n commissioned
to show me.

These beauties of nature were, at the beginning, a fearfully hot and
dusty road, on which the sun fell with full force. The dog walked with a
brisk step, and I was getting tired following him. I tried to slacken
his gait. "Come, I say, Blacky, my friend, not so quickly." But Blacky
turned a deaf ear, and continued, without listening to me, his little
trot. He was taken suddenly with a real fit of anger when I wished to
sit down in the corner of a field, under a tree that gave a meagre
shade. He barked furiously, and cast on me outraged looks; evidently
what I was doing was against the rule. He was not in the habit of
stopping there, and his barks were so piercing and annoying that I rose
to continue on my way. Blacky became calm at once, and walked placidly
in front of me--I had understood him, and he was satisfied.

Shortly afterwards we entered a delightful path, in full blossom, shady,
sweet-smelling, and filled with freshness and the murmur of springs.
Blacky immediately entered the wood, took to his heels, and disappeared
in the little footway. I followed, slightly out of breath, and had not
gone a hundred steps when I found Blacky waiting for me, with head erect
and bright eyes, in a clearing enlivened by the tinkle of a tiny
cascade. There was there an old rustic bench, and Blacky looked
impatiently from me to the seat and from the seat to me. I was beginning
to understand Blacky's language.

"There now," he said to me, "here is indeed a place to rest in. It's
nice and cool here; but you were so stupid, you wanted to stop in the
sun. Come on, now; sit down; you really can sit down. I will allow you."

I stopped, sat down, and lit a cigar, and came near offering one to
Blacky; perhaps he smoked. But I thought he would prefer a piece of
sugar. He caught it on the fly very cleverly, and crunched it with
enjoyment. Then he lay down and took a nap at my feet. He was evidently
accustomed to a little siesta at this place.

He slept barely ten minutes I was, however, perfectly easy, for Blacky
began to inspire me with absolute confidence, and I was determined to
obey him blindly. He got up, stretched himself, and threw me a glance
that meant, "Come along, my friend, come along." And, like two old
friends, we set off slowly. Blacky was enjoying the silence and the
sweetness of the place. On the road, previously, being in a hurry, he
had walked with an abrupt, sturdy, hurried step--he was w