that　the　range　of　the　Lozere；　sparsely　wooded　and　well　enough
  modelled　in　the　flanks；　but　straight　and　dull　in　outline。　　There
  was　scarce　a　sign　of　culture；　only　about　Bleymard；　the　white　high…
  road　from　Villefort　to　Mende　traversed　a　range　of　meadows；　set　with
  spiry　poplars；　and　sounding　from　side　to　side　with　the　bells　of
  flocks　and　herds。
  A　NIGHT　AMONG　THE　PINES
  FROM　Bleymard　after　dinner；　although　it　was　already　late；　I　set　out
  to　scale　a　portion　of　the　Lozere。　　An　ill…marked　stony　drove…road
  guided　me　forward；　and　I　met　nearly　half…a…dozen　bullock…carts
  descending　from　the　woods；　each　laden　with　a　whole　pine…tree　for
  the　winter's　firing。　　At　the　top　of　the　woods；　which　do　not　climb
  very　high　upon　this　cold　ridge；　I　struck　leftward　by　a　path　among
  the　pines；　until　I　hit　on　a　dell　of　green　turf；　where　a　streamlet
  made　a　little　spout　over　some　stones　to　serve　me　for　a　water…tap。
  'In　a　more　sacred　or　sequestered　bower　。　。　。　nor　nymph　nor　faunus
  haunted。'　　The　trees　were　not　old；　but　they　grew　thickly　round　the
  glade：　　there　was　no　outlook；　except　north…eastward　upon　distant
  hill…tops；　or　straight　upward　to　the　sky；　and　the　encampment　felt
  secure　and　private　like　a　room。　　By　the　time　I　had　made　my
  arrangements　and　fed　Modestine；　the　day　was　already　beginning　to
  decline。　　I　buckled　myself　to　the　knees　into　my　sack　and　made　a
  hearty　meal；　and　as　soon　as　the　sun　went　down；　I　pulled　my　cap　over
  my　eyes　and　fell　asleep。
  Night　is　a　dead　monotonous　period　under　a　roof；　but　in　the　open
  world　it　passes　lightly；　with　its　stars　and　dews　and　perfumes；　and
  the　hours　are　marked　by　changes　in　the　face　of　Nature。　　What　seems
  a　kind　of　temporal　death　to　people　choked　between　walls　and
  curtains；　is　only　a　light　and　living　slumber　to　the　man　who　sleeps
  afield。　　All　night　long　he　can　hear　Nature　breathing　deeply　and
  freely；　even　as　she　takes　her　rest；　she　turns　and　smiles；　and　there
  is　one　stirring　hour　unknown　to　those　who　dwell　in　houses；　when　a
  wakeful　influence　goes　abroad　over　the　sleeping　hemisphere；　and　all
  the　outdoor　world　are　on　their　feet。　　It　is　then　that　the　cock
  first　crows；　not　this　time　to　announce　the　dawn；　but　like　a
  cheerful　watchman　speeding　the　course　of　night。　　Cattle　awake　on
  the　meadows；　sheep　break　their　fast　on　dewy　hillsides；　and　change
  to　a　new　lair　among　the　ferns；　and　houseless　men；　who　have　lain
  down　with　the　fowls；　open　their　dim　eyes　and　behold　the　beauty　of
  the　night。
  At　what　inaudible　summons；　at　what　gentle　touch　of　Nature；　are　all
  these　sleepers　thus　recalled　in　the　same　hour　to　life？　　Do　the
  stars　rain　down　an　influence；　or　do　we　share　some　thrill　of　mother
  earth　below　our　resting　bodies？　　Even　shepherds　and　old　country…
  folk；　who　are　the　deepest　read　in　these　arcana；　have　not　a　guess　as
  to　the　means　or　purpose　of　this　nightly　resurrection。　　Towards　two
  in　the　morning　they　declare　the　thing　takes　place；　and　neither　know
  nor　inquire　further。　　And　at　least　it　is　a　pleasant　incident。　　We
  are　disturbed　in　our　slumber　only；　like　the　luxurious　Montaigne；
  'that　we　may　the　better　and　more　sensibly　relish　it。'　　We　have　a
  moment　to　look　upon　the　stars。　　And　there　is　a　special　pleasure　for
  some　minds　in　the　reflection　that　we　share　the　impulse　with　all
  outdoor　creatures　in　our　neighbourhood；　that　we　have　escaped　out　of
  the　Bastille　of　civilisation；　and　are　become；　for　the　time　being；　a
  mere　kindly　animal　and　a　sheep　of　Nature's　flock。
  When　that　hour　came　to　me　among　the　pines；　I　wakened　thirsty。　　My
  tin　was　standing　by　me　half　full　of　water。　　I　emptied　it　at　a
  draught；　and　feeling　broad　awake　after　this　internal　cold
  aspersion；　sat　upright　to　make　a　cigarette。　　The　stars　were　clear；
  coloured；　and　jewel…like；　but　not　frosty。　　A　faint　silvery　vapour
  stood　for　the　Milky　Way。　　All　around　me　the　black　fir…points　stood
  upright　and　stock…still。　　By　the　whiteness　of　the　pack…saddle；　I
  could　see　Modestine　walking　round　and　round　at　the　length　of　her
  tether；　I　could　hear　her　steadily　munching　at　the　sward；　but　there
  was　not　another　sound；　save　the　indescribable　quiet　talk　of　the
  runnel　over　the　stones。　　I　lay　lazily　smoking　and　studying　the
  colour　of　the　sky；　as　we　call　the　void　of　space；　from　where　it
  showed　a　reddish　grey　behind　the　pines　to　where　it　showed　a　glossy
  blue…black　between　the　stars。　　As　if　to　be　more　like　a　pedlar；　I
  wear　a　silver　ring。　　This　I　could　see　faintly　shining　as　I　raised
