The White Inn

: Breton Legends

Once upon a time there was an inn at Ponthou, known, from its

appearance, as the White Inn. The people who kept it were both good and

honest. They were known to be punctual at their Easter duties, and no

one ever thought of counting money after them. It was at the White Inn

that travellers would stop to sleep; and horses knew the place so well,

that they would draw up of their own accord before the stable-door.


br /> The headsman of the harvest had brought in short gloomy days;

and one evening, as Floc'h the landlord was standing at the White-Inn

door, a traveller, evidently of importance, and mounted on a splendid

foreign steed, reined up his horse, and lifting his hand to his hat,

said courteously,



"I want a supper and a bed-chamber."



Floc'h drew first his pipe from his mouth, and then his hat from his

head, and answered,



"God bless you, sir, a supper you shall have; but as to a room, we

cannot give it you; for we have now above, six muleteers on their

way home to Redon, who have taken all the beds of the White Inn."



The traveller then said,



"For God's sake, my good man, contrive for me to sleep somewhere. The

very dogs have a kennel, and it is not fitting that Christians be

without a bed in such weather as this."



"Sir stranger," said the host remorsefully, "I can only tell you that

the inn is full, and we have no place for you but the red room."



"Well, give me that," replied the stranger.



But the landlord rubbed his forehead and looked grieved; for he could

not let the traveller sleep in the red chamber.



"Since I have been at the White Inn," said he at last, "only two men

have ever occupied that room; and on the morrow, black as had been

their hair the night before, they rose with it snow-white."



The traveller looked full at the landlord.



"Then your house is haunted by the spirits from another world?" asked

he.



"It is," faltered the landlord.



"Then God and the Blessed Virgin be merciful to me. I will sleep there;

but make me a fire, and warm my bed; for I am cold."



The landlord did as he was ordered.



When the traveller had finished supper, he bade good night to all

at table, and went up to the red chamber. The landlord and his wife

trembled, and began to pray.



The stranger having reached his room began to look about him.



It was a large flame-coloured chamber, with great shining stains

upon the walls, that might well have been taken for the marks of

fresh-spilt blood. At the further end there stood a four-post bed,

surrounded by heavy curtains. The rest of the room was empty; and the

mournful whistling of the wind came down the chimney and the corridors,

and sounded like the cries of souls beseeching prayers.



The traveller, kneeling down, prayed silently to God, then fearlessly

got into bed, and soon slept soundly.



But, lo, at the very moment when the hour of midnight sounded from

a distant church-tower, he suddenly awoke, heard the curtain-rings

sliding on their iron poles, and beheld them open at his right hand.



He was going to get out of bed; but his feet striking against something

cold, he recoiled in terror.



There stood before him a coffin, with four lighted candles at the

corners, and covered with a great black pall that glittered as

with tears.



The stranger turned to try the other side of his bed; but the coffin

instantly changed places, and barred his way out as before.



Five times he made an effort to escape, and every time the bier was

there beneath his feet, with the candles and the funeral pall.



The traveller then knew it was a ghost, who had some boon to ask;

and kneeling up in bed, he made the holy sign, and spoke:



"Who art thou, departed one? Speak. A Christian listens to thee."



A voice answered from the coffin,



"I am a traveller murdered here by those who kept this inn before

its present owner. I died unprepared, and now I suffer in Purgatory."



"What needs there, suffering soul, to give thee rest?"



"I want six Masses said at the church of our Lady of Folgoat, and

also a pilgrimage made for my intention by some Christian to our Lady

of Rumengol."



No sooner had these words been uttered than the lights went out,

the curtains closed, and all was silence.



The stranger spent the night in prayer.



The next morning he told the landlord every thing, and said,



"My good friend, I am M. de Rohan, of family as noble as the noblest

now in Brittany. I will go and make the pilgrimage to Rumengol, and I

will see that the six Masses shall be said. Trouble yourself no more;

for this suffering soul shall rest in peace."



Within the short space of one month the red room had lost its crimson

hue, and become white and cheerful as the others. No sound was heard

there but the swallows twittering in the chimney, and nothing could

be seen but a fair white bed, a crucifix, and a vessel of holy water.



The traveller had kept his word.