the Beau Paon had its principal front towards the main street; but upon
the Rue de Lyon there were two ranges of buildings divided by courtyards,
which comprised sets of apartments for the reception of all classes of
travelers, whether on foot or on horseback, or even with their own
carriages; and in which could be supplied, not only board and lodging,
but also accommodation for exercise, or opportunities of solitude for
even the wealthiest courtiers, whenever, after having received some check
at the court, they wished to shut themselves up to their own society,
either to devour an affront, or to brood on revenge.  From the windows of
this part of the building travelers could perceive, in the first place,
the street with the grass growing between the stones, which were being
gradually loosened by it; next the beautiful hedges of elder and thorn,
which embraced, as though within two green and flowery arms, the house of
which we have spoken; and then, in the spaces between those houses,
forming the groundwork of the picture, and appearing an almost impassable
barrier, a line of thick trees, the advanced sentinels of the vast forest
which extends in front of Fontainebleau.  It was therefore easy, provided
one secured an apartment at the angle of the building, to obtain, by the
main street from Paris, a view of, as well as to hear, the passers-by and
the _fetes_; and, by the Rue de Lyon, to look upon and to enjoy the calm
of the country.  And this without reckoning that, in cases of urgent
necessity, at the very moment people might be knocking at the principal
door in the Rue de Paris, one could make one's escape by the little door
in the Rue de Lyon, and, creeping along the gardens of the private
houses, attain the outskirts of the forest.  Malicorne, who, it will be
remembered, was the first to speak about this inn, by way of deploring
his being turned out of it, being then absorbed in his own affairs, had
not told Montalais all that could be said about this curious inn; and we
will try to repair the omission.  With the exception of the few words he
had said about the Franciscan friar, Malicorne had not given any
particulars about the travelers who were staying in the inn.  The manner
in which they had arrived, the manner in which they had lived, the
difficulty which existed for every one but certain privileged travelers,
of entering the hotel without a password, or living there without certain
preparatory precautions, must have struck Malicorne; and, we will venture
to say, really did so.  But Malicorne, as we have already said, had
personal matters of his own to occupy his attention which prevented him
from paying much attention to others.  In fact, all the apartments of the
hotel were engaged and retained by certain strangers, who never stirred
out, who were incommunicative in their address, with countenances full of
thoughtful preoccupation, and not one of whom was known to Malicorne.
Every one of these travelers had reached the hotel after his own arrival
there; each man had entered after having given a kind of password, which
had at first attracted Malicorne's attention; but having inquired, in an
indiscreet manner, about it, he had been informed that the host had given
as a reason for this extreme vigilance, that, as the town was so full of
wealthy noblemen, it must also be as full of clever and zealous
pickpockets.  The reputation of an honest inn like that of the Beau Paon
was concerned in not allowing its visitors to be robbed.  It occasionally
happened that Malicorne asked himself, as he thought matters carefully
over in his mind, and reflected upon his own position in the inn, how it
was that they had allowed him to become an inmate of the hotel, when he
had observed, since his residence there, admission refused to so many.
He asked himself, too, how it was that Manicamp, who, in his opinion,
must be a man to be looked upon with veneration by everybody, having
wished to bait his horse at the Beau Paon, on arriving there, both horse
and rider had been incontinently turned away with a _nescio vos_ of the
most positive character.  All this for Malicorne, whose mind being fully
occupied by his own love affair and personal ambition, was a problem he
had not applied himself to solve.  Had he wished to do so, we should
hardly venture, notwithstanding the intelligence we have accorded as his
due, to say he would have succeeded.  A few words will prove to the
reader that no one but Oedipus in person could have solved the enigma in
question.  During the week, seven travelers had taken up their abode in
the inn, all of them having arrived there the day after the fortunate day
on which Malicorne had fixed his choice on the Beau Paon.  These seven
persons, accompanied by a suitable retinue, were the following: -

First of all, a brigadier in the German army, his secretary, physician,
three servants, and seven horses.  The brigadier's name was the Comte de
Wostpur. - A Spanish cardinal, with two nephews, two secretaries, an
officer of his household, and twelve horses.  The cardinal's name was
Monseigneur Herrebia. - A rich merchant of Bremen, with his man-servant
and two horses.  This merchant's name was Meinheer Bonstett. - A Venetian
senator with his wife and daughter, both extremely beautiful.  The
senator's name was Signor Marini. - A Scottish laird, with seven
highlanders of his clan, all on foot.  The laird's name was MacCumnor. –
An Austrian from Vienna without title or coat of arms, who had arrived in
a carriage; a good deal of the priest, and something of the soldier.  He
was called the Councilor. - And, finally, a Flemish lady, with a man-
servant, a lady's maid, and a female companion, a large retinue of
servants, great display, and immense horses.  She was called the Flemish
lady.

