offended　…　rather　mollified　than　otherwise；　told　me　I　had　only　to
  follow　them；　and　then　the　mother　asked　me　what　I　wanted　by　the　lake
  at　such　an　hour。　　I　replied；　in　the　Scottish　manner；　by　inquiring
  if　she　had　far　to　go　herself。　　She　told　me；　with　another　oath；　that
  she　had　an　hour　and　a　half's　road　before　her。　　And　then；　without
  salutation；　the　pair　strode　forward　again　up　the　hillside　in　the
  gathering　dusk。
  I　returned　for　Modestine；　pushed　her　briskly　forward；　and；　after　a
  sharp　ascent　of　twenty　minutes；　reached　the　edge　of　a　plateau。　　The
  view；　looking　back　on　my　day's　journey；　was　both　wild　and　sad。
  Mount　Mezenc　and　the　peaks　beyond　St。　Julien　stood　out　in　trenchant
  gloom　against　a　cold　glitter　in　the　east；　and　the　intervening　field
  of　hills　had　fallen　together　into　one　broad　wash　of　shadow；　except
  here　and　there　the　outline　of　a　wooded　sugar…loaf　in　black；　here
  and　there　a　white　irregular　patch　to　represent　a　cultivated　farm；
  and　here　and　there　a　blot　where　the　Loire；　the　Gazeille；　or　the
  Laussonne　wandered　in　a　gorge。
  Soon　we　were　on　a　high…road；　and　surprise　seized　on　my　mind　as　I
  beheld　a　village　of　some　magnitude　close　at　hand；　for　I　had　been
  told　that　the　neighbourhood　of　the　lake　was　uninhabited　except　by
  trout。　　The　road　smoked　in　the　twilight　with　children　driving　home
  cattle　from　the　fields；　and　a　pair　of　mounted　stride…legged　women；
  hat　and　cap　and　all；　dashed　past　me　at　a　hammering　trot　from　the
  canton　where　they　had　been　to　church　and　market。　　I　asked　one　of
  the　children　where　I　was。　　At　Bouchet　St。　Nicolas；　he　told　me。
  Thither；　about　a　mile　south　of　my　destination；　and　on　the　other
  side　of　a　respectable　summit；　had　these　confused　roads　and
  treacherous　peasantry　conducted　me。　　My　shoulder　was　cut；　so　that
  it　hurt　sharply；　my　arm　ached　like　toothache　from　perpetual
  beating；　I　gave　up　the　lake　and　my　design　to　camp；　and　asked　for
  the　AUBERGE。
  I　HAVE　A　GOAD
  THE　AUBERGE　of　Bouchet　St。　Nicolas　was　among　the　least　pretentious
  I　have　ever　visited；　but　I　saw　many　more　of　the　like　upon　my
  journey。　　Indeed；　it　was　typical　of　these　French　highlands。
  Imagine　a　cottage　of　two　stories；　with　a　bench　before　the　door；　the
  stable　and　kitchen　in　a　suite；　so　that　Modestine　and　I　could　hear
  each　other　dining；　furniture　of　the　plainest；　earthern　floors；　a
  single　bedchamber　for　travellers；　and　that　without　any　convenience
  but　beds。　　In　the　kitchen　cooking　and　eating　go　forward　side　by
  side；　and　the　family　sleep　at　night。　　Any　one　who　has　a　fancy　to
  wash　must　do　so　in　public　at　the　common　table。　　The　food　is
  sometimes　spare；　hard　fish　and　omelette　have　been　my　portion　more
  than　once；　the　wine　is　of　the　smallest；　the　brandy　abominable　to
  man；　and　the　visit　of　a　fat　sow；　grouting　under　the　table　and
  rubbing　against　your　legs；　is　no　impossible　accompaniment　to
  dinner。
  But　the　people　of　the　inn；　in　nine　cases　out　of　ten；　show
