ncies in order to induce her to believe she was of some
service in the family, and that her forethought protected the bees from
several accidents. That seemed the simplest explanation I could imagine,
and I thought no more about it.

"About seven we supped on milk and cheese, and when it was time to retire
Young led me into a goodsized room on the first floor, with a bed and a
few chairs in it, panelled in fir, as is generally the case in the
greater number of Swiss chalets. You are only separated from your
neighbours by a deal partition, and you can hear every footstep and
nearly every word.

"That night I was lulled to sleep by the whistling of the wind and the
sound of the rain beating against the window-panes. The next day the wind
had gone down and we were enveloped in mist. When I awoke I found my
windows quite white, quite padded with mist. When I opened my window the
valley looked like an immense stove; the tops of a few fir-trees alone
showed their outlines against the sky; below, the clouds were in regular
layers down to the surface of the lake; everything was calm, motionless,
and silent.

"When I went down to the sitting-room I found my hosts seated at table,
about to begin breakfast.

"'We have been waiting for you,' cried Young gaily.

"'You must excuse us,' said the mother; 'this is our regular breakfast
hour.'

"'Of course, of course; I am obliged to you for not noticing my
laziness.'

"Raesel was much more lively than the preceding evening; she had a fresh
colour in her cheeks.

"'The wind has gone down,' said she; 'the storm has passed away without
doing any harm.'

"'Shall I open the apiary?' asked Young.

"'No, not yet; the bees would lose themselves in this mist. Besides,
everything is drenched with rain; the brambles and mosses are full of
water; the least puff of wind would drown many of them. We must wait a
little while. I know what is the matter: they feel dull, they want to
work; they are tormented at the idea of devouring their honey instead
of making it. But I cannot afford to lose them. Many of the hives are
weak--they would starve in winter. We will see what the weather is like
to-morrow.'

"The two old people sat and listened without making any observations.

"About nine the blind girl proposed to go and visit her bees; Young and
Catherine followed her, and I did the same, from a very natural feeling
of curiosity.

"We passed through the kitchen by a door which opened on