Othermuleshadarrivednotlongbefore，somewithpeasantridersandsomewithgoods，andhadtroddenthesnowaboutthedoorintoapoolofmud。Riding-saddlesandbridles，pack-saddlesandstringsofbells，mulesandmen，lanterns，torches，sacks，provender，barrels，cheeses，kegsofhoneyandbutter，strawbundlesandpackagesofmanyshapes，werecrowdedconfusedlytogetherinthisthawedquagmireandaboutthesteps。Uphereintheclouds，everythingwasseenthroughcloud，andseemeddissolvingintocloud。Thebreathofthemenwascloud，thebreathofthemuleswascloud，thelightswereencircledbycloud，speakerscloseathandwerenotseenforcloud，thoughtheirvoicesandallothersoundsweresurprisinglyclear。Ofthecloudylineofmuleshastilytiedtoringsinthewall，onewouldbiteanother，orkickanother，andthenthewholemistwouldbedisturbed：withmendivingintoit，andcriesofmenandbeastscomingoutofit，andnobystanderdiscerningwhatwaswrong。Inthemidstofthis，thegreatstableoftheconvent，occupyingthebasementstoryandenteredbythebasementdoor，outsidewhichallthedisorderwas，pouredforthitscontributionofcloud，asifthewholeruggededificewerefilledwithnothingelse，andwouldcollapseassoonasithademptieditself，leavingthesnowtofalluponthebaremountainsummit。
Whileallthisnoiseandhurrywererifeamongthelivingtravellers，there，too，silentlyassembledinagratedhousehalf-
a-dozenpacesremoved，withthesamecloudenfoldingthemandthesamesnowflakesdriftinginuponthem，werethedeadtravellersfounduponthemountain。Themother，storm-belatedmanywintersago，stillstandinginthecornerwithherbabyatherbreast；themanwhohadfrozenwithhisarmraisedtohismouthinfearorhunger，stillpressingitwithhisdrylipsafteryearsandyears。
Anawfulcompany，mysteriouslycometogether!Awilddestinyforthatmothertohaveforeseen!’SurroundedbysomanyandsuchcompanionsuponwhomIneverlooked，andnevershalllook，Iandmychildwilldwelltogetherinseparable，ontheGreatSaintBernard，outlastinggenerationswhowillcometoseeus，andwillneverknowourname，oronewordofourstorybuttheend。’
Thelivingtravellersthoughtlittleornothingofthedeadjustthen。Theythoughtmuchmoreofalightingattheconventdoor，andwarmingthemselvesattheconventfire。Disengagedfromtheturmoil，whichwasalreadycalmingdownasthecrowdofmulesbegantobebestowedinthestable，theyhurriedshiveringupthestepsandintothebuilding。Therewasasmellwithin，comingupfromthefloor，oftetheredbeasts，likethesmellofamenagerieofwildanimals。Therewerestrongarchedgallerieswithin，hugestonepiers，greatstaircases，andthickwallspiercedwithsmallsunkenwindows——fortificationsagainstthemountainstorms，asiftheyhadbeenhumanenemies。Thereweregloomyvaultedsleeping-
roomswithin，intenselycold，butcleanandhospitablypreparedforguests。Finally，therewasaparlourforgueststositinandsupin，whereatablewasalreadylaid，andwhereablazingfireshoneredandhigh。
Inthisroom，afterhavinghadtheirquartersforthenightallottedtothembytwoyoungFathers，thetravellerspresentlydrewroundthehearth。Theywereinthreeparties；ofwhomthefirst，asthemostnumerousandimportant，wastheslowest，andhadbeenovertakenbyoneoftheothersonthewayup。Itconsistedofanelderlylady，twogrey-hairedgentlemen，twoyoungladies，andtheirbrother。Thesewereattendednottomentionfourguides，byacourier，twofootmen，andtwowaiting-maids：whichstrongbodyofinconveniencewasaccommodatedelsewhereunderthesameroof。
Thepartythathadovertakenthem，andfollowedintheirtrain，consistedofonlythreemembers：oneladyandtwogentlemen。Thethirdparty，whichhadascendedfromthevalleyontheItaliansideofthePass，andhadarrivedfirst，werefourinnumber：aplethoric，hungry，andsilentGermantutorinspectacles，onatourwiththreeyoungmen，hispupils，allplethoric，hungry，andsilent，andallinspectacles。
