Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. I.djvu/366

382 skill. Napoleon had it calculated for heavy artillery. “But can cannon pass the Simplon?” inquired he, impatiently, from General Dessaix, whilst this titanic work was in progress. Peaceful diligences, laden with peaceable tourists, now pass along it daily. Of the beauties of the descent, I shall not say much. I saw deep, wooded mountain clefts, and beautiful waterfalls, but I had seen so many ravines and waterfalls, latterly, that I could scarcely distinguish between them. Besides, the weather was rainy, and I was sleepy, both from being awake all night, and from the cold. I enjoyed the consciousness of a warmer atmosphere and of no longer being perished with cold, as on the heights.

My traveling companion in my little carriage, was a young Englishman of the verdant species. He was continually asking me, “What is this?” “Where are we coming to, now?” and so on; although I assured him that I knew no more than he did, and that I was here for the first time, myself. It was of no use; and in five minutes I heard again, “What is the name of this place?” “Where are we now?” At the place where we changed our horse and equipage, a very small carriage was given us, so small indeed that there seemed to be no space between us and the horse.

“Now where is our driver to sit?” inquired my young traveling companion from me.

“On our knees,” I replied calmly.

“Good Heavens!” exclaimed he, horror-stricken, “I shall sit behind!”

And so he did, spite of the pouring rain. Our