the red inn-第2章

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fire　and　sword。　Louis　XIV。　and　Turenne　have　cauterized　that　beautiful

land。　Here　and　there　certain　ruins　bear　witness　to　the　pride　or　rather

the　foresight　of　the　King　of　Versailles；　who　caused　to　be　pulled　down

the　ancient　castles　that　once　adorned　this　part　of　Germany。　Looking　at

this　marvellous　country；　covered　with　forests；　where　the　picturesque

charm　of　the　middle　ages　abounds；　though　in　ruins；　we　are　able　to

conceive　the　German　genius；　its　reverie；　its　mysticism。



The　stay　of　the　two　friends　at　Bonn　had　the　double　purpose　of　science

and　pleasure。　The　grand　hospital　of　the　Gallo…Batavian　army　and　of

Augereau's　division　was　established　in　the　very　palace　of　the　Elector。

These　assistant…surgeons　of　recent　date　went　there　to　see　old

comrades；　to　present　their　letters　of　recommendation　to　their　medical

chiefs；　and　to　familiarize　themselves　with　the　first　aspects　of　their

profession。　There；　as　elsewhere；　they　got　rid　of　a　few　prejudices　to

which　we　cling　so　fondly　in　favor　of　the　beauties　of　our　native　land。

Surprised　by　the　aspect　of　the　columns　of　marble　which　adorn　the

Electoral　Palace；　they　went　about　admiring　the　grandiose　effects　of

German　architecture；　and　finding　everywhere　new　treasures　both　modern

and　antique。



From　time　to　time　the　highways　along　which　the　two　friends　rode　at

leisure　on　their　way　to　Andernach；　led　them　over　the　crest　of　some

granite　hill　that　was　higher　than　the　rest。　Thence；　through　a　clearing

of　the　forest　or　cleft　in　the　rocky　barrier；　they　caught　sudden

glimpses　of　the　Rhine　framed　in　stone　or　festooned　with　vigorous

vegetation。　The　valleys；　the　forest　paths；　the　trees　exhaled　that

autumnal　odor　which　induced　to　reverie；　the　wooded　summits　were

beginning　to　gild　and　to　take　on　the　warm　brown　tones　significant　of

age；　the　leaves　were　falling；　but　the　skies　were　still　azure　and　the

dry　roads　lay　like　yellow　lines　along　the　landscape；　just　then

illuminated　by　the　oblique　rays　of　the　setting　sun。　At　a　mile　and　a

half　from　Andernach　the　two　friends　walked　their　horses　in　silence；　as

if　no　war　were　devastating　this　beautiful　land；　while　they　followed　a

path　made　for　the　goats　across　the　lofty　walls　of　bluish　granite

between　which　foams　the　Rhine。　Presently　they　descended　by　one　of　the

declivities　of　the　gorge；　at　the　foot　of　which　is　placed　the　little

town；　seated　coquettishly　on　the　banks　of　the　river　and　offering　a

convenient　port　to　mariners。



〃Germany　is　a　beautiful　country！〃　cried　one　of　the　two　young　men；　who

was　named　Prosper　Magnan；　at　the　moment　when　he　caught　sight　of　the

painted　houses　of　Andernach；　pressed　together　like　eggs　in　a　basket；

and　separated　only　by　trees；　gardens；　and　flowers。　Then　he　admired　for

a　moment　the　pointed　roofs　with　their　projecting　eaves；　the　wooden

staircases；　the　galleries　of　a　thousand　peaceful　dwellings；　and　the

vessels　swaying　to　the　waves　in　the　port。



＇At　the　moment　when　Monsieur　Hermann　uttered　the　name　of　Prosper

Magnan；　my　opposite　neighbor　seized　the　decanter；　poured　out　a　glass

of　water；　and　emptied　it　at　a　draught。　This　movement　having　attracted

my　attention；　I　thought　I　noticed　a　slight　trembling　of　the　hand　and　a

moisture　on　the　brow　of　the　capitalist。



〃What　is　that　man's　name？〃　I　asked　my　neighbor。



〃Taillefer；〃　she　replied。



〃Do　you　feel　ill？〃　I　said　to　him；　observing　that　this　strange

personage　was　turning　pale。



〃Not　at　all；〃　he　said　with　a　polite　gesture　of　thanks。　〃I　am

listening；〃　he　added；　with　a　nod　to　the　guests；　who　were　all

simultaneously　looking　at　him。



〃I　have　forgotten；〃　said　Monsieur　Hermann；　〃the　name　of　the　other

