1^)0 ALIBERGE DlvS ADRETS. 



of fact, the phu' did not deal with this .Auberge, but, 

 as the text clearly' states, with an bin of tlie same name 

 on the road between (jrenoblc and Chamberv. (Jeortres 

 Sand was among the sensation-seeking visitors \\-ho came 

 hither Irom Cannes in tlie Near l(S(iS. At tliat time the 

 inhabitants of tlie house were very indignant if an}- one 

 began to enquire about this Monsieur Germcuil : t]ie\' 

 thought that the\' were being accused of the murder. It is 

 certain, however, that some \-ears before the neighbourhood 

 of that ^Vuberge des Adrets was of evil repute. All 

 those criminals, \\'ho had succeeded in escaping from tlie 

 Galle}'s of Toulon, sought refuge in the inaccessible 

 valle\s and ravines of the Estercl. Tlle^- used to wav- 

 la\- travellers not far from this Auberge at a spot 

 where the road is shut in and commanded hv the sm-- 

 rounding lieiglits. "When we dro\'e past", writes Horace 

 Benedict de Saussure, "tlie courier from Rome. ^\'ho was 

 travelling \\'ith us, pointed out to us a battered trunk 

 which was still h'ing hv the road side : it had belonged 

 to a tra\'eller who had been robbed a few daws pre\'i- 

 ously". Rut when in 1.S22 Gotthilf Ileinrich Schubert, 

 "Prolessor der Xaturwissenschalten" at Erlangen. •'\Aith 

 the housekeeper who usualh' accompanied the old dreamer 

 as general manager and adjutant", passed through this 

 same place, the state of things had alread\- impro\'ed, 

 A Gendarmerie had been established at the Inn, and 

 Schubert found onl\- an old woman and two children 

 in it. While the travellers were refreshing them- 

 selves, the old woman spoke of the notorious robberies. 

 "If onl)' one of those robbers would turn up here again". 



