and　doubled　the　darkness　of　the　surrounding　night。
  I　tied　Modestine　more　conveniently　for　herself；　and　broke　up　half
  the　black　bread　for　her　supper；　reserving　the　other　half　against
  the　morning。　　Then　I　gathered　what　I　should　want　within　reach；　took
  off　my　wet　boots　and　gaiters；　which　I　wrapped　in　my　waterproof；
  arranged　my　knapsack　for　a　pillow　under　the　flap　of　my　sleeping…
  bag；　insinuated　my　limbs　into　the　interior；　and　buckled　myself　in
  like　a　bambino。　　I　opened　a　tin　of　Bologna　sausage　and　broke　a　cake
  of　chocolate；　and　that　was　all　I　had　to　eat。　　It　may　sound
  offensive；　but　I　ate　them　together；　bite　by　bite；　by　way　of　bread
  and　meat。　　All　I　had　to　wash　down　this　revolting　mixture　was　neat
  brandy：　　a　revolting　beverage　in　itself。　　But　I　was　rare　and
  hungry；　ate　well；　and　smoked　one　of　the　best　cigarettes　in　my
  experience。　　Then　I　put　a　stone　in　my　straw　hat；　pulled　the　flap　of
  my　fur　cap　over　my　neck　and　eyes；　put　my　revolver　ready　to　my　hand；
  and　snuggled　well　down　among　the　sheepskins。
  I　questioned　at　first　if　I　were　sleepy；　for　I　felt　my　heart　beating
  faster　than　usual；　as　if　with　an　agreeable　excitement　to　which　my
  mind　remained　a　stranger。　　But　as　soon　as　my　eyelids　touched；　that
  subtle　glue　leaped　between　them；　and　they　would　no　more　come
  separate。　　The　wind　among　the　trees　was　my　lullaby。　　Sometimes　it
  sounded　for　minutes　together　with　a　steady；　even　rush；　not　rising
  nor　abating；　and　again　it　would　swell　and　burst　like　a　great
  crashing　breaker；　and　the　trees　would　patter　me　all　over　with　big
  drops　from　the　rain　of　the　afternoon。　　Night　after　night；　in　my　own
  bedroom　in　the　country；　I　have　given　ear　to　this　perturbing　concert
  of　the　wind　among　the　woods；　but　whether　it　was　a　difference　in　the
  trees；　or　the　lie　of　the　ground；　or　because　I　was　myself　outside
  and　in　the　midst　of　it；　the　fact　remains　that　the　wind　sang　to　a
  different　tune　among　these　woods　of　Gevaudan。　　I　hearkened　and
  hearkened；　and　meanwhile　sleep　took　gradual　possession　of　my　body
  and　subdued　my　thoughts　and　senses；　but　still　my　last　waking　effort
  was　to　listen　and　distinguish；　and　my　last　conscious　state　was　one
  of　wonder　at　the　foreign　clamour　in　my　ears。
  Twice　in　the　course　of　the　dark　hours　…　once　when　a　stone　galled　me
  underneath　the　sack；　and　again　when　the　poor　patient　Modestine；
  growing　angry；　pawed　and　stamped　upon　the　road　…　I　was　recalled　for
  a　brief　while　to　consciousness；　and　saw　a　star　or　two　overhead；　and
  the　lace…like　edge　of　the　foliage　against　the　sky。　　When　I　awoke
  for　the　third　time　（Wednesday；　September　25th）；　the　world　was
  flooded　with　a　blue　light；　the　mother　of　the　dawn。　　I　saw　the
  leaves　labouring　in　the　wind　and　the　ribbon　of　the　road；　and；　on
  turning　my　head；　there　was　Modestine　tied　to　a　beech；　and　standing
  half　across　the　path　in　an　attitude　of　inimitable　patience。　　I
  closed　my　eyes　again；　and　set　to　thinking　over　the　experience　of
