1816: the Grandest Tour

Switzerland: Chapter 14

Dr. Polidori's atrocious behavior in the Boat Incident had nearly made up George's mind to leave. The one thing that held him back was the regret he felt at abandoning such stimulating society in Shelley, Mary, and of course Byron. He was now almost certain that Polidori's earlier remarks, which had so disturbed him at the time, were really the offspring of a vexed and obsessive mind. Such a man could hardly be relied upon to judge the characters of others, doctor or no. And yet, by the next morning, two comparatively small events would see George's mind made up for good, and his traveling party at last on its way to further unknown lands.

The first of these was a letter from Susan. George half leapt out of bed when Isaac came in carrying the sealed paper. Thanking his gentleman's gentleman in a hoarse voice, he took the letter and feverishly broke the wax.

"My dear Georgie," it read:

"What a time we have had floating down the Rhine! We've seen some of the most beautiful old castles and towns you could imagine – just like out of a fairy tale. Several cities have been quite lovely in their way as well. Cologne, Bonn, Mainz, and Frankfurt have been our longest stops, and we're now sailing south to Karlsruhe, from which we will go overland to Stuttgart. (Clémentine has helped me with all these German place names if you're wondering – I could never keep them straight on my own!)

The river barges have been tolerable, but not pleasant. A comfortable bed is too much to ask in such cramped quarters, but I find the rocking on the river always helps me fall asleep in the end. More than this, though, what has made the river travel quite appalling is the Germans themselves. They are such a coarse, rude, and ugly-looking people! Before seeing them I would never have thought it possible, even in the meanest, humblest folk. Just yesterday Clem and I had to sit over two hours next to a farmer from Pfungstadt (if that is the true spelling) whose smell was the most repulsive we'd ever endured.

Happily, we shall soon be back on land – towards Stuttgart as I say and, ultimately, towards Munich! This is my chiefest reason for writing now, as I think you may be a similar distance from that city where you are in Switzerland."

George made a sudden grab for his map book and started thumbing through it, even as he read the last few lines of the letter.

"I'm afraid I can't write much longer; we'll be stopping to go ashore in a few minutes. But once we've reached the end of our journey on the river, I think we shan't be more than two weeks in reaching Munich itself. We plan to stay for several weeks at least before continuing to the south of France. I asked Clem if she shouldn't like to see Paris again, but to all that she merely said 'pooh!' Her uncle and some cousins were executed in the Terror you see, so she takes a bit of a dim view of the city and its mob.

In any case, I know you were hoping to meet me earlier than Rome. I think Munich may be our best chance! If you can make it in time of course. I see on the map that the Swiss Alps are some harsher country than Clem and I shall have to travel through, but even allowing an extra week or two, I think the possibility of our success is very good! I hope this finds you well, and that that mad fellow Byron has not turned you into an incorrigible rake. Write to the address in Stuttgart below, and with any luck I'll hear from you soon.

Your affectionate, etc.

Susan"

George sat back in his desk chair and clutched the crosshatch-written page to his breast. Heaving a sigh of grief and blissful longing, he placed the letter back on the table and attempted to make sense of it all. He had to meet her in Munich. He would set out, if not tomorrow, then in a few days. The continued endurance of separation, and uncertainty, which dogged him at every thought of his beloved, was agony. What only remained now was to gently massage the desires of his friends, or come to some arrangement to split the party up for a time.