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Show .NOiiiAUD. i.V n liovic HAi.nvv. "Don't be alarmed, monsieur, you won't miss your train. I've taken passengers pas-sengers to the station for fifteen years and no one ever missed a train, sir, never." . , "Hut" "No use looking at your watch, sir: there is something you don't know and which your watch can't tell you the train is always fifteen minutes late; there never was an occasion when it has not been fifteen minutes late." This day. however, the. rule lil not hold good. The train was on time and I mi ;sed it. My driver was enraged. "Y'ou ought to announce that the trains leave on time all at once," he cried to the stationmaster. "I never heard of such a thing!" and taking all the porters as witnesses bs sai.1: "Was it ever heard of before? I do not wish to be at fault in this gentleman's eyes. A train on time! Tell him for me that this is the very first time it ever happened." hap-pened." There was a general chorus of "0, yes; always late, always!" So I only had three long hours to pass in this very melancholy village of the Canton of Vaud, flanked by two melancholy mountains, with each a little patch of snow on its summit. Flow kill these three hours? I in turn spoke for assistance, and there was a general cry of "Go and see the C'haudron, the only thing worth seeing in these parts." And wdierc was the Chaudron? "On the mountain to the right, half way up, but the path is a little complicated." compli-cated." 1 was advised to take a guide, and over there, way over there in the whit? house with green blinds, I would find "the Lest guide in the country, a fine guide, Father Simon." I went over to the little house and knocked at the door. An old woman opened it. "Is Father Simon in?" "lie lives here is it to go to the Chaudron?" "Yes; to go to the Chaudron." "Well, he hasn't been himself since this morning; his legs trouble him; he can't got about. But don't be disturbed, dis-turbed, we have some one to replace him, Noirau.l, only 1 inust warn you that Noiraud is not a person." "Not a person?" "Is'o; he is our dog. lie is used to it, and will guide you very well, as well as my husband." "As well as your husband?" "Certa.nly. For years and years Father Simon has taken him along, so he has learned the places, and now he does the business alone. He has often taken travelers before, and wc have always had compliments for him. As for intelligence, don't be afraid; he has as much as you and I; he only needs to talk, but it is not necessary for him to talk in this case. If it were to show a monument and know history dates and a speech it would be different. Here rr.' onlv the beauties of nature. Take Noiraid, AbaTthen, monsieur, he is cheaper." -My husband is three francs and ioiraud is but a franc and a half, and he will show you as much for the franc and a half as my husband would ior the three." "Very well. Where is Noiraud?" "He is resting in the garden. He has already taken some English up to the Chaudron this morning. Noiraud! Noiraud!" Ue came in through the window with one bound. lie was an ugly enough little black dog. With long curly, woolly hair; his looks did not speak .or iuuch, but in his whole per1; souality there was a certain a.r of gravity, decision and importance. Jle first gave me a precise, clear, sharp glance which enveloped mo rapidly from head to foot and seemed clearly to say: "It is a traveler; he wishes to see the Chaudron." Being left once was enough for that day, so 1 was essentially careful not to expose myself to a second such misadventure. misad-venture. I explained to the woman that I bad but three hours for the walk to the Chaudron. "Oh, yes," said she; "you wish to take the four o'clock train. Don't be afraid. Noiraud will bring y'ou back in time. Come, Noiraud; start along ray boy; start along." But Noiraud did not appear to feel at all disposed to start along. lie sat motionless, mo-tionless, gazing at his mistress with agitation. "Ah. how stupid t am," said the old woman. " forgot I had forgotten the sugar.1' Kite took four lumps of sugar from a drawer ond gave tiiein to me. "That, ia why he did not want to start; you hadn't the sugar. Start up, my boy, to tile Chaudron, the Chaudron, the Chaudron !'' She repeated these wor.ls three times, speaking slowly and very distinctly, dis-tinctly, and I meanwhile examined Noiraud with attention. lie answered her with little nods, which at 11m; end sho'cd a litllc impatience and ill temper. tem-per. They could be interpreted; "Yes yes to the Chaudron I understood the gentleman has the sujar -and we are geiug to (. haudron. Do you take me r 'or an idiot?" And without waiting for the third "t liaadi on" of Mme. .Simon, Noiraud, evidently w-ounded, turned his heels and placed hiirself in frout of m', show ihg me 1 lie door by i look and saying asdi.tinctiy as it is permitted degs: "Weil, will you come?" I followed him meekly. lie kept on i ahead and we passed through the vil- lage thus. The children romping in the street rocogui.ed my guide. I "lie, Noiraud! good old Noiraud!" I and they tried to play with him, but ' ho averted hi head disdainfully with the air of a dog u ho has no t ime to ; araiis: himself, but who is doing his i duty and earning thirty sens. Uric of : tile children cried: 'Bet him alone lie is taking the mon.-.ieur to the . Cl.audreri - how d'y do, monsieur!" I smiled, but aw k wardly. I know. ' i felt embarrassed, even humiliated. J was, in ract, dominated by this ani-; ani-; nia.l. lie wns fr the time my master: knew wbere he wns r'oing and ' did not. I was in haste to h ave th village and be along among l'ie b.