"My dear Alfred, you talk like a man with a hundred thousand francs a year, who is accustomed to wealth, who is even surfeited with the pleasures it affords; but I am still a perfect novice as to that; I am in haste to be happy, and to me the loveliest situations, the most wonderful views will never possess the charm that I shall feel at the first sight of the domain I have purchased."
"I can understand that," said Edouard; "forward, messieurs."
For some time they went on without stopping; but soon a winding path appeared, between perpendicular rocks whereon they saw goats quickly leaping wide spaces, then standing motionless for several minutes on the very brink of a precipice. Edouard could not refrain from stopping once more to contemplate that picture.
"Oh! messieurs, you must agree that this is superb," he cried; "that there is something most majestic in this wild spot. One would think that we were a long, long distance from the world!"
"And so we are, for I don’t see a person or a house," said Robineau, looking gloomily about.
"There is something indescribably grand, something antique about this narrow path between these crags; it carries me back to other ages; it seems to me that I shall see Œdipus and Laius meet in this fatal road!"
"Ah! if we fall foul of the Greeks we shall never have done with them," said Robineau, stamping the ground impatiently.
"For my part, messieurs," said Alfred, "I think that it would be very pleasant to walk here with a pretty woman. We have not met a soul for quarter of an hour! It is delightful! When you come to an attractive spot, you could stop and exchange kisses and dilate on the beauties of nature, and you need not fear to be surprised, as you are likely to be in all the country districts about Paris, where those infernal peasants spring up from a potato field just when you least expect it.—Don’t you agree with me, Robineau? I say—suppose you had Fifine here?"
"If I had Fifine, I would make her walk at all events! and she wouldn’t stop every minute to look at a little pile of moss, or a stone that has broken off the cliff and threatens to fall on our heads!"
"So Fifine is not romantic, eh?—Still, my friend, ladies in general are very fond of making love in the open fields. The turf, the green leaves, a nice soft, dark spot—all these things inspire one and arouse one’s emotions; it’s astonishing how amorous the country makes me!"