14- ALPINE FLOWERS AND GARDENS 



inspired by that refinement already alluded to. 

 Maybe we shall have to walk for an hour, or 

 perhaps more, from our hotel before reaching really 

 representative Alpine vegetation. It will be the 

 case at such mountain resorts as, for instance, 

 Chateau-d'CEx, Villars-sur-Ollon, or Finhaut ; for 

 it is not everywhere, as at Champex or at the 

 Col de la Forclaz, that true Alpine abundance is to 

 be found at our very door. Up through a belt of 

 forest we must often wend our way ere we reach 

 our quest. And here it is that some small fatigue 

 may possibly be felt, for the paths are steep and 

 'rough and ready,' and there is little of the 

 particular interest of which we are in search. 

 Stopping to gather breath, we shall perhaps 

 exclaim : ' Where are these wonderful pastures of 

 which we have heard so much ? Where is this 

 fairyland ? Pines, nothing but pines, seem to be 

 ahead !' Patience ! presently we shall have for- 

 gotten this little toil; for we shall suddenly 

 emerge from the forest into the open into the 

 Promised Land of Plenty. 



The path steepens for awhile, and presently 

 sharply rounds a great wall of rock ; and then, 

 before we are well aware of what has happened, the 

 curtail* has lifted, the sombre forest is behind us, 



