IS) I paid my reckoning, and left
Bolbec. As I ascended a long and rather steep hill, and, looking to the
right and left, saw every thing in a state of verdure and promise, I did
all I could to persuade myself that the journey would be agreeable, and
that the castle of Montmorenci could not fail to command admiration. I was
now in the high and broad "_route royale_" to Havre le Grace; but had
scarcely been a league upon it, when, looking at my instructions, we struck
out of the high road, to the left, and followed a private one through flat
and uninteresting arable land. I cannot tell how many turns were taken, or
how many pretty little villages were passed--till, after a long and gradual
ascent, we came upon a height, flanked the greater part by coppice wood,
through one portion of which--purposely kept open for the view--was seen at
a distance a marvellously fine group of perpendicular rocks (whose grey and
battered sides were lighted up with a pink colour from the morning sun) in
the middle, as it were, of the _Seine_--which now really assumed an
ocean-like appearance. In fact, these rocks were at a considerable
distance, and appeared to be in the broadest part of the embouchure of that
river. I halted the cabriolet; and gazed with unfeigned delight on this
truly magnificent and fascinating scene!... for the larks were now mounting
all around, and their notes, added to those of the "songsters of the
grove," produced an effect which I even preferred to that from the organ
and voice of the "pauvre petit Savoyard." The postboy partook of my
rapture. "Voila, Monsieur, des rochers terriblement perpendiculiers--eh,
quelle belle vue de la riviere, et du paysage!"

Leaving this brilliant picture, we turned rather to the left, and then
found our descent proportionably gradual with the ascent. The Seine was now
right before us, as hasty glimpses of it, through partial vistos, had
enabled us to ascertain. Still _Tancarville_ was deemed a terrible way off.
First we were to go up, and then we were to go down--now to turn to the
right, and afterwards to the left--a sort of [Greek: polla d'ananta
katanta] route--when a prepossessing young paysanne told the postilion,
that, after passing through such a wood, we should reach an avenue, from
the further end of which the castle of _Montmorenci_ would be visible..
"une petite lieue de distance." Every thing is "une petite lieue!" It is
the answer to every question relating to distance. Th