that day, and I was particularly
anxious not to lay myself open to another such experience, so I
explained to the good woman that I had only three hours for my visit to
the Caldron.

"Oh, I know," she said; "you wish to take the four-o'clock train. Don't
be alarmed; Blacky will bring you back in time. Now then, Blacky, off
with you; hurry up!"

But Blacky didn't seem at all disposed to mind. He stayed there
motionless, looking at his mistress with a certain uneasiness.

"Ah, how stupid of me!" said the old woman. "I forgot the sugar;" and
she went to get four pieces of sugar from a drawer, and gave them to me,
saying: "That's why he wouldn't start; you had no sugar. You see,
Blacky, the gentleman has the sugar. Now then, run along with you, sir,
to the Caldron! to the Caldron! to the Caldron!"

She repeated these last words three times, slowly and distinctly, and
during that time I was closely examining Blacky. He acknowledged the
words of his mistress with little movements of the head, which rapidly
became more emphatic, and towards the end he evinced some temper and
impatience. They could be interpreted thus: "Yes, yes, to the Caldron--I
understand. The gentleman has the pieces of sugar, and we are going to
the Caldron--it's settled. Do you take me for a fool?"

And, without waiting for Mme. Simon's third "To the Caldron!" Blacky,
evidently hurt, turned tail, came and placed himself in front of me, and
by his look showed me the door, which told me as plainly as a dog can
tell, "Now then, come along, you!"

I meekly followed him. We two started, he in front, I behind. In this
manner we went through the entire village. The children who were playing
in the street recognized my guide.

"Hello, Blacky! good-morning, Blacky!" They wanted to play with the
dog, but he turned his head with a disdainful air--the air of a dog who
hasn't the time to answer himself, and who is doing his duty and earning
thirty sous. One of the children exclaimed:

"Leave him alone; don't you see he is taking the gentleman to the
Caldron? Good-day, sir!"

And all repeated, laughing, "Good-day, sir!"

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 bee