On producing our wine, the provision-bags were also brought forward; we became merry as gypsies, and my cocked-hat friend particularly facetious. Soon after one o’clock, we arrived, in high glee, at our breakfasting-place, where we found a voiture full of students, on their way to the university of Toulouse. These young gentlemen paid me a marked attention during our repast, assisting me liberally to the produce of the table, and replenishing my glass before it was empty. When the voiture was ready, I walked forward with the soldier’s wife, who appeared a far more respectable woman, than from her situation in life might have been expected. I now learnt, partly by words, and partly by signs, the situation and circumstances of her husband; that subsequently to the peace, he had attempted to support himself in Germany by his trade; but difficulties arising, he was removing to Toulouse, her native place, in hopes of proving more successful.
In the course of our walk, we ascended a considerable hill, from which, my companion informed me, the prospect was most extensive and beautiful. The air at this spot I found so soft, balmy, and exhilarating, that I felt assured I had now reached the south of France. After crossing a river, at seven o’clock we reached our quarters for the evening. The students had preceded us, and in consequence of their occupying the attention of the house, we had to wait a long time for our supper.
On the following morning we resumed our journey in high spirits, from the prospect of arriving at Toulouse in the evening. We reached Agen for breakfast, which I understood to be a very fine city: I was at this place so much charmed with the manners and attentions of some young ladies at the inn, that I admit I did not depart without regret. Had I the same talents for acquiring languages, as Joseph Scaliger, who was a native of this place, possessed, I might by this time have known sufficient of the French to have benefitted by the agreeable conversation of these ladies. At six in the evening we entered Toulouse, and were set down at a miserable inn, termed the Three Mules.
While our supper was getting ready, I went, under protection of the soldier’s wife, to call upon Mrs. W⸺, a lady who had kindly offered to assist in procuring me a reception, for the winter, in some respectable French family. I was fortunate enough to find her at home; when she expressed much surprise at the manner in which I had travelled so far, and informed me, that preparatory arrangements had been made for my residence in the family of Colonel du B⸺. In returning to the inn we experienced some embarrassment; for my conductress had been so long absent from her native city, that we had much difficulty, in consequence of the narrowness and intricacy of the streets, in finding our way back to the inn.
After supper I was conducted to one of the most comfortless rooms that could be imagined; every thing felt so damp, so antiquated, and dusty: some of the chairs were without legs, others without backs; and the windows were broken: but as there was no remedy, I was obliged to make the best of it, and congratulated myself on having reached my destined winter residence, and thus far, negatived the doubts, and kind apprehensions of my friends.
CHAP. V.
TOULOUSE.
On the following morning, Mr. F⸺, a friend of Mrs. W⸺’s, called upon me, to state the full particulars of the arrangements for my reception into the family of Colonel du B⸺, to whom I was to be introduced on the morrow; and in the evening, this kind lady sent two gentlemen to conduct me to her residence, when I had the pleasure of being introduced to a small circle of her acquaintance.
In the morning, Mr. F⸺ called upon me, in company with Colonel du B⸺, when it was settled, that I was to become an inmate, in the family of the latter, on the following day. These gentlemen did me the favour to settle for my journey with the voiturier, and gave him a severe reprimand for his want of humanity; and I took the opportunity of convincing the soldier’s wife, who was present, of my sense of her kindness.
I now soon found myself happily situated in the house of Colonel du B⸺, with whom I proposed to remain, until the approach of spring might invite me to pursue my tour, and under the expectation, in the interim, of improving my health, and acquiring a knowledge of the French language. The former point was admirably promoted by the kind attentions, and domestic arrangements, of Madame du B⸺; the latter would not fail to result from so extended a residence in a family wholly unacquainted with English, and where necessity, and the force of habit, must concur in instructing me. I cannot, however, but acknowledge the patient assistance which I received from the whole family; and my views were also promoted by a pretty regular attendance on the lectures delivered at the royal college of this place.