At　this　moment；　whilst　I　was　somewhat　embarrassed　how　to　answer；　in
  came　one　of　the　monks；　a　little　brown　fellow；　as　lively　as　a　grig；
  and　with　an　Italian　accent；　who　threw　himself　at　once　into　the
  contention；　but　in　a　milder　and　more　persuasive　vein；　as　befitted
  one　of　these　pleasant　brethren。　　Look　at　HIM；　he　said。　　The　rule
  was　very　hard；　he　would　have　dearly　liked　to　stay　in　his　own
  country；　Italy　…　it　was　well　known　how　beautiful　it　was；　the
  beautiful　Italy；　but　then　there　were　no　Trappists　in　Italy；　and　he
  had　a　soul　to　save；　and　here　he　was。
  I　am　afraid　I　must　be　at　bottom；　what　a　cheerful　Indian　critic　has
  dubbed　me；　'a　faddling　hedonist；'　for　this　description　of　the
  brother's　motives　gave　me　somewhat　of　a　shock。　　I　should　have
  preferred　to　think　he　had　chosen　the　life　for　its　own　sake；　and　not
  for　ulterior　purposes；　and　this　shows　how　profoundly　I　was　out　of
  sympathy　with　these　good　Trappists；　even　when　I　was　doing　my　best
  to　sympathise。　　But　to　the　CURE　the　argument　seemed　decisive。
  'Hear　that！'　he　cried。　　'And　I　have　seen　a　marquis　here；　a　marquis；
  a　marquis'　…　he　repeated　the　holy　word　three　times　over　…　'and
  other　persons　high　in　society；　and　generals。　　And　here；　at　your
  side；　is　this　gentleman；　who　has　been　so　many　years　in　armies　…
  decorated；　an　old　warrior。　　And　here　he　is；　ready　to　dedicate
  himself　to　God。'
  I　was　by　this　time　so　thoroughly　embarrassed　that　I　pled　cold　feet；
  and　made　my　escape　from　the　apartment。　　It　was　a　furious　windy
  morning；　with　a　sky　much　cleared；　and　long　and　potent　intervals　of
  sunshine；　and　I　wandered　until　dinner　in　the　wild　country　towards
  the　east；　sorely　staggered　and　beaten　upon　by　the　gale；　but
  rewarded　with　some　striking　views。
  At　dinner　the　Work　of　the　Propagation　of　the　Faith　was　recommenced；
  and　on　this　occasion　still　more　distastefully　to　me。　　The　priest
  asked　me　many　questions　as　to　the　contemptible　faith　of　my　fathers；
  and　received　my　replies　with　a　kind　of　ecclesiastical　titter。
  'Your　sect；'　he　said　once；　'for　I　think　you　will　admit　it　would　be
  doing　it　too　much　honour　to　call　it　a　religion。'
  'As　you　please；　monsieur；'　said　I。　　'LA　PAROLE　EST　A　VOUS。'
  At　length　I　grew　annoyed　beyond　endurance；　and　although　he　was　on
  his　own　ground　and；　what　is　more　to　the　purpose；　an　old　man；　and　so
  holding　a　claim　upon　my　toleration；　I　could　not　avoid　a　protest
  against　this　uncivil　usage。　　He　was　sadly　discountenanced。
  'I　assure　you。'　he　said；　'I　have　no　inclination　to　laugh　in　my
  heart。　　I　have　no　other　feeling　but　interest　in　your　soul。'
  And　there　ended　my　conversion。　　Honest　man！　he　was　no　dangerous
  deceiver；　but　a　country　parson；　full　of　zeal　and　faith。　　Long　may
  he　tread　Gevaudan　with　his　kilted　skirts　…　a　man　strong　to　walk　and
  strong　to　comfort　his　parishioners　in　death！　　I　daresay　he　would
  beat　bravely　through　a　snowstorm　where　his　duty　called　him；　and　it
  is　not　always　the　most　faithful　believer　who　makes　the　cunningest
