"It is curious," she continued: "at first I preferred the desolate grandeur of the Alps,—the brawling torrents, rent rocks, and giant pines; but now I seem to love rather the still lake, the river, the woodland, and plain."
"I fancy, Ellen, we always like the scenery that corresponds with our prevailing tone of mind. When we are misanthropic and gloomy, we love the dark woods, the gloomy gaps of rivers, the naked rock, and cold avalanche; but when we are happy we turn to sunny plains, and the bright greenwood,—a double reason why you should bend your steps to the Towers, where all is haymaking, sunshine, and merriment; at least if you are now in a happy state of mind."
"Be sure I shall only be too glad to look on the rustic scenery of the Towers," said Ellen.
"And now tell me, Ellen, all about your travels; I shall be able to enter into it all the better as I know every inch of ground in Switzerland. You know the Captain, Frank, and I only toured it last year. Which did you think the most grand scenery?"
"I think almost the wildest was on the road to Hospenthal; night overtook us as we were near Pont du Diable. I shall never forget the terrific grandeur of that dark torrent as it thundered below."
"Nor I either," said Lord Wentworth; "for it was on that very road that a most ridiculous contretemps occurred."
"Do let me hear it," said Ellen. "I shall have all the more interest from knowing the ground."
"We started, then," said the Earl,[E] "a party of six strong, from Fluellen, after lunching there. I remember it was a fiercely hot day in the end of August, and the sun shot down on our heads with tropical heat as we drove along the valley. Our party consisted of my two brothers, young Scroop and Musgrave, and a naval officer, Wilson. I hope you will meet them all next week, and you can ask them if they remember it. When we got near the Devil's Bridge, even some time before it, night came on, and the stars twinkled out one by one; the road also became very steep, and we proposed that some should get out of the carriage and walk. Accordingly Wilson descended, and soon forged ahead, and was lost in the darkness. He had a bugle, on which he blew hunting blasts, and we heard him from time to time blowing his horn high above. Meantime Frank and Scroop and the Captain also began walking on, and hoped soon to overtake him. When they had passed the bridge, Scroop began to think it was rather a dangerous place, and remarked it was imprudent in Captain Wilson, who was our purser, to walk on unarmed. They saw two dangerous-looking fellows creeping up towards them from the river, but it was too dark to recognise who or what they were. They said, 'Bon soir,' but received no answer. Suddenly one of the two commenced walking on fast, as if to catch them up; but, determined they should not be done, they too quickened their pace. The guide, however, passed them, and two or three whistles were interchanged. They now began to feel sure they were robbers, but being armed, determined to fight if attacked. However they reached the Hospenthal without being called on to defend themselves, and at once inquired for their friend, whom they felt sure they had not passed, and were not a little alarmed to hear he had not arrived. Meantime Wilson, who had been one of the two dangerous-looking customers, the other being a guide he was speaking to, fell back and rejoined us in the carriage, declaring that neither Scroop nor my brothers had passed him. We were much alarmed in our turn, fearing they had lost their way; and when we found them safe, I shall never forget the laugh we had in the hall, nor the way we welcomed each other. The maitre d'hôtel was quite furious at the row, as tourists go to bed early."
"How amusing!" said Ellen. "I shall be sure and ask the Captain about it, when I see him."
"Well, I have been telling my tour instead of you; but I shall have plenty of time to hear all about it when we meet at the Towers,—that is if you can make up your mind to be contented with my company. Do you think with me you could really own a happy mind?"