mutton；　a　bottle　of　Beaujolais；　an　empty　bottle　to　carry　milk；　an
  egg…beater；　and　a　considerable　quantity　of　black　bread　and　white；
  like　Father　Adam；　for　myself　and　donkey；　only　in　my　scheme　of
  things　the　destinations　were　reversed。
  Monastrians；　of　all　shades　of　thought　in　politics；　had　agreed　in
  threatening　me　with　many　ludicrous　misadventures；　and　with　sudden
  death　in　many　surprising　forms。　　Cold；　wolves；　robbers；　above　all
  the　nocturnal　practical　joker；　were　daily　and　eloquently　forced　on
  my　attention。　　Yet　in　these　vaticinations；　the　true；　patent　danger
  was　left　out。　　Like　Christian；　it　was　from　my　pack　I　suffered　by
  the　way。　　Before　telling　my　own　mishaps；　let　me　in　two　words　relate
  the　lesson　of　my　experience。　　If　the　pack　is　well　strapped　at　the
  ends；　and　hung　at　full　length　…　not　doubled；　for　your　life　…　across
  the　pack…saddle；　the　traveller　is　safe。　　The　saddle　will　certainly
  not　fit；　such　is　the　imperfection　of　our　transitory　life；　it　will
  assuredly　topple　and　tend　to　overset；　but　there　are　stones　on　every
  roadside；　and　a　man　soon　learns　the　art　of　correcting　any　tendency
  to　overbalance　with　a　well…adjusted　stone。
  On　the　day　of　my　departure　I　was　up　a　little　after　five；　by　six；　we
  began　to　load　the　donkey；　and　ten　minutes　after；　my　hopes　were　in
  the　dust。　　The　pad　would　not　stay　on　Modestine's　back　for　half　a
  moment。　　I　returned　it　to　its　maker；　with　whom　I　had　so
  contumelious　a　passage　that　the　street　outside　was　crowded　from
  wall　to　wall　with　gossips　looking　on　and　listening。　　The　pad
  changed　hands　with　much　vivacity；　perhaps　it　would　be　more
  descriptive　to　say　that　we　threw　it　at　each　other's　heads；　and；　at
  any　rate；　we　were　very　warm　and　unfriendly；　and　spoke　with　a　deal
  of　freedom。
  I　had　a　common　donkey　pack…saddle　…　a　BARDE；　as　they　call　it　…
  fitted　upon　Modestine；　and　once　more　loaded　her　with　my　effects。
  The　doubled　sack；　my　pilot…coat　（for　it　was　warm；　and　I　was　to　walk
  in　my　waistcoat）；　a　great　bar　of　black　bread；　and　an　open　basket
  containing　the　white　bread；　the　mutton；　and　the　bottles；　were　all
  corded　together　in　a　very　elaborate　system　of　knots；　and　I　looked
  on　the　result　with　fatuous　content。　　In　such　a　monstrous　deck…
  cargo；　all　poised　above　the　donkey's　shoulders；　with　nothing　below
  to　balance；　on　a　brand…new　pack…saddle　that　had　not　yet　been　worn
  to　fit　the　animal；　and　fastened　with　brand…new　girths　that　might　be
  expected　to　stretch　and　slacken　by　the　way；　even　a　very　careless
  traveller　should　have　seen　disaster　brewing。　　That　elaborate　system
  of　knots；　again；　was　the　work　of　too　many　sympathisers　to　be　very
  artfully　designed。　　It　is　true　they　tightened　the　cords　with　a
  will；　as　many　as　three　at　a　time　would　have　a　foot　against
  Modestine's　quarters；　and　be　hauling　with　clenched　teeth；　but　I
  learned　afterwards　that　one　thoughtful　person；　without　any　exercise
  of　force；　can　make　a　more　solid　job　than　half…a…dozen　heated　and