  apostle。
  UPPER　GEVAUDAN
  （continued）
  The　bed　was　made；　the　room　was　fit；
  By　punctual　eve　the　stars　were　lit；
  The　air　was　still；　the　water　ran；
  No　need　there　was　for　maid　or　man；
  When　we　put　up；　my　ass　and　I；
  At　God's　green　caravanserai。
  OLD　PLAY。
  ACROSS　THE　GOULET
  THE　wind　fell　during　dinner；　and　the　sky　remained　clear；　so　it　was
  under　better　auspices　that　I　loaded　Modestine　before　the　monastery
  gate。　　My　Irish　friend　accompanied　me　so　far　on　the　way。　　As　we
  came　through　the　wood；　there　was　Pere　Apollinaire　hauling　his
  barrow；　and　he　too　quitted　his　labours　to　go　with　me　for　perhaps　a
  hundred　yards；　holding　my　hand　between　both　of　his　in　front　of　him。
  I　parted　first　from　one　and　then　from　the　other　with　unfeigned
  regret；　but　yet　with　the　glee　of　the　traveller　who　shakes　off　the
  dust　of　one　stage　before　hurrying　forth　upon　another。　　Then
  Modestine　and　I　mounted　the　course　of　the　Allier；　which　here　led　us
  back　into　Gevaudan　towards　its　sources　in　the　forest　of　Mercoire。
  It　was　but　an　inconsiderable　burn　before　we　left　its　guidance。
  Thence；　over　a　hill；　our　way　lay　through　a　naked　plateau；　until　we
  reached　Chasserades　at　sundown。
  The　company　in　the　inn　kitchen　that　night　were　all　men　employed　in
  survey　for　one　of　the　projected　railways。　　They　were　intelligent
  and　conversible；　and　we　decided　the　future　of　France　over　hot　wine；
  until　the　state　of　the　clock　frightened　us　to　rest。　　There　were
  four　beds　in　the　little　upstairs　room；　and　we　slept　six。　　But　I　had
  a　bed　to　myself；　and　persuaded　them　to　leave　the　window　open。
  'HE；　BOURGEOIS；　IL　EST　CINQ　HEURES！'　was　the　cry　that　wakened　me　in
  the　morning　（Saturday；　September　28th）。　　The　room　was　full　of　a
  transparent　darkness；　which　dimly　showed　me　the　other　three　beds
  and　the　five　different　nightcaps　on　the　pillows。　　But　out　of　the
  window　the　dawn　was　growing　ruddy　in　a　long　belt　over　the　hill…
  tops；　and　day　was　about　to　flood　the　plateau。　　The　hour　was
  inspiriting；　and　there　seemed　a　promise　of　calm　weather；　which　was
  perfectly　fulfilled。　　I　was　soon　under　way　with　Modestine。　　The
  road　lay　for　a　while　over　the　plateau；　and　then　descended　through　a
  precipitous　village　into　the　valley　of　the　Chassezac。　　This　stream
  ran　among　green　meadows；　well　hidden　from　the　world　by　its　steep
  banks；　the　broom　was　in　flower；　and　here　and　there　was　a　hamlet
  sending　up　its　smoke。
  At　last　the　path　crossed　the　Chassezac　upon　a　bridge；　and；
  forsaking　this　deep　hollow；　set　itself　to　cross　the　mountain　of　La
  Goulet。　　It　wound　up　through　Lestampes　by　upland　fields　and　woods
  of　beech　and　birch；　and　with　every　corner　brought　me　into　an
  acquaintance　with　some　new　interest。　　Even　in　the　gully　of　the
  Chassezac　my　ear　had　been　struck　by　a　noise　like　that　of　a　great
  bass　bell　ringing　at　the　distance　of　many　miles；　but　this；　as　I
  continued　to　mount　and　draw　nearer　to　it；　seemed　to　change　in
