Page 107 - les-miserables

then entered the town-hall.
There then existed at D—— a fine inn at the sign of
the Cross of Colbas. This inn had for a landlord a certain
Jacquin Labarre, a man of consideration in the town on ac-
count of his relationship to another Labarre, who kept the
inn of the Three Dauphins in Grenoble, and had served in
the Guides. At the time of the Emperor’s landing, many ru-
mors had circulated throughout the country with regard to
this inn of the Three Dauphins. It was said that General Ber-
trand, disguised as a carter, had made frequent trips thither
in the month of January, and that he had distributed crosses
of honor to the soldiers and handfuls of gold to the citizens.
The truth is, that when the Emperor entered Grenoble he
had refused to install himself at the hotel of the prefecture;
he had thanked the mayor, saying, ‘I am going to the house
of a brave man of my acquaintance”; and he had betaken
himself to the Three Dauphins. This glory of the Labarre of
the Three Dauphins was reflected upon the Labarre of the
Cross of Colbas, at a distance of five and twenty leagues. It
was said of him in the town, ‘That is the cousin of the man
of Grenoble.’
The man bent his steps towards this inn, which was the
best in the country-side. He entered the kitchen, which
opened on a level with the street. All the stoves were lighted;
a huge fire blazed gayly in the fireplace. The host, who was
also the chief cook, was going from one stew-pan to another,
very busily superintending an excellent dinner designed for
the wagoners, whose loud talking, conversation, and laugh-
ter were audible from an adjoining apartment. Any one who

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