“The _peasants_? The village desperadoes? _Is_ there anything to find out about them?” “The lives they lead.” “Tammas been tryin’ to convert them? With his weak eyes? Through his smoked glasses?” “You know he smashed his glasses?” “He would.” “Yes. I heard his mother scolding him on the balcony and he slowly trying to explain; all in that low tone, as if they were conspiring.” “In an enemy camp. They were like that if you spoke to them. We all tried; but by the time they’d thought and begun to answer you’d forgotten what you said.” “I suddenly remembered some glasses I’d been advised to bring. They seemed astonished and suspicious and yet eager. ‘Try them on, Thomas,’ she said.” “Tree them on, Tammas. I hear her.” “And yesterday he handed them back jammy round the edges. I thought he was tired of them. They said nothing about going. But he told me about the peasants.” “They had jam teas, on their own, upstairs.” “Anyhow, they got in touch with the natives.” “I ain’t surprised. Natives themselves.” “With the people in the châlet behind.” “Old Methuselah? Not difficult if you smash things. The old boy mended Daphne’s watch. Of course she went in to see him do it. Went in jabberin’ German which she _won’t_ talk with Frederika. Was there an hour till I went to fish her out. Couldn’t see her, my dear—couldn’t see _anything_; smoke, like a fog, couldn’t _breathe_. Made her out at last squatting close up to the filthy old villain on his bench. Lost, in the insides of watches. She’s goin’ to be a watchmaker now.” “It must be his son.” “Who must?” “The one Thomas told me of. A woodcutter. Terrible. In the snow. It’s only on snow they can bring the wood down from the higher places. Someone bought a high copse, cheaply, because the higher——” “Higher you go, the fewer—now I know what that means.” “The cheaper. Over two hours climb from here; somewhere across the valley. And the men and sleds must be there by daylight.” “Poor devils!” “Yes. And the horses for the climbing must be fed two hours before the start. Sometimes they have to feed them before three in the morning. One lot of men was caught up there by an avalanche and were there four days before they could be got down.” “Ai-_eee_; don’t tell us.” “At the best it’s dangerous work. They get maimed; lose their lives. All the winter this is going on. We don’t read their papers, don’t know the people and don’t hear of it.” “Isn’t it just as well? _We_ can’t help it.” “It ought to be done some other way. Men’s lives ought not to be so cheap.” “How did Tammas get all this learning?” “Speaks German.” “Jee-roozlum!” “And French.” “And Scotch. And having no one to talk Scotch to, talks to the peasants, about their trees. Daphne _hates_ the trees.” “_Hates_ them?” “Would like to make a big bonfire and burn’m all up.” Miriam was silent, searching the green eyes for Daphne.