  themselves　friendly　and　considerate。　　As　soon　as　you　cross　the
  doors　you　cease　to　be　a　stranger；　and　although　these　peasantry　are
  rude　and　forbidding　on　the　highway；　they　show　a　tincture　of　kind
  breeding　when　you　share　their　hearth。　　At　Bouchet；　for　instance；　I
  uncorked　my　bottle　of　Beaujolais；　and　asked　the　host　to　join　me。
  He　would　take　but　little。
  'I　am　an　amateur　of　such　wine；　do　you　see？'　he　said；　'and　I　am
  capable　of　leaving　you　not　enough。'
  In　these　hedge…inns　the　traveller　is　expected　to　eat　with　his　own
  knife；　unless　he　ask；　no　other　will　be　supplied：　　with　a　glass；　a
  whang　of　bread；　and　an　iron　fork；　the　table　is　completely　laid。　　My
  knife　was　cordially　admired　by　the　landlord　of　Bouchet；　and　the
  spring　filled　him　with　wonder。
  'I　should　never　have　guessed　that；'　he　said。　　'I　would　bet；'　he
  added；　weighing　it　in　his　hand；　'that　this　cost　you　not　less　than
  five　francs。'
  When　I　told　him　it　had　cost　me　twenty；　his　jaw　dropped。
  He　was　a　mild；　handsome；　sensible；　friendly　old　man；　astonishingly
  ignorant。　　His　wife；　who　was　not　so　pleasant　in　her　manners；　knew
  how　to　read；　although　I　do　not　suppose　she　ever　did　so。　　She　had　a
  share　of　brains　and　spoke　with　a　cutting　emphasis；　like　one　who
  ruled　the　roast。
  'My　man　knows　nothing；'　she　said；　with　an　angry　nod；　'he　is　like
  the　beasts。'
  And　the　old　gentleman　signified　acquiescence　with　his　head。　　There
  was　no　contempt　on　her　part；　and　no　shame　on　his；　the　facts　were
  accepted　loyally；　and　no　more　about　the　matter。
  I　was　tightly　cross…examined　about　my　journey；　and　the　lady
  understood　in　a　moment；　and　sketched　out　what　I　should　put　into　my
  book　when　I　got　home。　　'Whether　people　harvest　or　not　in　such　or
  such　a　place；　if　there　were　forests；　studies　of　manners；　what；　for
  example；　I　and　the　master　of　the　house　say　to　you；　the　beauties　of
  Nature；　and　all　that。'　　And　she　interrogated　me　with　a　look。
  'It　is　just　that；'　said　I。
  'You　see；'　she　added　to　her　husband；　'I　understood　that。'
  They　were　both　much　interested　by　the　story　of　my　misadventures。
  'In　the　morning；'　said　the　husband；　'I　will　make　you　something
  better　than　your　cane。　　Such　a　beast　as　that　feels　nothing；　it　is
  in　the　proverb　…　DUR　COMME　UN　ANE；　you　might　beat　her　insensible
  with　a　cudgel；　and　yet　you　would　arrive　nowhere。'
  Something　better！　　I　little　knew　what　he　was　offering。
  The　sleeping…room　was　furnished　with　two　beds。　　I　had　one；　and　I
  will　own　I　was　a　little　abashed　to　find　a　young　man　and　his　wife
  and　child　in　the　act　of　mounting　into　the　other。　　This　was　my　first
  experience　of　the　sort；　and　if　I　am　always　to　feel　equally　silly
  and　extraneous；　I　pray　God　it　be　my　last　as　well。　　I　kept　my　eyes
  to　myself；　and　know　nothing　of　the　woman　except　that　she　had
  beautiful　arms；　and　seemed　no　whit　embarrassed　by　my　appearance。
  As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　situation　was　more　trying　to　me　than　to