young　man。　But　the　confidences　which　Prosper　Magnan　subsequently　made

to　me　enabled　me　to　know　that　his　companion　was　dark；　rather　thin；　and

jovial。　I　will；　if　you　please；　call　him　Wilhelm；　to　give　greater

clearness　to　the　tale　I　am　about　to　tell　you。〃



The　worthy　German　resumed　his　narrative　after　having；　without　the

smallest　regard　for　romanticism　and　local　color；　baptized　the　young

French　surgeon　with　a　Teutonic　name。＇



By　the　time　the　two　young　men　reached　Andernach　the　night　was　dark。

Presuming　that　they　would　lose　much　time　in　looking　for　their　chiefs

and　obtaining　from　them　a　military　billet　in　a　town　already　full　of

soldiers；　they　resolved　to　spend　their　last　night　of　freedom　at　an　inn

standing　some　two　or　three　hundred　feet　from　Andernach；　the　rich　color

of　which；　embellished　by　the　fires　of　the　setting　sun；　they　had

greatly　admired　from　the　summit　of　the　hill　above　the　town。　Painted

entirely　red；　this　inn　produced　a　most　piquant　effect　in　the

landscape；　whether　by　detaching　itself　from　the　general　background　of

the　town；　or　by　contrasting　its　scarlet　sides　with　the　verdure　of　the

surrounding　foliage；　and　the　gray…blue　tints　of　the　water。　This　house

owed　its　name；　the　Red　Inn；　to　this　external　decoration；　imposed　upon

it；　no　doubt　from　time　immemorial　by　the　caprice　of　its　founder。　A

mercantile　superstition；　natural　enough　to　the　different　possessors　of

the　building；　far…famed　among　the　sailors　of　the　Rhine；　had　made　them

scrupulous　to　preserve　the　title。



Hearing　the　sound　of　horses'　hoofs；　the　master　of　the　Red　Inn　came　out

upon　the　threshold　of　his　door。



〃By　heavens！　gentlemen；〃　he　cried；　〃a　little　later　and　you'd　have　had

to　sleep　beneath　the　stars；　like　a　good　many　more　of　your　compatriots

who　are　bivouacking　on　the　other　side　of　Andernach。　Here　every　room　is

occupied。　If　you　want　to　sleep　in　a　good　bed　I　have　only　my　own　room

to　offer　you。　As　for　your　horses　I　can　litter　them　down　in　a　corner　of

the　courtyard。　The　stable　is　full　of　people。　Do　these　gentlemen　come

from　France？〃　he　added　after　a　slight　pause。



〃From　Bonn；〃　cried　Prosper；　〃and　we　have　eaten　nothing　since　morning。〃



〃Oh！　as　to　provisions；〃　said　the　innkeeper；　nodding　his　head；　〃people

come　to　the　Red　Inn　for　their　wedding　feast　from　thirty　miles　round。

You　shall　have　a　princely　meal；　a　Rhine　fish！　More；　I　need　not　say。〃



After　confiding　their　weary　steeds　to　the　care　of　the　landlord；　who

vainly　called　to　his　hostler；　the　two　young　men　entered　the　public

room　of　the　inn。　Thick　white　clouds　exhaled　by　a　numerous　company　of

smokers　prevented　them　from　at　first　recognizing　the　persons　with　whom

they　were　thrown；　but　after　sitting　awhile　near　the　table；　with　the

patience　practised　by　philosophical　travellers　who　know　the　inutility

of　making　a　fuss；　they　distinguished　through　the　vapors　of　tobacco　the

inevitable　accessories　of　a　German　inn：　the　stove；　the　clock；　the　pots

of　beer；　the　long　pipes；　and　here　and　there　the　eccentric

physiognomies　of　Jews；　or　Germans；　and　the　weather…beaten　faces　of

mariners。　The　epaulets　of　several　French　officers　were　glittering

through　the　mist；　and　the　clank　of　spurs　and　sabres　echoed　incessantly

from　the　brick　floor。　Some　were　playing　cards；　others　argued；　or　held

their　tongues　and　ate；　drank；　or　walked　about。　One　stout　little　woman；

wearing　a　black　velvet　cap；　blue　and　silver　stomacher；　pincushion；

bunch　of　keys；　silver　buckles；　braided　hair；all　distinctive　signs　of

the　mistress　of　a　German　inn　（a　costume　which　has　been　so　often

depicted　in　colored　prints　that　it　is　too　common　to　describe　here）；

well；　this　wife　of　the　innkeeper　kept　the　two　friends　alternately