Thesethreegroupssatroundthefireeyeingeachotherdrily，andwaitingforsupper。Onlyoneamongthem，oneofthegentlemenbelongingtothepartyofthree，madeadvancestowardsconversation。ThrowingouthislinesfortheChiefoftheimportanttribe，whileaddressinghimselftohisowncompanions，heremarked，inatoneofvoicewhichincludedallthecompanyiftheychosetobeincluded，thatithadbeenalongday，andthathefeltfortheladies。Thathefearedoneoftheyoungladieswasnotastrongoraccustomedtraveller，andhadbeenover-fatiguedtwoorthreehoursago。Thathehadobserved，fromhisstationintherear，thatshesathermuleasifshewereexhausted。Thathehad，twiceorthriceafterwards，donehimselfthehonourofinquiringofoneoftheguides，whenhefellbehind，howtheladydid。Thathehadbeenenchantedtolearnthatshehadrecoveredherspirits，andthatithadbeenbutapassingdiscomfort。ThathetrustedbythistimehehadsecuredtheeyesoftheChief，andaddressedhim
hemightbepermittedtoexpresshishopethatshewasnownonetheworse，andthatshewouldnotregrethavingmadethejourney。
’Mydaughter，Iamobligedtoyou，sir，’returnedtheChief，’isquiterestored，andhasbeengreatlyinterested。’
’Newtomountains，perhaps？’saidtheinsinuatingtraveller。
’Newto——ha——tomountains，’saidtheChief。
’Butyouarefamiliarwiththem，sir？’theinsinuatingtravellerassumed。
’Iam——hum——tolerablyfamiliar。Notoflateyears。Notoflateyears，’repliedtheChief，withaflourishofhishand。
Theinsinuatingtraveller，acknowledgingtheflourishwithaninclinationofhishead，passedfromtheChieftothesecondyounglady，whohadnotyetbeenreferredtootherwisethanasoneoftheladiesinwhosebehalfhefeltsosensitiveaninterest。
Hehopedshewasnotincommodedbythefatiguesoftheday。
’Incommoded，certainly，’returnedtheyounglady，’butnottired。’
Theinsinuatingtravellercomplimentedheronthejusticeofthedistinction。Itwaswhathehadmeanttosay。Everyladymustdoubtlessbeincommodedbyhavingtodowiththatproverbiallyunaccommodatinganimal，themule。
’Wehavehad，ofcourse，’saidtheyounglady，whowasratherreservedandhaughty，’toleavethecarriagesandfourgonatMartigny。Andtheimpossibilityofbringinganythingthatonewantstothisinaccessibleplace，andthenecessityofleavingeverycomfortbehind，isnotconvenient。’
’Asavageplaceindeed，’saidtheinsinuatingtraveller。
Theelderlylady，whowasamodelofaccuratedressing，andwhosemannerwasperfect，consideredasapieceofmachinery，hereinterposedaremarkinalowsoftvoice。
’But，likeotherinconvenientplaces，’sheobserved，’itmustbeseen。Asaplacemuchspokenof，itisnecessarytoseeit。’
’O!Ihavenottheleastobjectiontoseeingit，Iassureyou，MrsGeneral，’returnedtheother，carelessly。
’You，madam，’saidtheinsinuatingtraveller，’havevisitedthisspotbefore？’
’Yes，’returnedMrsGeneral。’Ihavebeenherebefore。Letmecommendyou，mydear，’totheformeryounglady，’toshadeyourfacefromthehotwood，afterexposuretothemountainairandsnow。You，too，mydear，’totheotherandyoungerlady，whoimmediatelydidso；whiletheformermerelysaid，’Thankyou，MrsGeneral，IamPerfectlycomfortable，andpreferremainingasIam。’
Thebrother，whohadlefthischairtoopenapianothatstoodintheroom，andwhohadwhistledintoitandshutitupagain，nowcamestrollingbacktothefirewithhisglassinhiseye。Hewasdressedintheveryfullestandcompletesttravellingtrim。Theworldseemedhardlylargeenoughtoyieldhimanamountoftravelproportionatetohisequipment。
’Thesefellowsareanimmensetimewithsupper，’hedrawled。’I
wonderwhatthey’llgiveus!Hasanybodyanyidea？’
’Notroastman，Ibelieve，’repliedthevoiceofthesecondgentlemanofthepartyofthree。
’Isupposenot。Whatd’yemean？’heinquired。
’That，asyouarenottobeservedforthegeneralsupper，perhapsyouwilldousthefavourofnotcookingyourselfatthegeneralfire，’returnedtheother。
