harf. 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