  enthusiastic　grooms。　　I　was　then　but　a　novice；　even　after　the
  misadventure　of　the　pad　nothing　could　disturb　my　security；　and　I
  went　forth　from　the　stable　door　as　an　ox　goeth　to　the　slaughter。
  THE　GREEN　DONKEY…DRIVER
  THE　bell　of　Monastier　was　just　striking　nine　as　I　got　quit　of　these
  preliminary　troubles　and　descended　the　hill　through　the　common。　　As
  long　as　I　was　within　sight　of　the　windows；　a　secret　shame　and　the
  fear　of　some　laughable　defeat　withheld　me　from　tampering　with
  Modestine。　　She　tripped　along　upon　her　four　small　hoofs　with　a
  sober　daintiness　of　gait；　from　time　to　time　she　shook　her　ears　or
  her　tail；　and　she　looked　so　small　under　the　bundle　that　my　mind
  misgave　me。　　We　got　across　the　ford　without　difficulty　…　there　was
  no　doubt　about　the　matter；　she　was　docility　itself　…　and　once　on
  the　other　bank；　where　the　road　begins　to　mount　through　pine…woods；
  I　took　in　my　right　hand　the　unhallowed　staff；　and　with　a　quaking
  spirit　applied　it　to　the　donkey。　　Modestine　brisked　up　her　pace　for
  perhaps　three　steps；　and　then　relapsed　into　her　former　minuet。
  Another　application　had　the　same　effect；　and　so　with　the　third。　　I
  am　worthy　the　name　of　an　Englishman；　and　it　goes　against　my
  conscience　to　lay　my　hand　rudely　on　a　female。　　I　desisted；　and
  looked　her　all　over　from　head　to　foot；　the　poor　brute's　knees　were
  trembling　and　her　breathing　was　distressed；　it　was　plain　that　she
  could　go　no　faster　on　a　hill。　　God　forbid；　thought　I；　that　I　should
  brutalise　this　innocent　creature；　let　her　go　at　her　own　pace；　and
  let　me　patiently　follow。
  What　that　pace　was；　there　is　no　word　mean　enough　to　describe；　it
  was　something　as　much　slower　than　a　walk　as　a　walk　is　slower　than　a
  run；　it　kept　me　hanging　on　each　foot　for　an　incredible　length　of
  time；　in　five　minutes　it　exhausted　the　spirit　and　set　up　a　fever　in
  all　the　muscles　of　the　leg。　　And　yet　I　had　to　keep　close　at　hand
  and　measure　my　advance　exactly　upon　hers；　for　if　I　dropped　a　few
  yards　into　the　rear；　or　went　on　a　few　yards　ahead；　Modestine　came
  instantly　to　a　halt　and　began　to　browse。　　The　thought　that　this　was
  to　last　from　here　to　Alais　nearly　broke　my　heart。　　Of　all
  conceivable　journeys；　this　promised　to　be　the　most　tedious。　　I
  tried　to　tell　myself　it　was　a　lovely　day；　I　tried　to　charm　my
  foreboding　spirit　with　tobacco；　but　I　had　a　vision　ever　present　to
  me　of　the　long；　long　roads；　up　hill　and　down　dale；　and　a　pair　of
  figures　ever　infinitesimally　moving；　foot　by　foot；　a　yard　to　the
  minute；　and；　like　things　enchanted　in　a　nightmare；　approaching　no
  nearer　to　the　goal。
  In　the　meantime　there　came　up　behind　us　a　tall　peasant；　perhaps
  forty　years　of　age；　of　an　ironical　snuffy　countenance；　and　arrayed
  in　the　green　tail…coat　of　the　country。　　He　overtook　us　hand　over
  hand；　and　stopped　to　consider　our　pitiful　advance。
  'Your　donkey；'　says　he；　'is　very　old？'
  I　told　him；　I　believed　not。
  Then；　he　supposed；　we　had　come　far。
