Nobody had called me; I knew that, now, yet I had an uneasy impression that someone wanted me somewhere, and that something was wrong.  It was stupid to let this worry me, I told myself, however; and having lingered a few moments at the window studying the lovely pattern of frost-work lace on the glass, and the fringe of priceless pearls on branch of bush, and stunted tree, I went back to bed.  There, I pulled my watch out from under my pillow, and looked at it.  “Only six o’clock,” I yawned.  “Three good hours more of sleep.  I wonder if the Boy——­” Then I tumbled over another pleasant precipice.

When I waked again, it was almost nine, and nerving myself to the inevitable, I rang for a cold bath.  The morning was bitterly chill, but the tingling water soon sent the blood racing through my veins, and by ten o’clock I was knocking at the Boy’s door.  No answer came, and thinking that he must already be down, I was on my way across the white, frozen grass to the restaurant, when I met the muleteer coming up with Finois.

“Hallo, Joseph!” I exclaimed in surprise.  “Where are Fanny and Souris?”

“Innocentina has taken them, Monsieur,” he answered.

“What—­they have started?”

“But yes, Monsieur, and very early.”

“Tell me what happened,” I prompted him.

“Why, Monsieur, it was this way.  There was not much sleep for me last night, if you will pardon my liberty in mentioning such matters, because of the little animal which bites and jumps away.  I know not what you call him in your language, though I think he is known in all lands.  Besides, the beasts were noisy in the stable underneath the room where I lay with the men.  About half-past four the others got up, but I lay still, as it was well with my animals, and there was no hurry.  But a little more than an hour later, they called me from below, laughing, and saying there was a lady to see me.  I had not undressed, Monsieur, for many reasons, and now I was glad, for I knew who it must be, though not why she should be there, and so early too.  I could not bear that she should be alone with these rough fellows, and in two minutes I had tumbled down the ladder.

“I had not been mistaken, Monsieur.  It was Innocentina.  She said her master had sent her down to fetch the anes, as he was obliged by certain circumstances to start on in advance of my master.  I did not ask her any questions, but I helped her get ready the donkeys, and I would have walked up with her to the hotel, had she permitted it.  If I did so, she said, the cattle men would talk; so I stayed behind.”