It was like a flowing-over of Nature's gifts, and would have driven an English agricultural protectionist, who conceives that his own country cannot compete with that of the foreigner, half mad. A proverb is current at Tullins, a small town in the heart of this fertility, which runs Si le Dauphiné était un mouton Our vicinity to the great fortress-town was made evident by our passing formidable parks of artillery, camped by the road side for the distance of many hundred yards. They belonged to the fortress, and formed a portion of the war materiel of the army of the Alps. Contrary to our expectation, we were not asked for our passports on entering the gates of Grenoble, but were permitted to drive on to the diligence bureau. This was situated in the Rue Montgorge, in which are also the principal inns. As soon as we alighted from our eyrie, in the banquette, we were pounced on by the hotel touters, who were very solicitous to seize and carry us off to their establishments. We were puzzled to choose between the two first-class hotels, and our excellent friend Murray did little to help us out of the difficulty. For to the Hôtel des Trois Dauphins he gives the rather paradoxical character of 'good, but not very clean, and somewhat dear;' while of its rival, the Hôtel des Ambassadeurs, he records that it is very good, and bread excellent.' 198 HOTEL DES TROIS DAUPHINS: The reader may think that the latter recommendation would be sufficient to settle the point, but the bread weighed not an atom in the balance of our thoughts; for at all the hotels in the south of France, the bread is delicious. The Hôtel des Trois Dauphins possessed a great advantage over that of the Ambassadeurs,' by commanding a view of the fortress and public gardens, whereas the windows of the latter looked on the walls of the opposite houses in the street. Then it would be something to sleep under the same roof that had sheltered Napoleon; for it was at the Hôtel des Trois Dauphins that he lodged on his return from Elba. So we threw up our caps in favour of the Dauphins,' and great was the triumph of the fat garçon of the hotel as he conducted us to his house. We were met at the threshold by the smiles of a fair, fat, and forty landlady, who, in answer to my questions, stated that we could have bed-rooms looking frontwards. She led us up stairs, and after inspecting two or three rooms, we selected two-one over the otherboth large and well-furnished, and commanding delightful views. Having the fear of the ugly words, 'somewhat dear,' before our eyes, I deemed it prudent to do a disagreeable thing on this occasion, and ask the price of the apartments. Madam,' said I, 'you will, I trust, pardon me, but as it is stated in our guide-book that your charges are high, we should ITS MODERATE CHARGES. 199 like to know what they are?' Her answer was most satisfactory. The lowest bed-room was two francs a day, that above it one and a half; breakfast with coffee and eggs, one franc, with meat, two; and table-d'hôte dinner three francs. We forthwith drew out our pencil, and opening the guide-book, erased the words, 'somewhat dear,' as appertaining to this hotel; and as our residence in it for some days gave no occasion to find fault, but many to be satisfied, we have submitted to the guider of wandering Englishmen, who I am well aware is anxious to hold the balance of justice evenly, the propriety of giving the Hôtel des Trois Dauphins a better character in his next edition of the French Hand-Book.' Lightly as the preceding lines have fallen from the pen, my heart was far from light when the scenes they describe were passing. For some days previously I had felt unwell, and as we entered Grenoble the strong hand of sickness laid hold of me. But I struggled to bear up as long as possible, though ardently desiring rest and quietude. Oh, how I blessed the invention of inns; those homes into which we can step out of the bustling world, meeting no cross looks and fearless of giving trouble. There is some truth surely in the lines— Whoe'er has travelled life's dull round, Where'er his varied tour has been, The change of climate from the coolness-almost 200 TEA AT GRENOBLE. chilliness, I might say—of Auvergne, to the burning heat of Provence and Dauphiné, coupled with divers descriptions of diet, probably induced my illness. Old Burton said truly, that 'strange meats and drinks cause notable alterations and distempers;' and of the former many and curious varieties are to be found in the course of a tour in the south of France. I had a strong conviction that the one thing needful to restore me to my usual good health was rest— to which I was disposed to add strong potations of tea. The former, however, was more easily obtained than the latter. For a luxurious looking bed with snowwhite sheets at one side of my room invited rest, whereas the existence of tea in any shape at Grenoble was problematical. I determined, however, to try my fortune. Ringing the bell, it was answered by a garçon d'écurie, who apologised for usurping the place of the house garçon, giving as a reason that the latter was busily occupied waiting at a large dinner of military grandees in the salon. The bonhommie of my stable-waiter made ample amends for his rough exterior. I told him that I was ill and should like to have some tea. He could not tell whether there was any in the house, but he would inquire. He soon returned with the gratifying intelligence that his master had a 'bottle full of tea,' which he kept as medicine, and that he would be happy to give me some. I ordered my attendant to bring me the necessary tea apparatus, for I knew that it would be rash to A FOOT-BATH. 201 let others prepare the beverage. He left the room, but quickly re-appeared to ask whether the water was to be hot or cold a question which implied entire ignorance on his part of the art of teamaking. In course of time I succeeded in obtaining all the requisites, and as my last want was satisfied and the garçon saw the amber-coloured fluid flow into my cup, he exclaimed Enfin, Monsieur, j'espère que c'est selon votre fantaisie.' Heaven bless the man who made us acquainted with tea! His name should be world-famous, and yet it is utterly unknown; but he must have been a Dutchman, for the Dutch were the first to introduce the beverage to Europe. Who would have given the wide-breeched Schiedam-drinkers credit for such a thing? I followed the inward tea-application by a foot-bath. Here my groom of the stable was more at home. He brought me two capacious stable buckets; the one three-quarters filled with almost boiling water, the other with cold, so that I might have a temperature 'selon ma fantaisie.' And a fine steaming foot-bath I had. And having thus doctored myself, I crept into bed, where I soon became the prey of such a 'litigation of my senses,' that it would have puzzled the cleverest Egyptian Oneiromancist to have interpreted my swarms of dreams. |