If I cared to visit it, the _associe_ would accompany us, but there was some particular reason--here he relapsed into patois--why this other man could not by himself serve as guide to both glacieres.

As this meant that I must have two guides, and suggested that perhaps the right rendering of _associe_ was 'accomplice,' the negotiation nearly came to a violent end; but the farmer was so extremely explanatory and convincing, that I gave him another chance, asking him how much the two meant to have, and telling him that, although I could not see the necessity for two guides, I only wished to do what was right.

He expressed his conviction of the truth of this statement with such fervour, that I could only hope his moderation might be as great as his faith.

He took the usual five minutes to make up his mind what to say, going through abstruse calculations with a brow demonstratively bent, and, to all appearance, reckoning up exactly what was the least it could be done for, consistently with his duty to himself and his family.

Then he asked, with an air of resignation, as if he were throwing himself and his _associe_ away, 'Fifteen francs, then, would monsieur consider too much ?' 'Certainly, far too much; twelve francs would be enormous.