some of it in France, at divers places, at
Coderetz, Limous, Dast, Ballerue, Bourbonne, and
elsewhere"(Book ii. chap, xxxiii.).--M.

All the sick persons continued at the baths for more than three weeks,
until by the amendment in their condition they perceived that they might
return home again. But while they were preparing to do so, there fell
such extraordinary rains that it seemed as though God had forgotten the
promise He made to Noah never to destroy the world with water again; for
every cottage and every lodging in Cauterets was so flooded with water
that it was no longer possible to continue there. Those who had come
from the side of Spain returned thither across the mountains as best
they could, and such of them as knew whither the roads led fared best in
making their escape.

The French lords and ladies thought to return to Tarbes as easily as
they had come, but they found the streamlets so deep as to be scarcely
fordable. When they came to pass over the Bearnese Gave,(1) which at the
time of their former passage had been less than two feet in depth,
they found it so broad and swift that they turned aside to seek for
the bridges. But these being only of wood, had been swept away by the
turbulence of the water.

1 The Basques give the name of Gave to those watercourses
which become torrents in certain seasons. The Bearnese Gave,
so named because it passes through the territory of the
ancient city of Beam, takes its source in the Pyrenees, and
flows past Pau to Sorde, where it joins the Adour, which
falls into the sea at Bayonne. It is nowadays generally
known as the Gave of Pau.--L. & M.

Then certain of the company thought to stem the force of the current by
crossing in a body, but they were quickly carried away, and the others
who had been about to follow lost all inclination to do so. Accordingly
they separated, as much because they were not all of one mind as to find
some other way. Some crossed over the mountains, and passing through
Aragon came to the county of Rousillon, and thence to Narbonne; whilst
others made straight for Barcelona, going thence by sea, some to
Marseilles and others to Aigues-Mortes.

But a widow lady of long experience, named Oisille, resolved to lay
aside all fear of bad roads and to betake herself to Our Lady of
Serrance.(3)

3 The Abbey of Our Lady of Serrance, or more correctly
Sarrances, in the valley of Aspe, was o