introduction of the whole company on to the theatre after the stage
has been left empty for a minute, and to us was doubly welcome as
affording us some hope of our wine.

"Vous etes Piedmontais, monsieur," said one to me. I denied the
accusation. "Alors vous etes Allemands." I again denied and said
we were English, whereon they opened their eyes wide and said,
"Anglais,--mais c'est une autre chose," and seemed much pleased, for
the alliance was then still in full favour. It caused them a little
disappointment that we were Protestants, but they were pleased at
being able to tell us that there was a Protestant minister higher up
the valley which we said would "do us a great deal of pleasure."

The vin ordinaire was execrable--they only, however, charged us nine
sous for it, and on our giving half a franc and thinking ourselves
exceedingly stingy for not giving a whole one, they shouted out
"Voila les Anglais, voila la generosite des Anglais," with evident
sincerity. I thought to myself that the less we English corrupted
the primitive simplicity of these good folks the better; it was
really refreshing to find several people protesting about one's
generosity for having paid a halfpenny more for a bottle of wine
than was expected; at Monetier we asked whether many English came
there, and they told us yes, a great many, there had been fifteen
there last year, but I should imagine that scarcely fifteen could
travel up past Cervieres, and yet the English character be so little
known as to be still evidently popular.

I don't know what o'clock it was when we left Cervieres--midday I
should imagine; we left the river on our left and began to ascend a
mountain pass called Izouard, as far as I could make out, but will