“L’Aiguille des Charmoz,” said Michel, doubtfully, and Sylvia swung round to him and argued against his doubt.

“But I have trained myself,” she said.  “I have been up the Brevent and Flegere.  I am strong, stronger than I look.”

Michel Revailloud smiled.

“Mademoiselle, I do not doubt you.  A young lady who has enthusiasm is very hard to tire.  It is not because of the difficulty of that rock-climb that I thought to suggest—­the Aiguille d’Argentiere.”

Sylvia turned with some hesitation to the younger guide.

“You too spoke of that mountain,” she said.

Michel pressed his advantage.

“And wisely, mademoiselle.  If you will let me advise you, you will sleep to-morrow night at the Pavillon de Lognan and the next day climb the Aiguille d’Argentiere.”

Sylvia looked regretfully up to the ridge of the Charmoz which during this last fortnight had greatly attracted her.  She turned her eyes from the mountain to Revailloud and let them rest quietly upon his face.

“And why do you advise the Aiguille d’Argentiere?” she asked.

Michel saw her eyes softly shining upon him in the darkness, and all the more persisted.  Was not his dear patron who must needs be helped to open his eyes, since he would not open them himself, going to sleep to-morrow in the Pavillon de Lognan?  The roads to the Col Dolent and the Aiguille d’Argentiere both start from that small mountain inn.  But this was hardly the reason which Michel could give to the young girl who questioned him.  He bethought him of another argument, a subtle one which he fancied would strongly appeal to her.  Moreover, there was truth in it.

“I will tell you why, mademoiselle.  It is to be your first mountain.  It will be a day in your life which you will never forget.  Therefore you want it to be as complete as possible—­is it not so?  It is a good rock-climb, the Aiguille des Charmoz—­yes.  But the Argentiere is more complete.  There is a glacier, a rock traverse, a couloir up a rock-cliff, and at the top of that a steep ice-slope.  And that is not all.  You want your last step on to the summit to reveal a new world to you.  On the Charmoz, it is true, there is a cleft at the very top up which you scramble between two straight walls and you pop your head out above the mountain.  Yes, but you see little that is new; for before you enter the cleft you see both sides of the mountain.  With the Argentiere it is different.  You mount at the last, for quite a time behind the mountain with your face to the ice-slope; and then suddenly you step out upon the top and the chain of Mont Blanc will strike suddenly upon your eyes and heart.  See, mademoiselle, I love these mountains with a very great pride and I would dearly like you to have that wonderful white revelation of a new strange world upon your first ascent.”

Before he had ended, he knew that he had won.  He heard the girl draw sharply in her breath.  She was making for herself a picture of the last step from the ice-slope to summit ridge.