Topinard\'sapartmentconsistedofakitchenandtwobedrooms。Thefirstwasanurserywithtwolittledealbedsteadsandacradleinit,thesecondwasthebedroom,andthekitchendiddutyasadining-room。
Above,reachedbyashortladder,knownamongbuildersasa“trap-
ladder,“therewasakindofgarret,sixfeethigh,withasash-windowletintotheroof。Thisroom,givenasaservants\'bedroom,raisedtheTopinards\'establishmentfrommere“rooms“tothedignityofatenement,andtherenttoacorrespondingsumoffourhundredfrancs。
Anarchedlobby,lightedfromthekitchenbyasmallroundwindow,diddutyasanante-chamber,andfilledthespacebetweenthebedroom,thekitchen,andhousedoors——threedoorsinall。Theroomswerepavedwithbricks,andhungwithahideouswall-paperatthreepenceapiece;
thechimneypiecesthatadornedthemwereofthekindcalled/capucines/——ashelfsetonacoupleofbracketspaintedtoresemblewood。Hereinthesethreeroomsdweltfivehumanbeings,threeofthemchildren。Anyone,therefore,canimaginehowthewallswerecoveredwithscoresandscratchessofarasaninfantarmcanreach。