patient　and　impatient　with　remarkable　ability。



Little　by　little　the　noise　decreased；　the　various　travellers　retired

to　their　rooms；　the　clouds　of　smoke　dispersed。　When　places　were　set

for　the　two　young　men；　and　the　classic　carp　of　the　Rhine　appeared　upon

the　table；　eleven　o'clock　was　striking　and　the　room　was　empty。　The

silence　of　night　enabled　the　young　surgeons　to　hear　vaguely　the　noise

their　horses　made　in　eating　their　provender；　and　the　murmur　of　the

waters　of　the　Rhine；　together　with　those　indefinable　sounds　which

always　enliven　an　inn　when　filled　with　persons　preparing　to　go　to　bed。

Doors　and　windows　are　opened　and　shut；　voices　murmur　vague　words；　and

a　few　interpellations　echo　along　the　passages。



At　this　moment　of　silence　and　tumult　the　two　Frenchmen　and　their

landlord；　who　was　boasting　of　Andernach；　his　inn；　his　cookery；　the

Rhine　wines；　the　Republican　army；　and　his　wife；　were　all　three

listening　with　a　sort　of　interest　to　the　hoarse　cries　of　sailors　in　a

boat　which　appeared　to　be　coming　to　the　wharf。　The　innkeeper；　familiar

no　doubt　with　the　guttural　shouts　of　the　boatmen；　went　out　hastily；

but　presently　returned　conducting　a　short　stout　man；　behind　whom

walked　two　sailors　carrying　a　heavy　valise　and　several　packages。　When

these　were　deposited　in　the　room；　the　short　man　took　the　valise　and

placed　it　beside　him　as　he　seated　himself　without　ceremony　at　the　same

table　as　the　surgeons。



〃Go　and　sleep　in　your　boat；〃　he　said　to　the　boatmen；　〃as　the　inn　is

full。　Considering　all　things；　that　is　best。〃



〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　landlord　to　the　new…comer；　〃these　are　all　the

provisions　I　have　left；〃　pointing　to　the　supper　served　to　the　two

Frenchmen；　〃I　haven't　so　much　as　another　crust　of　bread　nor　a　bone。〃



〃No　sauer…kraut？〃



〃Not　enough　to　put　in　my　wife's　thimble！　As　I　had　the　honor　to　tell

you　just　now；　you　can　have　no　bed　but　the　chair　on　which　you　are

sitting；　and　no　other　chamber　than　this　public　room。〃



At　these　words　the　little　man　cast　upon　the　landlord；　the　room；　and

the　two　Frenchmen　a　look　in　which　caution　and　alarm　were　equally

expressed。



＇〃Here；〃　said　Monsieur　Hermann；　interrupting　himself；　〃I　ought　to　tell

you　that　we　have　never　known　the　real　name　nor　the　history　of　this

man；　his　papers　showed　that　he　came　from　Aix…la…Chapelle；　he　called

himself　Wahlenfer　and　said　that　he　owned　a　rather　extensive　pin

manufactory　in　the　suburbs　of　Neuwied。　Like　all　the　manufacturers　of

that　region；　he　wore　a　surtout　coat　of　common　cloth；　waistcoat　and

breeches　of　dark　green　velveteen；　stout　boots；　and　a　broad　leather

belt。　His　face　was　round；　his　manners　frank　and　cordial；　but　during

the　evening　he　seemed　unable　to　disguise　altogether　some　secret

apprehension　or；　possibly；　some　anxious　care。　The　innkeeper's　opinion

has　always　been　that　this　German　merchant　was　fleeing　his　country。

Later　I　heard　that　his　manufactory　had　been　burned　by　one　of　those

unfortunate　chances　so　frequent　in　times　of　war。　In　spite　of　its

anxious　expression　the　man's　face　showed　great　kindliness。　His

features　were　handsome；　and　the　whiteness　of　his　stout　throat　was　well

set　off　by　a　black　cravat；　a　fact　which　Wilhelm　showed　jestingly　to

Prosper。〃



Here　Monsieur　Taillefer　drank　another　glass　of　water。＇



Prosper　courteously　proposed　that　the　merchant　should　share　their

supper；　and　Wahlenfer　accepted　the　offer　without　ceremony；　like　a　man

who　feels　himself　able　to　return　a　civility。　He　placed　his　valise　on

the　floor　and　put　his　feet　on　it；　took　off　his　hat　and　gloves　and

removed　a　pair　of　pistols　from　his　belt；　the　landlord　having　by　this

ti