ABSTRACT
I should also add that this book does not pretend to give a complete picture of life in Paris and London, but only to describe one special aspect of it. Since all the personal scenes and events have something repulsive about them, it is quite possible that I have unconsciously portrayed Paris and London as abominable cities. This has not been my intention, and if I am misunderstood, it is simply because the subject of my book-poverty-essentially lacks charm. When you haven’t a penny in your pocket you begin to see any city and any country in the most unfavorable light; and every human being, or almost every one, appears to you either as a companion in suffering or as an enemy. I have taken care to state this point precisely for my Parisian readers, for I would be hurt if they believed I feel the least hostility toward a city that is very dear to me.
