The Balcony at Basle I am not going to describe the Vavasors' Swiss tour.

It would not be fair on my readers.

"Six Weeks in the Bernese Oberland, by party of three," would have but very small chance of success in the literary world at present, and I should consider myself to be dishonest if I attempt to palm off such matter on the public in the pages of a novel.

It is true that I have just returned from Switzerland, and should find such a course of writing very convenient.

But I dismiss the temptation, strong as it is.