tory to
that which was to follow. She then began to tear her hair in handfuls;
and kept alternately brandishing knives, forks, pots, logs of wood, in
short, whatever her hand fell upon in the course of her fury, at her
poor passive help-mate, who appeared to consider the storm with a
nonchalance, which evidently could only have been produced by very long
experience; while he kept saying to us all the time, [6]_"Soyez
tranquille, Monsieur; ce n'est rien que cela."_ At length he commenced
getting ready our supper, and I entered into conversation with a very
great man, the mayor of the village, who, _adorned with a splendid order
at his breast_, was quietly bargaining for his supper. Nothing more
completely astonishes an Englishman than this extraordinary mixture of
all ranks of society, which takes place at the kitchen fire of a French
inn. You will there see, not only sitting, but familiarly conversing
together, officers and gentlemen, coachmen, waggoners, and all classes
of people, each addressing the other as _Monsieur_. The mayor here,
being, to all appearance, a most communicative fellow, was easily got on
the politics of the day. I began by enumerating the blessings of peace,
and by extolling the character of the present King, in all of which he
seemed to join with heart and soul. He told me how Bonaparte treated the
mayors of the different towns,--how he would raise them up at all hours
of the night,--how he forced them to seize on grain wherever it was
found. In short, he abused him in the vilest terms. I put in an
observation or two in his favour, when suddenly my friend whispered
me,--"Sir, to be frank with you, he was the greatest man ever lived, and
the best ruler for France." I encouraged him a little, by assenting to
all he said, and I found him a staunch friend of Napoleon, anxious for
his return: I have no doubt, that time-serving gentlemen like these,
would wish for nothing more. It appeared to me, that his highness, the
mayor, was in very high spirits, either from wine, or that it was his
nature--however, "In vino veritas."----Distance, nineteen miles to
Vienne.

* * *

We had a miserable lodging at this vile inn, (Hotel du Parc at Vienne.)
We left it with pleasure, this morning, (_Tuesday_ the 21st), although
the weather continued most unfavourable; yet any thing was better than
remaining in such a house. The day continued to rain without
intermission; and we made out with difficulty about 30 miles, t