Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 101, September 5, 1891

A weary traveler arrives in the quiet night of Reims, where the streets are nearly empty save for a few alert officials and the occasional lone figure. He drifts past ancient Roman arches, a dimly lit museum, and a theatre whose glowing façade hints at performances that may never fill its seats. The only bright spot is a garishly lit Café Chantant, bustling with noisy patrons whose chatter seems to fill the otherwise silent city.

Settling into the Lion d’Or, the narrator and his eccentric companion Daubinet navigate a maze of rooms, boots, and hurried unpacking. Their banter, half‑hearted and half‑comic, underscores a feeling of indifference that soon turns into a strange comfort as moonlight spills over the cathedral’s silhouette. The night’s chill and the solitary candle create a modest, almost theatrical backdrop for the narrator’s first impressions, setting the tone for a whimsical and observant journey through French life.