-a:. tics of nature wdtli Noiraud. v. Ice--mission it was to make me admin them. These beauties of nature were. P commence with, an awful burnir: dusty road, under a broiling sun. Tl" dog marched briskly along. I tried P moJcrate his gait. "Noiraud, good dog, not so fast, ii"1 so fast." Noiraud turned a deaf ear and f-i lowed bis little path until 1 attemptc to sit down by the wayside under tree which threw a thin shade, lb Was seized by a fit of wrath aie barked with a little furious voice, throwing irritated glances at me evidently evi-dently what I was doing was contrary to the rule and the yappings were f sharp, so piercing, that 1 arose to lot low the path. Noiraud calmed dowi immediately and commenced to trie gaydy bjfore me. I had understood He was content. A few minutes later wc came to a d, -licious road, shady, flowered, perfume, and full of freshness and murmurim of spring. Noiraud at once started oi" at a gallop and disappeared in tin green. I followed him a tri1:e breath less. A hundred feet and I found my Noiraud awaiting me with head hel-high hel-high and tuning, eye, in a sort chamber of verdure, livened by tie twinkle of a wee cascade. There wa an oil rustic bench, and from thi-Noiraud thi-Noiraud glanced with impatience P my eyes, and back again. This glane. said: "Now here is a place to rest. It i nice here; it is cool. Y7ou wanted P stop in the hot sun. Come now and sii down; I don't object" So I sat down and lighted a cigar. 1 almost offered One to Noiraud. but the thought that he might prefer a lump of sugar came to me. He caught n adroitly on the fly, ground it up quick ly, then lay down and drowsed at my feet. He was evidently accustomed P. make a little halt and take a littie nap at this place. He slept ten minutes. I felt perfectly tranquil. Noiraud had inspired me with absolute confidence. I had resolved to obey him blindly. He arose, stretched nimself, threw me a little side glance signifying "Start up, my friend," and like two ole. friends we wound through the v.-iodsv enjoying the charm, the silence am: the sweetness of the place. Presently we came to a path at the left. Noiraud Noir-aud hesitated a little, reflected, ami then continued in the road, but not Without a trifling uncertainty in hi."-ait; hi."-ait; he stopped. He mut have made a mistake yes, for returning a few hteps he led the way to the left unti. We arrived in a sort of a grotto, when Noiraud. pointing with his nose upward, invited me to contemplate the greal height of the rocks wdiicli wallee it in. When Noiraud thought ', had sufficieutly admired it hi hurried back to the little pall wc had been following. The road sooi became stecn, uneven, rough. I ad vanced but slowly, with ureal precaution. precau-tion. Noiraud jumped : lithely fron rock to rock, but did not abandon me now and then throwing me a glance, o! the most touching solicitude. At last I began to bear the plashing of watri and Noiraud yapped joyfully. "Bear up." he said; "bear up; wc will soon be there. Y'ou are going to see the Chan-drou." Chan-drou." It was in truth the Chaudron. modest enough little cascade, of equally equal-ly modest height, falling in showcrinv sprays on a slightly hollowed rock, should newer have been consoled foliating fo-liating made this laborious ascent P see this mediocre marvel if I hud nm had the brave Noiraud as my companion lie was much m ire interesting and remarkable re-markable than tbe Chaudron. On each side of the fall in two smal Swiss chalets were tw-o little dairies kept by two little native women, on, blonde, the other brune. They wen both in national dress and eagerly watching my approach. It seemed to me that the blonde had very pretty eyes, and 1 had already taken several steps toward her chalei wdien Noiraud, bursting with furiou-barkings, furiou-barkings, barred the way Had he :: preference for the little brune? ! changed my course. That vu it. tCoiraul ceased as though by magic udien he saw me seated al a table ii front of his young protege'.-, house. ! called for a glass of milk. Ni .i, ed '.. friend entered her tiny nest :rr! le slipped in with her, and thru : -h r open window I followed m v "ir:ie with my eyes. The' wveleh! lb . -served before me. lie had his bow 1 milk- fir .t. He was bribed, j Noiraud soon gave signs of agilaieie and impatience. I could now V( ::-l l.i-eyes l.i-eyes like an open hook. It ivn, li'm to start. I a'o:-e, paid 1 he. S, - ;.u. Went towafA the p;i I h by w!:ic!: we had ascended the mountain, d tel. i for my Noiraud I found he had pla'ile-: himself ut the entrance of ;;no;hcr path and was gating serioirdy. .evert ly at me. What progress I had mad-in mad-in two hours and how familiar Nob-aud's Nob-aud's silent eloquence : bad become! "What sort of an opinion Iciye y--ei got of me?" said Noirai: 1. "Hid y.n-i think I would go over the. s:mie ro;( i twdce? Truly, no. I am a good guWh I know my trade. We shall desreie by another road." This other road was much preltiei' than the first, and Noir.-iu-l. full sprightlincss, turned to me ofle i v. iil a little air of triumphant joy. V' crossed the village rind v.eree ,:iile.i by three or four of his dog fri, ml who appeared mtrdi in the m-nl t ' chat and play a little with t'r ir coin rade, find they tried to stop; hie:, be' Noirau I growded. scd led a nd she rpl repulsed their advance:;. "You ' have something on hand: 1 am :.,';'i the gentleman to the st at 'on. " ll only in the waiting-room that, be cot scntcd to leave mo aftcrgayly ere.tr -ing his last two Jumps of Mc-ar- a; Mns is how J tronsiate Noiian !'. lai'.-well: lai'.-well: "Wc are. twen'y minutes .--head ' time. I am notonc to ' Vo'.: lo-.c taain. Well, bou' vny;..;,-: VS h Translated by J.n,:.v Vtrtin- I'd' U... i f birngo Tri1. o:.c |