The Mysteries of Udolpho

On their way, the stranger, whose name was Valancourt, stepped on first

to speak to his hostess, and she came out to welcome St. Aubert into a

cottage, much superior to any he had seen. This good woman seemed very

willing to accommodate the strangers, who were soon compelled to accept

the only two beds in the place. Eggs and milk were the only food the

cottage afforded; but against scarcity of provisions St. Aubert had

provided, and he requested Valancourt to stay, and partake with him of

less homely fare; an invitation, which was readily accepted, and they

passed an hour in intelligent conversation. St. Aubert was much pleased

with the manly frankness, simplicity, and keen susceptibility to the

grandeur of nature, which his new acquaintance discovered; and, indeed,

he had often been heard to say, that, without a certain simplicity of

heart, this taste could not exist in any strong degree.

The conversation was interrupted by a violent uproar without, in which

the voice of the muleteer was heard above every other sound. Valancourt

started from his seat, and went to enquire the occasion; but the dispute

continued so long afterwards, that St. Aubert went himself, and found

Michael quarrelling with the hostess, because she had refused to let his

mules lie in a little room where he and three of her sons were to pass

the night. The place was wretched enough, but there was no other for

these people to sleep in; and, with somewhat more of delicacy than was

usual among the inhabitants of this wild tract of country, she persisted

in refusing to let the animals have the same BED-CHAMBER with her

children.

This was a tender point with the muleteer; his honour was

wounded when his mules were treated with disrespect, and he would have

received a blow, perhaps, with more meekness. He declared that his

beasts were as honest beasts, and as good beasts, as any in the whole

province; and that they had a right to be well treated wherever they

went. 'They are as harmless as lambs,' said he, 'if people don't affront

them. I never knew them behave themselves amiss above once or twice in

my life, and then they had good reason for doing so. Once, indeed, they

kicked at a boy's leg that lay asleep in the stable, and broke it; but

I told them they were out there, and by St. Anthony! I believe they

understood me, for they never did so again.'

He concluded this eloquent harangue with protesting, that they should

share with him, go where he would.

The dispute was at length settled by Valancourt, who drew the hostess

aside, and desired she would let the muleteer and his beasts have the

place in question to themselves, while her sons should have the bed of

skins designed for him, for that he would wrap himself in his cloak, and

sleep on the bench by the cottage door. But this she thought it her

duty to oppose, and she felt it to be her inclination to disappoint the

muleteer. Valancourt, however, was positive, and the tedious affair was

at length settled. It was late when St. Aubert and Emily retired to their rooms, and

Valancourt to his station at the door, which, at this mild season, he

preferred to a close cabin and a bed of skins. St. Aubert was somewhat

surprised to find in his room volumes of Homer, Horace, and Petrarch;

but the name of Valancourt, written in them, told him to whom they

belonged.