  the　pair。　　A　pair　keep　each　other　in　countenance；　it　is　the　single
  gentleman　who　has　to　blush。　　But　I　could　not　help　attributing　my
  sentiments　to　the　husband；　and　sought　to　conciliate　his　tolerance
  with　a　cup　of　brandy　from　my　flask。　　He　told　me　that　he　was　a
  cooper　of　Alais　travelling　to　St。　Etienne　in　search　of　work；　and
  that　in　his　spare　moments　he　followed　the　fatal　calling　of　a　maker
  of　matches。　　Me　he　readily　enough　divined　to　be　a　brandy　merchant。
  I　was　up　first　in　the　morning　（Monday；　September　23rd）；　and
  hastened　my　toilette　guiltily；　so　as　to　leave　a　clear　field　for
  madam；　the　cooper's　wife。　　I　drank　a　bowl　of　milk；　and　set　off　to
  explore　the　neighbourhood　of　Bouchet。　　It　was　perishing　cold；　a
  grey；　windy；　wintry　morning；　misty　clouds　flew　fast　and　low；　the
  wind　piped　over　the　naked　platform；　and　the　only　speck　of　colour
  was　away　behind　Mount　Mezenc　and　the　eastern　hills；　where　the　sky
  still　wore　the　orange　of　the　dawn。
  It　was　five　in　the　morning；　and　four　thousand　feet　above　the　sea；
  and　I　had　to　bury　my　hands　in　my　pockets　and　trot。　　People　were
  trooping　out　to　the　labours　of　the　field　by　twos　and　threes；　and
  all　turned　round　to　stare　upon　the　stranger。　　I　had　seen　them
  coming　back　last　night；　I　saw　them　going　afield　again；　and　there
  was　the　life　of　Bouchet　in　a　nutshell。
  When　I　came　back　to　the　inn　for　a　bit　of　breakfast；　the　landlady
  was　in　the　kitchen　combing　out　her　daughter's　hair；　and　I　made　her
  my　compliments　upon　its　beauty。
  'Oh　no；'　said　the　mother；　'it　is　not　so　beautiful　as　it　ought　to
  be。　　Look；　it　is　too　fine。'
  Thus　does　a　wise　peasantry　console　itself　under　adverse　physical
  circumstances；　and；　by　a　startling　democratic　process；　the　defects
  of　the　majority　decide　the　type　of　beauty。
  'And　where；'　said　I；　'is　monsieur？'
  'The　master　of　the　house　is　upstairs；'　she　answered；　'making　you　a
  goad。'
  Blessed　be　the　man　who　invented　goads！　　Blessed　the　innkeeper　of
  Bouchet　St。　Nicolas；　who　introduced　me　to　their　use！　　This　plain
  wand；　with　an　eighth　of　an　inch　of　pin；　was　indeed　a　sceptre　when
  he　put　it　in　my　hands。　　Thenceforward　Modestine　was　my　slave。　　A
  prick；　and　she　passed　the　most　inviting　stable　door。　　A　prick；　and
  she　broke　forth　into　a　gallant　little　trotlet　that　devoured　the
  miles。　　It　was　not　a　remarkable　speed；　when　all　was　said；　and　we
  took　four　hours　to　cover　ten　miles　at　the　best　of　it。　　But　what　a
  heavenly　change　since　yesterday！　　No　more　wielding　of　the　ugly
  cudgel；　no　more　flailing　with　an　aching　arm；　no　more　broadsword
  exercise；　but　a　discreet　and　gentlemanly　fence。　　And　what　although
  now　and　then　a　drop　of　blood　should　appear　on　Modestine's　mouse…
  coloured　wedge…like　rump？　　I　should　have　preferred　it　otherwise；
  indeed；　but　yesterday's　exploits　had　purged　my　heart　of　all
  humanity。　　The　perverse　little　devil；　since　she　would　not　be　taken
  with　kindness；　must　even　go　with　pricking。
  It　was　bleak　and　bitter　cold；　and；　except　a　cavalcade　of