able to note the owner
of the British accent, who had certainly obtained his desired
carpet-bag, since there he was, at the _coupe_ window, brushed and
beaming, addressing Velvet-cap with, "Excuse me, as an Englishman; but,
could you oblige me with change for a napoleon? I want it to pay my bill
with. They could get some from the next shop, if these jabbering fellows
would but understand, and go and try."

The morning-animated sister was now also able to observe upon the more
promising aspect of the weather, which was evidently clearing up; for it
not only did not rain, but showed streaks of brightness over the sea, in
lines between the hitherto unbroken gray clouds. She adverted to the
pleasant look of the cap-lifting _cantonniers_, as they stood drawn up
and nodding encouragement at the diligence, near the mass of earth which
had fallen overnight; and which they, by dint of several hours' hard
work from long before dawn, had sufficiently dug away to admit of
present passage. She said how comforting the sight of their honest
weather-lined faces was, bright with the touch of morning and early
good-humor.

This brought a muttered rejoinder from the other sister; who, huddled up
in one corner, still half asleep, remarked that the faces of the
_cantonniers_ were surely far more comforting when visible by the light
of the diligence-lamp, coming to bring succor amid darkness and danger.

"But it is precisely because they are never to be seen during the
darkness, when danger is increased by there rarely being help at hand,
that I dread and dislike night," returned Morning-lover.

"How oppressive the scent of those truffles is, the first thing after
breakfast!" exclaimed Night-favorer.

"I had not yet perceived it," replied Morning-lover. "Last evening,
indeed, after a whole day's haunting with it, the smell of that hamper
of truffles which the conductor took up at Finale was almost
insupportable; but now, in the fresh morning air, it is anything but
disagreeable. I shall never hereafter encounter the scent of truffles
without being forcibly reminded of all the incidents of this journey.
That smell seems absolutely interwoven with images of torrent-crossing,
cliff-falling, pouring rain, and roaring waves."

The talk fell upon associations of sense with events and places; sounds,
sights, and scents, intimately connected with and vividly recalling
certain occurrences of our lives. We had missed the glimpse of the baby
fac