Bug on the lettrine package

[pauloney]

On the \lettrine command used to produce drop-caps, a space is left in between the two pieces of the word separating the first letter, as described in this example:

\documentclass{minimal}
\usepackage{lettrine}

\begin{document}
\lettrine{T}{his is the dropcap} in a text...
\end{document}

resulting in a extraneous space in between the T and his.

T his is the dropcap  in a text...

One may be able to solve the problem by simply cutting the space left from { and }, but this may have other consequences elsewhere.