  character；　and　I　found　at　length　that　it　came　from　some　one　leading
  flocks　afield　to　the　note　of　a　rural　horn。　　The　narrow　street　of
  Lestampes　stood　full　of　sheep；　from　wall　to　wall　…　black　sheep　and
  white；　bleating　with　one　accord　like　the　birds　in　spring；　and　each
  one　accompanying　himself　upon　the　sheep…bell　round　his　neck。　　It
  made　a　pathetic　concert；　all　in　treble。　　A　little　higher；　and　I
  passed　a　pair　of　men　in　a　tree　with　pruning…hooks；　and　one　of　them
  was　singing　the　music　of　a　BOURREE。　　Still　further；　and　when　I　was
  already　threading　the　birches；　the　crowing　of　cocks　came　cheerfully
  up　to　my　ears；　and　along　with　that　the　voice　of　a　flute　discoursing
  a　deliberate　and　plaintive　air　from　one　of　the　upland　villages。　　I
  pictured　to　myself　some　grizzled；　apple…cheeked；　country
  schoolmaster　fluting　in　his　bit　of　a　garden　in　the　clear　autumn
  sunshine。　　All　these　beautiful　and　interesting　sounds　filled　my
  heart　with　an　unwonted　expectation；　and　it　appeared　to　me　that；
  once　past　this　range　which　I　was　mounting；　I　should　descend　into
  the　garden　of　the　world。　　Nor　was　I　deceived；　for　I　was　now　done
  with　rains　and　winds　and　a　bleak　country。　　The　first　part　of　my
  journey　ended　here；　and　this　was　like　an　induction　of　sweet　sounds
  into　the　other　and　more　beautiful。
  There　are　other　degrees　of　FEYNESS；　as　of　punishment；　besides　the
  capital；　and　I　was　now　led　by　my　good　spirits　into　an　adventure
  which　I　relate　in　the　interest　of　future　donkey…drivers。　　The　road
  zigzagged　so　widely　on　the　hillside；　that　I　chose　a　short　cut　by
  map　and　compass；　and　struck　through　the　dwarf　woods　to　catch　the
  road　again　upon　a　higher　level。　　It　was　my　one　serious　conflict
  with　Modestine。　　She　would　none　of　my　short　cut；　she　turned　in　my
  face；　she　backed；　she　reared；　she；　whom　I　had　hitherto　imagined　to
  be　dumb；　actually　brayed　with　a　loud　hoarse　flourish；　like　a　cock
  crowing　for　the　dawn。　　I　plied　the　goad　with　one　hand；　with　the
  other；　so　steep　was　the　ascent；　I　had　to　hold　on　the　pack…saddle。
  Half…a…dozen　times　she　was　nearly　over　backwards　on　the　top　of　me；
  half…a…dozen　times；　from　sheer　weariness　of　spirit；　I　was　nearly
  giving　it　up；　and　leading　her　down　again　to　follow　the　road。　　But　I
  took　the　thing　as　a　wager；　and　fought　it　through。　　I　was　surprised；
  as　I　went　on　my　way　again；　by　what　appeared　to　be　chill　rain…drops
  falling　on　my　hand；　and　more　than　once　looked　up　in　wonder　at　the
  cloudless　sky。　　But　it　was　only　sweat　which　came　dropping　from　my
  brow。
  Over　the　summit　of　the　Goulet　there　was　no　marked　road　…　only
  upright　stones　posted　from　space　to　space　to　guide　the　drovers。
  The　turf　underfoot　was　springy　and　well　scented。　　I　had　no　company
  but　a　lark　or　two；　and　met　but　one　bullock…cart　between　Lestampes
  and　Bleymard。　　In　front　of　me　I　saw　a　shallow　valley；　and　beyond
  that　the　range　of　the　Lozere；　sparsely　wooded　and　well　enough
  modelled　in　the　flanks；　but　st