An Ascent of Mont Ventoux 209 



' What shall we do ? That 's the difficulty ! 

 But look here : if the wind has not changed, 

 we ought to be wetter on the left, because we 

 got the rain on that side until we lost our 

 bearings. If it has changed, we must be more 

 or less equally wet all over. Let us feel our- 

 selves and decide. Will that do ? ' 



' Yes.' 



' And suppose I 'm wrong ? ' 



' You 're not wrong.' 



The matter was explained to our companions 

 in a few words. All felt themselves, not outside, 

 which would not have been enough, but right 

 inside their underclothing, and it was with un- 

 speakable relief that I heard them unanimously 

 declare their left side to be much wetter than 

 the right. The wind had not changed. All 

 was well ; and we determined to go towards 

 the rain. The chain was formed once more, 

 with myself at the head and Verlot in the rear, 

 so as to leave no stragglers behind. Before 

 starting, I asked my friend, for the last time : 



* Well, shall we risk it ? ' 



* Yes, let 's risk it ; I '11 follow you.' 



And we plunged blindly into the formidable 

 unknown. 



We had not taken twenty strides, twenty 

 of those strides which one is not able to control 

 on a steep slope, before all fear of danger was 



o 



