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'O！ I have not the least objection to seeing it； I assure you； Mrs
General；' returned the other； carelessly。
'You； madam；' said the insinuating traveller； 'have visited this spot
before？' 'Yes；' returned Mrs General。 'I have been here before。 Let me
mend you； my dear；' to the former young lady； 'to shade your face
from the hot wood； after exposure to the mountain air and snow。 You；
too； my dear；' to the other and younger lady； who immediately did so；
while the former merely said； 'Thank you； Mrs General； I am Perfectly
fortable； and prefer remaining as I am。'
The brother； who had left his chair to open a piano that stood in
the room； and who had whistled into it and shut it up again； now came
strolling back to the fire with his glass in his eye。 He was dressed in
the very fullest and pletest travelling trim。 The world seemed hardly
large enough to yield him an amount of travel proportionate to his
equipment。
'These fellows are an immense time with supper；' he drawled。 'I wonder
what they'll give us！ Has anybody any idea？'
'Not roast man； I believe；' replied the voice of the second gentleman of
the party of three。
'I suppose not。 What d'ye mean？' he inquired。
'That； as you are not to be served for the general supper； perhaps you
will do us the favour of not cooking yourself at the general fire；'
returned the other。
The young gentleman who was standing in an easy attitude on the hearth；
cocking his glass at the pany； with his back to the blaze and his
coat tucked under his arms； something as if he were Of the Poultry
species and were trussed for roasting； lost countenance at this
reply； he seemed about to demand further explanation； when it was
discovered……through all eyes turning on the speaker……that the lady with
him； who was young and beautiful； had not heard what had passed through
having fainted with her head upon his shoulder。
'I think；' said the gentleman in a subdued tone； 'I had best carry
her straight to her room。 Will you call to some one to bring a light？'
addressing his panion； 'and to show the way？ In this strange rambling
place I don't know that I could find it。'
'Pray； let me call my maid；' cried the taller of the young ladies。
'Pray； let me put this water to her lips；' said the shorter； who had not
spoken yet。
Each doing what she suggested； there was no want of assistance。 Indeed；
when the two maids came in （escorted by the courier； lest any one should
strike them dumb by addressing a foreign language to them on the road）；
there was a prospect of too much assistance。 Seeing this； and saying as
much in a few words to the slighter and younger of the two ladies；
the gentleman put his wife's arm over his shoulder； lifted her up； and
carried her away。
His friend； being left alone with the other visitors； walked slowly up
and down the room without ing to the fire again； pulling his black
moustache in a contemplative manner； as if he felt himself mitted
to the late retort。 While the subject of it was breathing injury in a
corner； the Chief loftily addressed this gentleman。
'Your friend； sir；' said he； 'is……ha……is a little impatient； and； in
his impatience； is not perhaps fully sensible of what he owes
to……hum……to……but we will waive that； we will waive that。 Your friend is
a little impatient； sir。'
'It may be so； sir；' returned the other。 'But having had the honour of
making that gentleman's acquaintance at the hotel at Geneva； where we
and much good pany met some time ago； and having had the honour
of exchanging pany and conversation with that gentleman on several
subsequent excursions； I can hear nothing……no； not even from one of your
appearance and station； sir……detrimental to that gentleman。'
'You are in no danger； sir； of hearing any such thing from me。 In
remarking that your friend has shown impatience； I say no such thing。 I
make that remark； because it is not to be doubted that my son； being by
birth and by……ha……by education a……hum……a gentleman； would have readily
adapted himself to any obligingly expressed wish on the subject of the
fire being equally accessible to the whole of the present circle。 Which；
in principle； I……ha……for all are……hum……equal on these occasions……I
consider right。'
'Good；' was the reply。 'And there it ends！ I am your son's obedient
servant。 I beg your son to receive the assurance of my profound
consideration。 And now； sir； I may admit； freely admit； that my friend
is sometimes of a sarcastic temper。'
'The lady is your friend's wife； sir？'
'The lady is my friend's wife； sir。' 'She is very handsome。'
