the red inn-第3章

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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

time　set　a　knife　and　fork　for　him；　the　three　guests　began　to　satisfy

their　appetites　in　silence。　The　atmosphere　of　this　room　was　hot　and

the　flies　were　so　numerous　that　Prosper　requested　the　landlord　to　open

the　window　looking　toward　the　outer　gate；　so　as　to　change　the　air。

This　window　was　barricaded　by　an　iron　bar；　the　two　ends　of　which　were

inserted　into　holes　made　in　the　window　casings。　For　greater　security；

two　bolts　were　screwed　to　each　shutter。　Prosper　accidentally　noticed

the　manner　in　which　the　landlord　managed　these　obstacles　and　opened

the　window。



As　I　am　now　speaking　of　localities；　this　is　the　place　to　describe　to

you　the　interior　arrangements　of　the　inn；　for；　on　an　accurate

knowledge　of　the　premises　depends　an　understanding　of　my　tale。　The

public　room　in　which　the　three　persons　I　have　named　to　you　were

sitting；　had　two　outer　doors。　One　opened　on　the　main　road　to

Andernach；　which　skirts　the　Rhine。　In　front　of　the　inn　was　a　little

wharf；　to　which　the　boat　hired　by　the　merchant　for　his　journey　was

moored。　The　other　door　opened　upon　the　courtyard　of　the　inn。　This

courtyard　was　surrounded　by　very　high　walls　and　was　full；　for　the　time

being；　of　cattle　and　horses；　the　stables　being　occupied　by　human

beings。　The　great　gate　leading　into　this　courtyard　had　been　so

carefully　barricaded　that　to　save　time　the　landlord　had　brought　the

merchant　and　sailors　into　the　public　room　through　the　door　opening　on

the　roadway。　After　having　opened　the　window；　as　requested　by　Prosper

Magnan；　he　closed　this　door；　slipped　the　iron　bars　into　their　places

and　ran　the　bolts。　The　landlord's　room；　where　the　two　young　surgeons

were　to　sleep；　adjoined　the　public　room；　and　was　separated　by　a

somewhat　thin　partition　from　the　kitchen；　where　the　landlord　and　his

wife　intended；　probably；　to　pass　the　night。　The　servant…woman　had　left

the　premises　to　find　a　lodging　in　some　crib　or　hayloft。　It　is

therefore　easy　to　see