travels with a donkey in the cevennes-第3节

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from　the　threshold　of　their　homes；　in　an　isolation；　you　would　

think；　like　that　of　Homer's　Cyclops。　　But　it　is　not　so；　the　postman　

reaches　Goudet　with　the　letter…bag；　the　aspiring　youth　of　Goudet　

are　within　a　day's　walk　of　the　railway　at　Le　Puy；　and　here　in　the　

inn　you　may　find　an　engraved　portrait　of　the　host's　nephew；　Regis　

Senac；　'Professor　of　Fencing　and　Champion　of　the　two　Americas；'　a　

distinction　gained　by　him；　along　with　the　sum　of　five　hundred　

dollars；　at　Tammany　Hall；　New　York；　on　the　10th　April　1876。



I　hurried　over　my　midday　meal；　and　was　early　forth　again。　　But；　

alas；　as　we　climbed　the　interminable　hill　upon　the　other　side；　

'Proot！'　seemed　to　have　lost　its　virtue。　　I　prooted　like　a　lion；　I　

prooted　mellifluously　like　a　sucking…dove；　but　Modestine　would　be　

neither　softened　nor　intimidated。　　She　held　doggedly　to　her　pace；　

nothing　but　a　blow　would　move　her；　and　that　only　for　a　second。　　I　

must　follow　at　her　heels；　incessantly　be…labouring。　　A　moment's　

pause　in　this　ignoble　toil；　and　she　relapsed　into　her　own　private　

gait。　　I　think　I　never　heard　of　any　one　in　as　mean　a　situation。　　I　

must　reach　the　lake　of　Bouchet；　where　I　meant　to　camp；　before　

sundown；　and；　to　have　even　a　hope　of　this；　I　must　instantly　

maltreat　this　uncomplaining　animal。　　The　sound　of　my　own　blows　

sickened　me。　　Once；　when　I　looked　at　her；　she　had　a　faint　

resemblance　to　a　lady　of　my　acquaintance　who　formerly　loaded　me　

with　kindness；　and　this　increased　my　horror　of　my　cruelty。



To　make　matters　worse；　we　encountered　another　donkey；　ranging　at　

will　upon　the　roadside；　and　this　other　donkey　chanced　to　be　a　

gentleman。　　He　and　Modestine　met　nickering　for　joy；　and　I　had　to　

separate　the　pair　and　beat　down　their　young　romance　with　a　renewed　

and　feverish　bastinado。　　If　the　other　donkey　had　had　the　heart　of　a　

male　under　his　hide；　he　would　have　fallen　upon　me　tooth　and　hoof；　

and　this　was　a　kind　of　consolation　…　he　was　plainly　unworthy　of　

Modestine's　affection。　　But　the　incident　saddened　me；　as　did　

everything　that　spoke　of　my　donkey's　sex。



It　was　blazing　hot　up　the　valley；　windless；　with　vehement　sun　upon　

my　shoulders；　and　I　had　to　labour　so　consistently　with　my　stick　

that　the　sweat　ran　into　my　eyes。　　Every　five　minutes；　too；　the　

pack；　the　basket；　and　the　pilot…coat　would　take　an　ugly　slew　to　one　

side　or　the　other；　and　I　had　to　stop　Modestine；　just　when　I　had　got　

her　to　a　tolerable　pace　of　about　two　miles　an　hour；　to　tug；　push；　

shoulder；　and　readjust　the　load。　　And　at　last；　in　the　village　of　

Ussel；　saddle　and　all；　the　whole　hypothec　turned　round　and　

grovelled　in　the　dust　below　the　donkey's　belly。　　She；　none　better　

pleased；　incontinently　drew　up　and　seemed　to　smile；　and　a　party　of　

one　man；　two　women；　and　two　children　came　up；　and；　standing　round　

me　in　a　half…circle；　encouraged　her　by　their　example。



I　had　the　devil's　own　trouble　to　get　the　thing　righted；　and　the　

instant　I　had　done　so；　without　hesitation；　it　toppled　and　fell　down　

upon　the　other　side。　　Judge　if　I　was　hot！　　And　yet　not　a　hand　was　

offered　to　assist　me。　　The　man；　indeed；　told　me　I　ought　to　have　a　

package　of　a　different　shape。　　I　suggested；　if　he　knew　nothing　

better　to　the　point　in　my　predicament；　he　might　hold　his　tongue。　　

And　the　good…natured　dog　agreed　with　me　smilingly。　　It　was　the　most　

despicable　fix。　　I　must　plainly　content　myself　with　the　pack　for　

Modestine；　and　take　the　following　items　for　my　own　share　of　the　

portage：　　a　cane；　a　quart…flask；　a　pilot…jacket　heavily　weighted　in　

the　pockets；　two　pounds　of　black　bread；　and　an　open　basket　full　of　

meats　and　bottles。　　I　believe　I　may　say　I　am　not　devoid　of　

greatness　of　soul；　for　I　did　not　recoil　from　this　infamous　burden。　　

I　disposed　it；　Heaven　knows　how；　so　as　to　be　mildly　portable；　and　

then　proceeded　to　steer　Modestine　through　the　village。　　She　tried；　

as　was　indeed　her　invariable　habit；　to　enter　every　house　and　every　

courtyard　in　the　whole　length；　and；　encumbered　as　I　was；　without　a　

hand　to　help　myself；　no　words　can　render　an　idea　of　my　

difficulties。　　A　priest；　with　six　or　seven　others；　was　examining　a　

church　in　process　of　repair；　and　he　and　his　acolytes　laughed　loudly　

as　they　saw　my　plight。



I　remembered　having　laughed　myself　when　I　had　seen　good　men　

struggling　with　adversity　in　the　person　of　a　jackass；　and　the　

recollection　filled　me　with　penitence。　　That　was　in　my　old　light　

