Thishillhadimpressedmegreatlyonmyjourneysouth；perhapsbecauseIhadenjoyedfromitmyfirstextendedviewoftheGaronneValley，andhadtherefeltmyselfonthevergeofthesouthcountrywheremymissionlay。Ithadtakenrootinmymemory，sothatIhadcometolookuponitsbareroundedhead，withtheguide-postandthefourroads，asthefirstoutpostofParis，asthefirstsignofreturntotheoldlife。
NowfortwodaysIhadbeenlookingforwardtoseeingitagain，ThatlongstretchofroadwoulddoadmirablyforsomethingIhadinmymind。Thatsign-post，withtheroadspointingnorth，south，east，andwest——couldtherebeabetterplaceformeetingsandpartings？
Wecametothebottomoftheascentaboutanhourbeforenoon，M。
deCocheforet，Mademoiselle，andI。Wehadreversedtheorderofyesterday，andIrodeahead；theycameafterattheirleisure。
Now，atthefootofthehillIstopped，andlettingMademoisellepasson，detainedM。deCocheforetbyagesture。