Theyounggentlemanwhowasstandinginaneasyattitudeonthehearth，cockinghisglassatthecompany，withhisbacktotheblazeandhiscoattuckedunderhisarms，somethingasifhewereOfthePoultryspeciesandweretrussedforroasting，lostcountenanceatthisreply；heseemedabouttodemandfurtherexplanation，whenitwasdiscovered——throughalleyesturningonthespeaker——thattheladywithhim，whowasyoungandbeautiful，hadnotheardwhathadpassedthroughhavingfaintedwithherheaduponhisshoulder。
’Ithink，’saidthegentlemaninasubduedtone，’Ihadbestcarryherstraighttoherroom。Willyoucalltosomeonetobringalight？’addressinghiscompanion，’andtoshowtheway？InthisstrangeramblingplaceIdon’tknowthatIcouldfindit。’
’Pray，letmecallmymaid，’criedthetalleroftheyoungladies。
’Pray，letmeputthiswatertoherlips，’saidtheshorter，whohadnotspokenyet。
Eachdoingwhatshesuggested，therewasnowantofassistance。
Indeed，whenthetwomaidscameinescortedbythecourier，lestanyoneshouldstrikethemdumbbyaddressingaforeignlanguagetothemontheroad，therewasaprospectoftoomuchassistance。
Seeingthis，andsayingasmuchinafewwordstotheslighterandyoungerofthetwoladies，thegentlemanputhiswife’sarmoverhisshoulder，liftedherup，andcarriedheraway。
Hisfriend，beingleftalonewiththeothervisitors，walkedslowlyupanddowntheroomwithoutcomingtothefireagain，pullinghisblackmoustacheinacontemplativemanner，asifhefelthimselfcommittedtothelateretort。Whilethesubjectofitwasbreathinginjuryinacorner，theChiefloftilyaddressedthisgentleman。
’Yourfriend，sir，’saidhe，’is——ha——isalittleimpatient；and，inhisimpatience，isnotperhapsfullysensibleofwhatheowesto——hum——to——butwewillwaivethat，wewillwaivethat。Yourfriendisalittleimpatient，sir。’
’Itmaybeso，sir，’returnedtheother。’Buthavinghadthehonourofmakingthatgentleman’sacquaintanceatthehotelatGeneva，whereweandmuchgoodcompanymetsometimeago，andhavinghadthehonourofexchangingcompanyandconversationwiththatgentlemanonseveralsubsequentexcursions，Icanhearnothing——no，notevenfromoneofyourappearanceandstation，sir——detrimentaltothatgentleman。’
’Youareinnodanger，sir，ofhearinganysuchthingfromme。Inremarkingthatyourfriendhasshownimpatience，Isaynosuchthing。Imakethatremark，becauseitisnottobedoubtedthatmyson，beingbybirthandby——ha——byeducationa——hum——agentleman，wouldhavereadilyadaptedhimselftoanyobliginglyexpressedwishonthesubjectofthefirebeingequallyaccessibletothewholeofthepresentcircle。Which，inprinciple，I——ha——forallare——hum——
equalontheseoccasions——Iconsiderright。’
’Good，’wasthereply。’Andthereitends!Iamyourson’sobedientservant。Ibegyoursontoreceivetheassuranceofmyprofoundconsideration。Andnow，sir，Imayadmit，freelyadmit，thatmyfriendissometimesofasarcastictemper。’
’Theladyisyourfriend’swife，sir？’
’Theladyismyfriend’swife，sir。’
’Sheisveryhandsome。’
’Sir，sheispeerless。Theyarestillinthefirstyearoftheirmarriage。Theyarestillpartlyonamarriage，andpartlyonanartistic，tour。’
’Yourfriendisanartist，sir？’
Thegentlemanrepliedbykissingthefingersofhisrighthand，andwaftingthekissthelengthofhisarmtowardsHeaven。Aswhoshouldsay，IdevotehimtothecelestialPowersasanimmortalartist!
’Butheisamanoffamily，’headded。’Hisconnectionsareofthebest。Heismorethananartist：heishighlyconnected。Hemay，ineffect，haverepudiatedhisconnections，proudly，impatiently，sarcasticallyImaketheconcessionofbothwords；buthehasthem。Sparksthathavebeenstruckoutduringourintercoursehaveshownmethis。’
’Well!Ihope，’saidtheloftygentleman，withtheairoffinallydisposingofthesubject，’thatthelady’sindispositionmaybeonlytemporary。’
’Sir，Ihopeso。’
’Merefatigue，Idaresay。’