The landlady asks Valjean if he heard anyone come in during the previous evening. Valjean responds how he heard footsteps, and the landlady tells him it was most likely the new tenant, a man named Dumont. Valjean begins to worry that the landlady is spying on him for Javert. He resolves to leave the Gorbeau House as quickly as possible.
I believe it is dry because of the word desert and deserts are dry. Acrid also means in the dictionary bitter or harsh.
The Spy, written by James Fenimore Cooper, mainly took place in one setting. That setting was what they characters referred to as "the Locust." The Locust was the summer home of the Wharton's. They migrated to the home to try and avoid the war between the British and America and having to take sides.
C. by describing the character's appearance and social status
