1816: the Grandest Tour

France: Chapter 24

The young Misses Trowers, as it happened, were unfortunately rather plain. The family was staying in a spacious villa on the quieter outskirts of town. A housekeeper had ushered them into the front sitting room, where they were greeted by the venerable Dr. Trowers, MD, and his wife Matilda. Dr. Trowers then introduced all four young gentlemen to his daughters, Flora and Beatrice. Flora was the elder, and had such a heavy black eyebrow and stern face that she looked a good decade older than her stated one-and-twenty. Beatrice, meanwhile, was the unlucky bearer of pale, watery eyes and a disarming squeak of a voice.

As the housekeeper brought in tea and biscuits, Mrs. Trowers asked about their journey so far and if they had enjoyed any very memorable adventures. She directed the question to Hugh, but he looked taken aback that she would have the audacity to address him. Before they'd arrived, Hugh had expressed his utmost protest at visiting a family so clearly below them in wealth and station.

"What connections could they possibly have?" he'd sneered, "Tom Sawbones the Surgeon?"

The other three did not share his violent prejudice, but Hugh's contempt only increased on stepping inside the villa and viewing the decor. And so it fell to George, after an awkward moment, to jump in and salvage things.

"More adventures than we could name, ma'am," George said truthfully, with a genial laugh.

She pressed him good-naturedly for details. After racking his brain for something appropriate in mixed company, he settled on their audience with the King, seeing the great Talma onstage, and a few other anecdotes.

"Presented to His Majesty of France!" said Matilda, quite impressed. "Such an honor should gain you the favor of every crowned head in Europe, I don't doubt."

The conversation meandered along until they came to the question of how it was to travel the continent as Englishmen and women. The general sentiment was that foreigners were much less rude, and much more accommodating, than they had believed beforehand. Dr. and Mrs. Trowers also observed that it was striking just how many English tourists they had now met. Now that the peace was assured they seemed to be fairly swarming over the continent. They came from all walks of life, too, not only gentlemen and aristocrats as before. At this last reflection Hugh broke his long silence.

"Aye, it's rather a shame," he said. "Paris is now overrun with just about anyone who can scrimp up a few shillings to cross the Channel. Perhaps we ought to rename it the Shopkeeper's Tour."

The Trowers looked like they weren't sure what to make of these remarks. In place of a reply Matilda uttered a soft, confused sort of laugh, and her husband changed the subject.

"Do you know," he said, "we encountered, only recently, a most singular, not to say extraordinary gentleman from England. He was traveling south from Paris just as you are."

George pricked up his ears.

"What was – so singular about him?" he asked, doing his best to sound innocent.

"He seemed to be in a great hurry, for one thing," said Dr. Trowers. "And he was in such a flutter, such distress I mean, that I offered him a room in our own villa, if only for a night. He was reluctant, but accepted in the end."

"Very peculiar," said George, throwing a sly glance at Tobias. His friend was sitting forward on his chair, just as intrigued. "About how old was the gentleman?"

"A good three-score at least, I'd say," said Matilda. "And quite heavy-set. He certainly favored the old style, in his dress. Though I daresay many older gentlemen still do; my father certainly keeps his wig pinned and powdered and I don't know what else."