I will not sell you one for ten francs, and I do not wish to have anything more to do with you.”  And then he, who five minutes before had been shaking my hand with delight because I knew the owner of the parent dog (of his puppies), with a lofty wave of the hand motioned me to depart.  Before doing so I soothed his offended dignity by a mellifluous explanation, and he once more, but somewhat loftily, offered me his hand as I bade him farewell.  So, in spite of the pleasant diversion, Miss Blunt did not get her dog!

CHAPTER VI.

LUZ AND BAREGES.

Rain at starting—­A blighted view, yet lovely still—­Pont d’Enfer —­Nature’s voice—­Sere and Esquiez—­Luz—­Its situation and status—­An old house—­The ancient Church of the Templars—­La Chapelle de St. Roch—­Pyrenean museum—­Hotel de l’Univers—­Chateau de Ste. Marie—­“The Jackdaw’s Causerie”—­A new “Diet of Worms”—­The new bathing establishment—­To Bareges—­Pic d’Ayre—­Esterre—­Viella—­Betpouey—­Mill conduits—­Cercle des Etrangers—­Opinion of the town—­Grand Etablissement—­Promenade Horizontale—­Hospice de Ste. Eugenie—­“The Jay of Bareges”—­Wood anemones—­Hepaticas—­Valley of Lienz—­Pic de Lienz—­Pic d’Ayre’s summit—­Pic de Neouville—­Mountain rhododendrons —­Anemone vernalis.

Although we had beautiful weather all the while we remained in Cauterets, directly we prepared to depart down came the rain, the mists descended over the hills, and until we reached Pierrefitte we were unable to obtain more than momentary glances at the beauty we had so delighted in, before.  Having crossed the Gave de Bareges by the Pont de Villelongue, we were soon in the gorge, the rocks on the left of which were blasted for five miles, when the road was constructed.  Notwithstanding that it still rained, the clouds were a little higher, and our view consequently less contracted.

[Illustration:  THE GORGE NEAR PIERREFITTE.]

The beauty of the scene was indisputable, and yet it was a beauty less wild and majestic, and more unequal, than that of the Cauterets Gorge.  The heights on the left had frequently the barest and most uninteresting appearance, when on the other side the eye was enchanted with the varied spring tints on the trees massed together up the slopes from the river, whose limpid green pools or foaming rapids gave such a charm to the picture.  The old road is seen in many parts, and several of the old bridges, but the one about three and three-quarter miles from Pierrefitte, at a point where the Gorge widens—­known as the Pont d’Enfer, and built partly of wood as well as stone—­is by far the most interesting.  The scenery in its vicinity was particularly beautiful.  The wild quinces, with their white blossoms mingling with those of the cherry and the light green of the maples, larches, elms, birches, and limes; the bright fields above, and the ever-lovely river below; with the massive crags and a babbling waterfall, rendered this part especially—­as well as several others in a lesser degree—­enchanting.