  the　night。　　I　was　surprised　to　find　how　easy　and　pleasant　it　had
  been；　even　in　this　tempestuous　weather。　　The　stone　which　annoyed　me
  would　not　have　been　there；　had　I　not　been　forced　to　camp　blindfold
  in　the　opaque　night；　and　I　had　felt　no　other　inconvenience；　except
  when　my　feet　encountered　the　lantern　or　the　second　volume　of
  Peyrat's　PASTORS　OF　THE　DESERT　among　the　mixed　contents　of　my
  sleeping…bag；　nay；　more；　I　had　felt　not　a　touch　of　cold；　and
  awakened　with　unusually　lightsome　and　clear　sensations。
  With　that；　I　shook　myself；　got　once　more　into　my　boots　and　gaiters；
  and；　breaking　up　the　rest　of　the　bread　for　Modestine；　strolled
  about　to　see　in　what　part　of　the　world　I　had　awakened。　　Ulysses；
  left　on　Ithaca；　and　with　a　mind　unsettled　by　the　goddess；　was　not
  more　pleasantly　astray。　　I　have　been　after　an　adventure　all　my
  life；　a　pure　dispassionate　adventure；　such　as　befell　early　and
  heroic　voyagers；　and　thus　to　be　found　by　morning　in　a　random
  woodside　nook　in　Gevaudan　…　not　knowing　north　from　south；　as
  strange　to　my　surroundings　as　the　first　man　upon　the　earth；　an
  inland　castaway　…　was　to　find　a　fraction　of　my　day…dreams　realised。
  I　was　on　the　skirts　of　a　little　wood　of　birch；　sprinkled　with　a　few
  beeches；　behind；　it　adjoined　another　wood　of　fir；　and　in　front；　it
  broke　up　and　went　down　in　open　order　into　a　shallow　and　meadowy
  dale。　　All　around　there　were　bare　hilltops；　some　near；　some　far
  away；　as　the　perspective　closed　or　opened；　but　none　apparently　much
  higher　than　the　rest。　　The　wind　huddled　the　trees。　　The　golden
  specks　of　autumn　in　the　birches　tossed　shiveringly。　　Overhead　the
  sky　was　full　of　strings　and　shreds　of　vapour；　flying；　vanishing；
  reappearing；　and　turning　about　an　axis　like　tumblers；　as　the　wind
  hounded　them　through　heaven。　　It　was　wild　weather　and　famishing
  cold。　　I　ate　some　chocolate；　swallowed　a　mouthful　of　brandy；　and
  smoked　a　cigarette　before　the　cold　should　have　time　to　disable　my
  fingers。　　And　by　the　time　I　had　got　all　this　done；　and　had　made　my
  pack　and　bound　it　on　the　pack…saddle；　the　day　was　tiptoe　on　the
  threshold　of　the　east。　　We　had　not　gone　many　steps　along　the　lane；
  before　the　sun；　still　invisible　to　me；　sent　a　glow　of　gold　over
  some　cloud　mountains　that　lay　ranged　along　the　eastern　sky。
  The　wind　had　us　on　the　stern；　and　hurried　us　bitingly　forward。　　I
  buttoned　myself　into　my　coat；　and　walked　on　in　a　pleasant　frame　of
  mind　with　all　men；　when　suddenly；　at　a　corner；　there　was　Fouzilhic
  once　more　in　front　of　me。　　Nor　only　that；　but　there　was　the　old
  gentleman　who　had　escorted　me　so　far　the　night　before；　running　out
  of　his　house　at　sight　of　me；　with　hands　upraised　in　horror。
  'My　poor　boy！'　he　cried；　'what　does　this　mean？'
  I　told　him　what　had　happened。　　He　beat　his　old　hands　like　clappers
  in　a　mill；　to　think　how　lightly　he　had　let　me　go；　but　when　he　heard
  of　the　man　of　Fouzilhac；　anger　and　depression　seized　upon　his　mind。
