Dubourg estimated the servant's qualities at a glance, and, as they followed her, he said to himself:
"I will amuse Ménard with the supper, which shall be a good one, if I can manage it. I can pass the time pleasantly with Mademoiselle Goton. Ah! if I only could find some sentimental beauty to engage Frédéric's attention! Failing a new passion, I will talk to him of Madame Dernange and all his faithless charmers in Paris; that will serve to make his evening pass quickly."
The best room in the inn was the one usually occupied by the carters and peasants. Four itinerant merchants, who had arrived an hour before our illustrious travellers, were seated at a table, drinking, and discussing their business affairs.
The arrival of three new guests in no wise disturbed the four men. They glanced at them, and continued their conversation.
"I'll set plates for you here," said Goton, pointing to a table covered with a glazed cloth.
"No, no," said Dubourg; "we can't eat our supper here; you may serve us in one of the rooms where we are to sleep."
"But this is the eating-room."
"That may be," said Ménard; "but monsieur le comte and monsieur le bar—at all events, we don't choose to eat here."
These words caused the peddlers to raise their heads, and they scrutinized the travellers, laughing contemptuously among themselves. Ménard, fearing that he had offended them, and dreading a scene, was already in the passage, where he waited for the servant to come; while Dubourg, who was not long-suffering, eyed the four drinkers in his turn. Frédéric, his mind still engrossed by his memories, paid little heed to what was taking place.
"You see, Goton," said one of the four, with a sneering smile, "these gents are too swell to eat in the same room with us. Jarni! we must take care and not look at 'em too close; it might offend 'em."