I smiled rather awkwardly; I am sure I felt embarrassed, even a little
humiliated. I was, in fact, under the lead of that animal. He, for the
present, was my master. He knew where he was going; I did not. I was in
a hurry to get out of the village and find myself alone with Blacky and
face to face with the beauties of nature that he had been commissioned
to show me.
These beauties of nature were, at the beginning, a fearfully hot and
dusty road, on which the sun fell with full force. The dog walked with a
brisk step, and I was getting tired following him. I tried to slacken
his gait. "Come, I say, Blacky, my friend, not so quickly." But Blacky
turned a deaf ear, and continued, without listening to me, his little
trot. He was taken suddenly with a real fit of anger when I wished to
sit down in the corner of a field, under a tree that gave a meagre
shade. He barked furiously, and cast on me outraged looks; evidently
what I was doing was against the rule. He was not in the habit of
stopping there, and his barks were so piercing and annoying that I rose
to continue on my way. Blacky became calm at once, and walked placidly
in front of me--I had understood him, and he was satisfied.
Shortly afterwards we entered a delightful path, in full blossom, shady,
sweet-smelling, and filled with freshness and the murmur of springs.
Blacky immediately entered the wood, took to his heels, and disappeared
in the little footway. I followed, slightly out of breath, and had not
gone a hundred steps when I found Blacky waiting for me, with head erect
and bright eyes, in a clearing enlivened by the tinkle of a tiny
cascade. There was there an old rustic bench, and Blacky looked
impatiently from me to the seat and from the seat to me. I was beginning
to understand Blacky's language.
"There now," he said to me, "here is indeed a place to rest in. It's
nice and cool here; but you were so stupid, you wanted to stop in the
sun. Come on, now; sit down; you really can sit down. I will allow you."
I stopped, sat down, and lit a cigar, and came near offering one to
Blacky; perhaps he smoked. But I thought he would prefer a piece of
sugar. He caught it on the fly very cleverly, and crunched it with
enjoyment. Then he lay down and took a nap at my feet. He was evidently
accustomed to a little siesta at this place.
He slept barely ten minutes I was, however, perfectly easy, for Blacky
began to inspire me with absolute confidence, and I was determined to
obey him blindly. He got up, stretched himself, and threw me a glance
that meant, "Come along, my friend, come along." And, like two old
friends, we set off slowly. Blacky was enjoying the silence and the
sweetness of the place. On the road, previously, being in a hurry, he
had walked with an abrupt, sturdy, hurried step--he was walking to get
there; but now, refreshed and revived, Blacky was walking for the
pleasure of a promenade in one of the prettiest paths in the Canton of
Vaud.
Presently a side path appeared, leading off to the left; there was a
short hesitation on the part of Blacky, who reflected, and then passed
it, continuing on his way straight ahead, but not without some doubt and
uncertainty in his manner. Then he stopped; he must have made some
mistake. Yes; for he retraced his steps, and we took the turning to the
left, which, at the end of a hundred feet, led into an open circular
space, and Blacky, with his nose in the air, invited me to contemplate
the highly respectable height of the lofty rocks which formed this
circle. When Blacky thought I had seen sufficient, he turned around, and
we went on again in the path through the woods. Blacky had forgotten to
show me the circle of rocks--a slight error quickly repaired.
The road soon became very mountainous, broken, and difficult, and I
advanced slowly and with many precautions. As to Blacky, he sprang
lightly from rock to rock, but did not forsake me. He waited and fixed
his eyes on me with the most touching solicitude. At last I began to
hear a rushing of water; Blacky commenced barking joyously.
"Courage!" he said to me; "courage! We are nearly there; you will soon
see the Caldron."
It was in truth the Caldron. From a short height a modest stream fell,
splashing and rebounding on a large rock slightly hollowed. I should
never have been consoled for such a steep climb to see such a small
sight if I had not had brave little Blacky for a companion. He, at
least, was much more interesting and marvellous than the Caldron. On
either side of the fall, in little Swiss chalets, were two dairy-maids;
one was a blonde and the other a brunette; both were in their national
dress, and were eagerly on the lookout for my coming, standing on the
door-steps of their tiny houses--little wooden boxes, seemingly cut out
by machine.
It seemed to me that the blonde had very pretty eyes, and I had already
taken several steps towards her when Blacky began to bark emphatically,
and resolutely barred the way. Could he have a preference for the dark
one? I walked in the other direction. That was it; Blacky calmed down as
though by enchantment when he saw me seated at a table in front of the
house of his young protégée. I asked for a cup of milk; Blacky's friend
entered her little toy house, and Blacky slipped in at her feet. Through
a half-open window I followed him with my eyes. The wretch! He was
waited upon before I was. He it was who first had his large bowl of
milk. He had sold himself! After which, with white drops on his
mustache, Blacky came to keep me company and look at me drink my milk. I
gave him a piece of sugar, and both of us, absolutely satisfied with
each other, filled our lungs with the sharp air of the mountain. We were
at a height of about three or four hundred yards. It was a delightful
half-hour.
Blacky began to show signs of impatience and agitation. I could read him
then like a book. It was time to go. I paid, got up, and while I went
off to the right towards the path by which we came to the mountain, I
saw Blacky go and plant himself on the left, at the opening of another
path. He gave me a serious and severe look. What progress I had made
during the last two hours, and how familiar Blacky's eloquent silence
had become!
"What must you think of me?" said Blacky to me. "Do you imagine I am
going to take the same path twice? No, indeed. I am a good guide, and I
know my business. We shall make the descent another way."
We went back by another road, which was much prettier than the first.
Blacky, quite sprightly, often turned around to me with an air of
triumphant joy. We traversed the village, and at the station Blacky was
assailed by three or four dogs of his acquaintance, who seemed desirous
of a talk or game with their comrade. They attempted to block his way,
but Blacky, grumbling and growling, repulsed their advances.
"Can't you see what I am doing? I am taking this gentleman to the
station."
It was only in the waiting-room that he consented to leave me, after
having eaten with relish the two last pieces of sugar. And this is how I
interpreted the farewell look of Blacky:
"We are twenty minutes ahead of time. It isn't I who would have let you
lose the train. Well, good-bye--pleasant journey!"