  'This　time；　at　least；'　said　he；　'there　shall　be　no　mistake。'
  And　he　limped　along；　for　he　was　very　rheumatic；　for　about　half　a
  mile；　and　until　I　was　almost　within　sight　of　Cheylard；　the
  destination　I　had　hunted　for　so　long。
  CHEYLARD　AND　LUC
  CANDIDLY；　it　seemed　little　worthy　of　all　this　searching。　　A　few
  broken　ends　of　village；　with　no　particular　street；　but　a　succession
  of　open　places　heaped　with　logs　and　fagots；　a　couple　of　tilted
  crosses；　a　shrine　to　Our　Lady　of　all　Graces　on　the　summit　of　a
  little　hill；　and　all　this；　upon　a　rattling　highland　river；　in　the
  corner　of　a　naked　valley。　　What　went　ye　out　for　to　see？　thought　I
  to　myself。　　But　the　place　had　a　life　of　its　own。　　I　found　a　board；
  commemorating　the　liberalities　of　Cheylard　for　the　past　year；　hung
  up；　like　a　banner；　in　the　diminutive　and　tottering　church。　　In
  1877；　it　appeared；　the　inhabitants　subscribed　forty…eight　francs
  ten　centimes　for　the　'Work　of　the　Propagation　of　the　Faith。'　　Some
  of　this；　I　could　not　help　hoping；　would　be　applied　to　my　native
  land。　　Cheylard　scrapes　together　halfpence　for　the　darkened　souls
  in　Edinburgh；　while　Balquhidder　and　Dunrossness　bemoan　the
  ignorance　of　Rome。　　Thus；　to　the　high　entertainment　of　the　angels；
  do　we　pelt　each　other　with　evangelists；　like　schoolboys　bickering
  in　the　snow。
  The　inn　was　again　singularly　unpretentious。　　The　whole　furniture　of
  a　not　ill…to…do　family　was　in　the　kitchen：　　the　beds；　the　cradle；
  the　clothes；　the　plate…rack；　the　meal…chest；　and　the　photograph　of
  the　parish　priest。　　There　were　five　children；　one　of　whom　was　set
  to　its　morning　prayers　at　the　stair…foot　soon　after　my　arrival；　and
  a　sixth　would　ere　long　be　forthcoming。　　I　was　kindly　received　by
  these　good　folk。　　They　were　much　interested　in　my　misadventure。
  The　wood　in　which　I　had　slept　belonged　to　them；　the　man　of
  Fouzilhac　they　thought　a　monster　of　iniquity；　and　counselled　me
  warmly　to　summon　him　at　law　…　'because　I　might　have　died。'　　The
  good　wife　was　horror…stricken　to　see　me　drink　over　a　pint　of
  uncreamed　milk。
  'You　will　do　yourself　an　evil；'　she　said。　　'Permit　me　to　boil　it
  for　you。'
  After　I　had　begun　the　morning　on　this　delightful　liquor；　she　having
  an　infinity　of　things　to　arrange；　I　was　permitted；　nay　requested；
  to　make　a　bowl　of　chocolate　for　myself。　　My　boots　and　gaiters　were
  hung　up　to　dry；　and；　seeing　me　trying　to　write　my　journal　on　my
  knee；　the　eldest　daughter　let　down　a　hinged　table　in　the　chimney…
  corner　for　my　convenience。　　Here　I　wrote；　drank　my　chocolate；　and
  finally　ate　an　omelette　before　I　left。　　The　table　was　thick　with
  dust；　for；　as　they　explained；　it　was　not　used　except　in　winter
  weather。　　I　had　a　clear　look　up　the　vent；　through　brown
  agglomerations　of　soot　and　blue　vapour；　to　the　sky；　and　whenever　a
  handful　of　twigs　was　thrown　on　to　the　fire；　my　legs　were　scorched
  by　the　blaze。
  The　husband　had　begun　life　as　a　muleteer；　and　when　I　came　to　charge
  Modestine　showed