Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus (1908).djvu/84

78 vigour and persistence. We decided, therefore, to start from Zermatt at 10 p.m., instead of sleeping at the Stockje and taking the expedition from thence. After table d'hôte I thought a short nap would be advantageous, so, telling the hotel porter to call me at half-past nine I went to sleep. When I was awakened by the dazzling blaze of a dip candle, I felt that it was after time, and a reference to my watch disclosed the painful fact that it was eleven o'clock! I swallowed the cup of tea brought me by the porter and hurried down to the hall, where I found Burgener in that frame of mind which is suitable to a sleepy man who has been sitting in a straight-backed chair for an hour and a half. He at once gave it as his opinion that we were too late and that I might as well return to my much loved bed. However, when I had expressed my contrition and explained that my late appearance was due to an error on the porter's part, he consented to overlook my delinquencies.

The knapsack was promptly adjusted and we were ready to set off, when each asked the other for the rope. Burgener averred that I must have it, while I was equally certain that it had been left in his possession. We sought diligently through the lower regions of the hotel, but it was nowhere to be found; indeed, if Burgener was to be trusted, our search should have been directed to certain other "lower regions." At length in desperation we sallied out and