'Sir； she is peerless。 They are still in the first year of their
marriage。 They are still partly on a marriage； and partly on an
artistic； tour。'
'Your friend is an artist； sir？'
The gentleman replied by kissing the fingers of his right hand； and
wafting the kiss the length of his arm towards Heaven。 As who should
say； I devote him to the celestial Powers as an immortal artist！
'But he is a man of family；' he added。 'His connections are of the best。
He is more than an artist： he is highly connected。 He may； in effect；
have repudiated his connections； proudly； impatiently； sarcastically （I
make the concession of both words）； but he has them。 Sparks that have
been struck out during our intercourse have shown me this。'
'Well！ I hope；' said the lofty gentleman； with the air of finally
disposing of the subject； 'that the lady's indisposition may be only
temporary。'
'Sir； I hope so。'
'Mere fatigue； I dare say。'
'Not altogether mere fatigue； sir； for her mule stumbled to…day； and
she fell from the saddle。 She fell lightly； and was up again without
assistance； and rode from us laughing； but she plained towards
evening of a slight bruise in the side。 She spoke of it more than once；
as we followed your party up the mountain。'
The head of the large retinue； who was gracious but not familiar；
appeared by this time to think that he had condescended more than
enough。 He said no more； and there was silence for some quarter of an
hour until supper appeared。
With the supper came one of the young Fathers （there seemed to be no
old Fathers） to take the head of the table。 It was like the supper of
an ordinary Swiss hotel； and good red wine grown by the convent in more
genial air was not wanting。 The artist traveller calmly came and took
his place at table when the rest sat down； with no apparent sense upon
him of his late skirmish with the pletely dressed traveller。
'Pray；' he inquired of the host； over his soup； 'has your convent many
of its famous dogs now？'
'Monsieur； it has three。'
'I saw three in the gallery below。 Doubtless the three in question。' The
host； a slender； bright…eyed； dark young man of polite manners； whose
garment was a black gown with strips of white crossed over it like
braces； and who no more resembled the conventional breed of Saint
Bernard monks than he resembled the conventional breed of Saint Bernard
dogs； replied； doubtless those were the three in question。
'And I think；' said the artist traveller； 'I have seen one of them
before。'
It was possible。 He was a dog sufficiently well known。 Monsieur might
have easily seen him in the valley or somewhere on the lake； when he
（the dog） had gone down with one of the order to solicit aid for the
convent。
'Which is done in its regular season of the year； I think？'
Monsieur was right。
'And never without a dog。 The dog is very important。' Again Monsieur was
right。 The dog was very important。 People were justly interested in the
dog。 As one of the dogs celebrated everywhere； Ma'amselle would observe。
Ma'amselle was a little slow to observe it； as though she were not yet
well accustomed to the French tongue。 Mrs General； however； observed it
for her。
'Ask him if he has saved many lives？' said； in his native English； the
young man who had been put out of countenance。
The host needed no translation of the question。 He promptly replied in
French； 'No。 Not this one。'
'Why not？' the same gentleman asked。
'Pardon；' returned the host posedly； 'give him the opportunity and
he will do it without doubt。 For example； I am well convinced；' smiling
sedately； as he cut up the dish of veal to be handed round； on the young
man who had been put out of countenance； 'that if you； Monsieur； would
give him the opportunity； he would hasten with great ardour to fulfil
his duty。'
The artist traveller laughed。 The insinuating traveller （who evinced
a provident anxiety to get his full share of the supper）； wiping some
drops of wine from his moustache with a piece of bread； joined the
conversation。
'It is being late in the year； my Father；' said he； 'for
tourist…travellers； is it not？'
'Yes； it is late。 Yet two or three weeks； at most； and we shall be left
to the winter snows。' 'And then；' said the insinuating traveller； 'for
the scratching dogs and the buried children； according to the pictures！'
'Pardon；' said the host； not quite understanding the allusion。 'How；
then the scratching dogs and the buried children according to the
pictures？'
The artist traveller struck in again before an answer could be given。
'Don't you know；' he coldly inquired