All these travelers had arrived on the same day, and yet their arrival
had occasioned no confusion in the inn, no stoppage in the street; their
apartments had been fixed upon beforehand, by their couriers or
secretaries, who had arrived the previous evening or that very morning.
Malicorne, who had arrived the previous day, riding an ill-conditioned
horse, with a slender valise, had announced himself at the hotel of the
Beau Paon as the friend of a nobleman desirous of witnessing the _fetes_,
and who would himself arrive almost immediately.  The landlord, on
hearing these words, had smiled as if he were perfectly well acquainted
either with Malicorne or his friend the nobleman, and had said to him,
"Since you are the first arrival, monsieur, choose what apartment you
please."  And this was said with that obsequiousness of manners, so full
of meaning with landlords, which means, "Make yourself perfectly easy,
monsieur: we know with whom we have to do, and you will be treated
accordingly."  These words, and their accompanying gesture, Malicorne had
thought very friendly, but rather obscure.  However, as he did not wish
to be very extravagant in his expenses, and as he thought that if he were
to ask for a small apartment he would doubtless have been refused, on
account of his want of consequence, he hastened to close at once with the
innkeeper's remark, and deceive him with a cunning equal to his own.  So,
smiling as a man would do for whom whatever might be done was but simply
his due, he said, "My dear host, I shall take the best and the gayest
room in the house."

"With a stable?"

"Yes, with a stable."

"And when will you take it?"

"Immediately if it be possible."

"Quite so."

"But," said Malicorne, "I shall leave the large room unoccupied for the
present."

"Very good!" said the landlord, with an air of intelligence.

"Certain reasons, which you will understand by and by, oblige me to take,
at my own cost, this small room only."

"Yes, yes," said the host.

"When my friend arrives, he will occupy the large apartment: and as a
matter of course, as this larger apartment will be his own affair, he
will settle for it himself."

"Certainly," said the landlord, "certainly; let it be understood in that
manner."

"It is agreed, then, that such shall be the terms?"

"Word for word."

"It is extraordinary," said Malicorne to himself.  "You quite understand,
then?"

"Yes."

"There is nothing more to be said.  Since you understand, - for you do
clearly understand, do you not?"

"Perfectly."

"Very well; and now show me to my room."

The landlord, cap in hand, preceded Malicorne, who installed himself in
his room, and became more and more surprised to observe that the
landlord, at every ascent or descent, looked and winked at him in a
manner which indicated the best possible intelligence between them.

"There is some mistake here," said Malicorne to himself; "but until it is
cleared up, I shall take advantage of it, which is the best thing I can
possibly do."  And he darted out of his room, like a hunting-dog
following a scent, in search of all the news and curiosities of the
court, getting himself burnt in one place and drowned in another, as he
had told Mademoiselle de Montalais.  The day after he had been installed
in his room, he had noticed the seven travelers arrive successively, who
speedily filled the whole hotel.  When he saw this perfect multitude of
people, of carriages, and retinue, Malicorne rubbed his hands
delightedly, thinking that, one day later, he should not have found a bed
to lie upon after his return from his exploring expeditions.  When all
the travelers were lodged, the landlord entered Malicorne's room, and
with his accustomed courteousness, said to him, "You are aware, my dear
monsieur, that the large room in the third detached building is still
reserved for you?"

"Of course I am aware of it."

"I am really making you a present of it."

"Thank you."

"So that when your friend comes - "

"Well!"

"He will be satisfied with me, I hope: or, if he be not, he will be very
difficult to please."

"Excuse me, but will you allow me to say a few words about my friend?"

"Of course, for you have a perfect right to do so."

"He intended to come, as you know."

"And he does so still."

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