ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 5 



paragraphs above and below and about it, but only 

 glanced at the important one, as though striving con- 

 stantly to renew the vivid pleasure he had felt upon 

 first seeing it. The whole of that week at Chamouni 

 passed like a dream. I started off every morning at 

 daybreak with my alpenstock, and found my own way 

 to the different " lions " of the valley to Montanvert, 

 the Flegere, the Pelerins, and the other points of 

 resort ; for the guide's six francs a-day would have 

 made a great void in my student's purse. With the 

 first light I used to watch the summit of Mont Blanc 

 from my room ; and at sunset I always went into the 

 fields behind the church, to see the rosy light creep 

 up it, higher and higher, until it stood once more 

 cold, clear, mocking the darkening peaks below it 

 against the sky. From long study of plans, and 

 models, and narratives, I could trace every step of 

 the route; and I do believe, if any stalwart com- 

 panion had proposed it, with the recollection of what 

 Jacques Balmat and Dr Paccard had done alone, I 

 should have been mad enough to have started on 

 their traces. I was in hopes, from the settled 

 weather, that some one would attempt the ascent 

 whilst I was at Chamouni; when I should immediately 

 have offered myself as a volunteer or porter to accom- 

 pany him. But no one came forward until the day 

 after my departure ; and then a lady, Mademoiselle 

 Henriette d'Angeville, succeeded in reaching the 

 top, together with the landlord of the Hotel Royal, 