days；　before　this　trouble　came　upon　me。　　God　knows　at　least　that　I　

shall　never　laugh　again；　thought　I。　　But　oh；　what　a　cruel　thing　is　

a　farce　to　those　engaged　in　it！



A　little　out　of　the　village；　Modestine；　filled　with　the　demon；　set　

her　heart　upon　a　by…road；　and　positively　refused　to　leave　it。　　I　

dropped　all　my　bundles；　and；　I　am　ashamed　to　say；　struck　the　poor　

sinner　twice　across　the　face。　　It　was　pitiful　to　see　her　lift　her　

head　with　shut　eyes；　as　if　waiting　for　another　blow。　　I　came　very　

near　crying；　but　I　did　a　wiser　thing　than　that；　and　sat　squarely　

down　by　the　roadside　to　consider　my　situation　under　the　cheerful　

influence　of　tobacco　and　a　nip　of　brandy。　　Modestine；　in　the　

meanwhile；　munched　some　black　bread　with　a　contrite　hypocritical　

air。　　It　was　plain　that　I　must　make　a　sacrifice　to　the　gods　of　

shipwreck。　　I　threw　away　the　empty　bottle　destined　to　carry　milk；　I　

threw　away　my　own　white　bread；　and；　disdaining　to　act　by　general　

average；　kept　the　black　bread　for　Modestine；　lastly；　I　threw　away　

the　cold　leg　of　mutton　and　the　egg…whisk；　although　this　last　was　

dear　to　my　heart。　　Thus　I　found　room　for　everything　in　the　basket；　

and　even　stowed　the　boating…coat　on　the　top。　　By　means　of　an　end　of　

cord　I　slung　it　under　one　arm；　and　although　the　cord　cut　my　

shoulder；　and　the　jacket　hung　almost　to　the　ground；　it　was　with　a　

heart　greatly　lightened　that　I　set　forth　again。



I　had　now　an　arm　free　to　thrash　Modestine；　and　cruelly　I　chastised　

her。　　If　I　were　to　reach　the　lakeside　before　dark；　she　must　bestir　

her　little　shanks　to　some　tune。　　Already　the　sun　had　gone　down　into　

a　windy…looking　mist；　and　although　there　were　still　a　few　streaks　

of　gold　far　off　to　the　east　on　the　hills　and　the　black　fir…woods；　

all　was　cold　and　grey　about　our　onward　path。　　An　infinity　of　little　

country　by…roads　led　hither　and　thither　among　the　fields。　　It　was　

the　most　pointless　labyrinth。　　I　could　see　my　destination　overhead；　

or　rather　the　peak　that　dominates　it；　but　choose　as　I　pleased；　the　

roads　always　ended　by　turning　away　from　it；　and　sneaking　back　

towards　the　valley；　or　northward　along　the　margin　of　the　hills。　　

The　failing　light；　the　waning　colour；　the　naked；　unhomely；　stony　

country　through　which　I　was　travelling；　threw　me　into　some　

despondency。　　I　promise　you；　the　stick　was　not　idle；　I　think　every　

decent　step　that　Modestine　took　must　have　cost　me　at　least　two　

emphatic　blows。　　There　was　not　another　sound　in　the　neighbourhood　

but　that　of　my　unwearying　bastinado。



Suddenly；　in　the　midst　of　my　toils；　the　load　once　more　bit　the　

dust；　and；　as　by　enchantment；　all　the　cords　were　simultaneously　

loosened；　and　the　road　scattered　with　my　dear　possessions。　　The　

packing　was　to　begin　again　from　the　beginning；　and　as　I　had　to　

invent　a　new　and　better　system；　I　do　not　doubt　but　I　lost　half　an　

hour。　　It　began　to　be　dusk　in　earnest　as　I　reached　a　wilderness　of　

turf　and　stones。　　It　had　the　air　of　being　a　road　which　should　lead　

everywhere　at　the　same　time；　and　I　was　falling　into　something　not　

unlike　despair　when　I　saw　two　figures　stalking　towards　me　over　the　

stones。　　They　walked　one　behind　the　other　like　tramps；　but　their　

pace　was　remarkable。　　The　son　led　the　way；　a　tall；　ill…made；　

sombre；　Scottish…looking　man；　the　mother　followed；　all　in　her　

Sunday's　best；　with　an　elegantly　embroidered　ribbon　to　her　cap；　and　

a　new　felt　hat　atop；　and　proffering；　as　she　strode　along　with　

kilted　petticoats；　a　string　of　obscene　and　blasphemous　oaths。



I　hailed　the　son；　and　asked　him　my　direction。　　He　pointed　loosely　

west　and　north…west；　muttered　an　inaudible　comment；　and；　without　

slackening　his　pace　for　an　instant；　stalked　on；　as　he　was　going；　

right　athwart　my　path。　　The　mother　followed　without　so　much　as　

raising　her　head。　　I　shouted　and　shouted　after　them；　but　they　

continued　to　scale　the　hillside；　and　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　my　

outcries。　　At　last；　leaving　Modestine　by　herself；　I　was　constrained　

to　run　after　them；　hailing　the　while。　　They　stopped　as　I　drew　near；　

the　mother　still　cursing；　and　I　could　see　she　was　a　handsome；　

motherly；　respectable…looking　woman。　　The　son　once　more　answered　me　

roughly　and　inaudibly；　and　was　for　setting　out　again。　　But　this　

time　I　simply　collared　the　mother；　who　was　nearest　me；　and；　

apologising　for　my　violence；　declared　that　I　could　not　let　them　go　

until　they　had　put　me　on　my　road。　　They　were　neither　of　them　

offended　…　rather　mollified　than　otherwise；　told　me　I　had　only　to　

follow　th