  or　lowered　the　cigarette；　and　at　each　whiff　the　inside　of　my　hand
  was　illuminated；　and　became　for　a　second　the　highest　light　in　the
  landscape。
  A　faint　wind；　more　like　a　moving　coolness　than　a　stream　of　air；
  passed　down　the　glade　from　time　to　time；　so　that　even　in　my　great
  chamber　the　air　was　being　renewed　all　night　long。　　I　thought　with
  horror　of　the　inn　at　Chasserades　and　the　congregated　nightcaps；
  with　horror　of　the　nocturnal　prowesses　of　clerks　and　students；　of
  hot　theatres　and　pass…keys　and　close　rooms。　　I　have　not　often
  enjoyed　a　more　serene　possession　of　myself；　nor　felt　more
  independent　of　material　aids。　　The　outer　world；　from　which　we　cower
  into　our　houses；　seemed　after　all　a　gentle　habitable　place；　and
  night　after　night　a　man's　bed；　it　seemed；　was　laid　and　waiting　for
  him　in　the　fields；　where　God　keeps　an　open　house。　　I　thought　I　had
  rediscovered　one　of　those　truths　which　are　revealed　to　savages　and
  hid　from　political　economists：　　at　the　least；　I　had　discovered　a
  new　pleasure　for　myself。　　And　yet　even　while　I　was　exulting　in　my
  solitude　I　became　aware　of　a　strange　lack。　　I　wished　a　companion　to
  lie　near　me　in　the　starlight；　silent　and　not　moving；　but　ever
  within　touch。　　For　there　is　a　fellowship　more　quiet　even　than
  solitude；　and　which；　rightly　understood；　is　solitude　made　perfect。
  And　to　live　out　of　doors　with　the　woman　a　man　loves　is　of　all　lives
  the　most　complete　and　free。
  As　I　thus　lay；　between　content　and　longing；　a　faint　noise　stole
  towards　me　through　the　pines。　　I　thought；　at　first；　it　was　the
  crowing　of　cocks　or　the　barking　of　dogs　at　some　very　distant　farm；
  but　steadily　and　gradually　it　took　articulate　shape　in　my　ears；
  until　I　became　aware　that　a　passenger　was　going　by　upon　the　high…
  road　in　the　valley；　and　singing　loudly　as　he　went。　　There　was　more
  of　good…will　than　grace　in　his　performance；　but　he　trolled　with
  ample　lungs；　and　the　sound　of　his　voice　took　hold　upon　the　hillside
  and　set　the　air　shaking　in　the　leafy　glens。　　I　have　heard　people
  passing　by　night　in　sleeping　cities；　some　of　them　sang；　one；　I
  remember；　played　loudly　on　the　bagpipes。　　I　have　heard　the　rattle
  of　a　cart　or　carriage　spring　up　suddenly　after　hours　of　stillness；
  and　pass；　for　some　minutes；　within　the　range　of　my　hearing　as　I　lay
  abed。　　There　is　a　romance　about　all　who　are　abroad　in　the　black
  hours；　and　with　something　of　a　thrill　we　try　to　guess　their
  business。　　But　here　the　romance　was　double：　　first；　this　glad
  passenger；　lit　internally　with　wine；　who　sent　up　his　voice　in　music
  through　the　night；　and　then　I；　on　the　other　hand；　buckled　into　my
  sack；　and　smoking　alone　in　the　pine…woods　between　four　and　five
  thousand　feet　towards　the　stars。
  When　I　awoke　again　（Sunday；　29th　September）；　many　of　the　stars　had
  disappeared；　only　the　stronger　companions　of　the　night　still　burned
  visibly　overhead；　and　away　towards　the　east　I　saw　a　faint　haze　of
  light　upon　the　horizon；　such　as　had　been　the　Milky　Way　when　I　was
  last　awake。　　Day　was　at　hand。　　I　lit　my　lantern；　and　by　its　glow…
  worm　light　put　on　my　boots　and　gaiters；　then　I　broke　up　some　bread
  for　Modestine；　filled　my　can　at　the　water…tap；　and　lit　my　spirit…
  lamp　to　boil　myself　some　chocolate。　　The　blue　darkness　lay　long　in
  the　glade　where　I　had　so　sweetly　slumbered；　but　soon　there　was　a
  broad　streak　of　orange　melting　into　gold　along　the　mountain…tops　of
  Vivarais。　　A　solemn　glee　possessed　my　mind　at　this　gradual　and
  lovely　coming　in　of　day。　　I　heard　the　runnel　with　delight；　I　looked
  round　me　for　something　beautiful　and　unexpected；　but　the　still
  black　pine…trees；　the　hollow　glade；　the　munching　ass；　remained
  unchanged　in　figure。　　Nothing　had　altered　but　the　light；　and　that；
  indeed；　shed　over　all　a　spirit　of　life　and　of　breathing　peace；　and
  moved　me　to　a　strange　exhilaration。
  I　drank　my　water…chocolate；　which　was　hot　if　it　was　not　rich；　and
  strolled　here　and　there；　and　up　and　down　about　the　glade。　　While　I
  was　thus　delaying；　a　gush　of　steady　wind；　as　long　as　a　heavy　sigh；
  poured　direct　out　of　the　quarter　of　the　morning。　　It　was　cold；　and
  set　me　sneezing。　　The　trees　near　at　hand　tossed　their　black　plumes
  in　its　passage；　and　I　could　see　the　thin　distant　spires　of　pine
  along　the　edge　of　the　hill　rock　slightly　to　and　fro　against　the
  golden　east。　　Ten　minutes　after；　the　sunlight　spread　at　a　gallop
  along　the　hillside；　scattering　shadows　and　sparkle