  I　told　him；　we　had　but　newly　left　Monastier。
  'ET　VOUS　MARCHEZ　COMME　CA！'　cried　he；　and；　throwing　back　his　head；
  he　laughed　long　and　heartily。　　I　watched　him；　half　prepared　to　feel
  offended；　until　he　had　satisfied　his　mirth；　and　then；　'You　must
  have　no　pity　on　these　animals；'　said　he；　and；　plucking　a　switch　out
  of　a　thicket；　he　began　to　lace　Modestine　about　the　stern…works；
  uttering　a　cry。　　The　rogue　pricked　up　her　ears　and　broke　into　a
  good　round　pace；　which　she　kept　up　without　flagging；　and　without
  exhibiting　the　least　symptom　of　distress；　as　long　as　the　peasant
  kept　beside　us。　　Her　former　panting　and　shaking　had　been；　I　regret
  to　say；　a　piece　of　comedy。
  My　DEUS　EX　MACHINA；　before　he　left　me；　supplied　some　excellent；　if
  inhumane；　advice；　presented　me　with　the　switch；　which　he　declared
  she　would　feel　more　tenderly　than　my　cane；　and　finally　taught　me
  the　true　cry　or　masonic　word　of　donkey…drivers；　'Proot！'　　All　the
  time；　he　regarded　me　with　a　comical；　incredulous　air；　which　was
  embarrassing　to　confront；　and　smiled　over　my　donkey…driving；　as　I
  might　have　smiled　over　his　orthography；　or　his　green　tail…coat。
  But　it　was　not　my　turn　for　the　moment。
  I　was　proud　of　my　new　lore；　and　thought　I　had　learned　the　art　to
  perfection。　　And　certainly　Modestine　did　wonders　for　the　rest　of
  the　fore…noon；　and　I　had　a　breathing　space　to　look　about　me。　　It
  was　Sabbath；　the　mountain…fields　were　all　vacant　in　the　sunshine；
  and　as　we　came　down　through　St。　Martin　de　Frugeres；　the　church　was
  crowded　to　the　door；　there　were　people　kneeling　without　upon　the
  steps；　and　the　sound　of　the　priest's　chanting　came　forth　out　of　the
  dim　interior。　　It　gave　me　a　home　feeling　on　the　spot；　for　I　am　a
  countryman　of　the　Sabbath；　so　to　speak；　and　all　Sabbath
  observances；　like　a　Scottish　accent；　strike　in　me　mixed　feelings；
  grateful　and　the　reverse。　　It　is　only　a　traveller；　hurrying　by　like
  a　person　from　another　planet；　who　can　rightly　enjoy　the　peace　and
  beauty　of　the　great　ascetic　feast。　　The　sight　of　the　resting
  country　does　his　spirit　good。　　There　is　something　better　than　music
  in　the　wide　unusual　silence；　and　it　disposes　him　to　amiable
  thoughts；　like　the　sound　of　a　little　river　or　the　warmth　of
  sunlight。
  In　this　pleasant　humour　I　came　down　the　hill　to　where　Goudet　stands
  in　a　green　end　of　a　valley；　with　Chateau　Beaufort　opposite　upon　a
  rocky　steep；　and　the　stream；　as　clear　as　crystal；　lying　in　a　deep
  pool　between　them。　　Above　and　below；　you　may　hear　it　wimpling　over
  the　stones；　an　amiable　stripling　of　a　river；　which　it　seems　absurd
  to　call　the　Loire。　　On　all　sides；　Goudet　is　shut　in　by　mountains；
  rocky　footpaths；　practicable　at　best　for　donkeys；　join　it　to　the
  outer　world　of　France；　and　the　men　and　women　drink　and　swear；　in
  their　green　corner；　or　look　up　at　the　snow…clad　peaks　in　winter
  from　the　threshold　of　their　homes；　in　an　isolation；　you　would
  think；　like　that　of　Homer's　Cyclops。