Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

I am writing about the 1820s:

M. Bernaise owned the whole house. During sunny days, he inhabited the downstairs. During the day, he was just like a regular person, a stalwart citizen. He and Cracko Macacco would walk from his house to a coffee shop on Louisa Street. They would sit outside and the monkey would entertain people going to and fro about the b…