It is very odd to be standing in a locked room in the Penitentiary, speaking with a strange man about France and Italy and Germany. A travelling man. He must be a wanderer, like Jeremiah the peddler. But Jeremiah travelled to earn his bread, and these other sorts of men are rich enough already. They go on voyages because they are curious. They amble around the world and stare at things, they sail across the oceans as if there's nothing to it at all, and if it goes ill with them in one place they simply pick up and move along to another.
The narrator finds themselves in an unusual situation, locked in a penitentiary room while conversing with a stranger who has traveled extensively across Europe. This strange man evokes a sense of curiosity, reminiscent of wanderers like Jeremiah the peddler, who journeyed primarily to earn a living. Unlike Jeremiah, this traveler possesses the wealth to roam freely, driven by an innate curiosity about the world.
This traveler represents a carefree existence, exploring various cultures and places without concern for repercussions. Their ability to shift locations whenever faced with challenges highlights a lifestyle marked by privilege and the thrill of adventure. The comparison between a peddler seeking survival and a wealthy wanderer reveals the contrast in motivations behind travel and the profound impact of wealth on one's experiences.
