborhood. Was it worse than other houses,--No. 21, for\u003cbr\u003einstance, or No. 25? Probably not; but there is a fate for houses as\u003cbr\u003ewell as for men.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first story was occupied by the families of two independent\u003cbr\u003egentlemen, whose simplicity of mind was only equalled by that of their\u003cbr\u003emode of life. A collector, who occasionally acted as broker, lived in\u003cbr\u003ethe second story, and had his offices there. The third story was rented\u003cbr\u003eto a very rich man, a baron as people said, who only appeared there at\u003cbr\u003elong intervals, preferring, according to his own account, to live on\u003cbr\u003ehis estates near Saintonge. The whole fourth story was occupied by a\u003cbr\u003eman familiarly known as Papa Ravinet, although he was barely fifty years\u003cbr\u003eold. He dealt in second-hand merchandise, furniture, curiosities, and\u003cbr\u003etoilet articles; and his rooms were filled to overflowing with a medley\u003cbr\u003ecollection of things which he was in the habit of buying at auctions.\u003cbr\u003eThe fifth story, finally, was cut up in numerous small rooms and\u003cbr\u003eclosets, which were occupied by poor families or clerks, who, almost\u003cbr\u003ewithout exception, disappeared early in the morning, and returned only\u003cbr\u003eas late as possible at night.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47145673425136,"sku":"2940013375062","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013375062_p0.jpg?v=1763580001","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013375062","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}