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The molinar then, with gesticulations and expression of the eyes, gave me to understand that for this 50 c. the stilt-man would take me up to Tizzano on the high ridge and show me the path up the ridge; so the stilt-man turned to me and said, 'Andiamo' which means 'Allons'. But when the Italians say 'Andiamo' they are less harsh than the northern French who say 'Allans'; for the northern French have three troubles in the blood.
When I had taken a cut down the mountain, and discovered a highroad at the bottom, I saw that the river before me needed fording, like all the rest; and as my map showed me there was no bridge for many miles down, I cast about to cross directly, if possible on some man's shoulders. She again used that word 'molinar', and I had an inkling that it meant 'miller'. I said to myself
Whenever we found dry land, I came off the molinar's back to rest him, and when he took the water again I mounted again. So we passed the many streams, and stood at last on the Tizzanian side. Then I gave a lira to the molinar, and to his companion on stilts 50 c., who said, 'What is this for? and I said, 'You also helped.
One was an old, happy man in spectacles, the second a young man with stilts in his hands, the third was very tall and narrow; his face was sad, and he was of the kind that endure all things and conquer. I said 'Molinar? I had found him. To the man who had brought me I gave 50 c., and so innocent and good are these people that he said 'Pourquoi? or words like it, and I said it was necessary.
I say advisedly 'I should have been drowned. These upper rivers of the hills run high and low according to storms and to the melting of the snows. Even the molinar, the god of that valley, had to pick his way carefully, and the young man on stilts had to go before, much higher than mortal men, and up above the water.
The Germans garrisoned Bilboa, gained some successes at Molinar and Valmaseda, were afterward placed under the command of General Victor, who arrived with a fresh army, were again victorious at Espinosa and Burgos, formed a junction with Soult and finally with Napoleon, and, in December, 1808, entered Madrid in triumph.
But here by some accident there ran perhaps a shelf or rock, perhaps a ruin of a Roman bridge something at least that was deep enough and solid enough to be a true ford and that we followed. The molinar even the molinar was careful of his way. Twice he waited, waist high, while the man on stilts before us suddenly lost ground and plunged to his feet.
Then I and my peasant parted, but as one should never leave a man without giving him something to show by way of token on the Day of Judgement, I gave this man a little picture of Milan, and bade him keep it for my sake. So he went his way, and I mine, and the last thing he said to me was about a 'molinar', but I did not know what that meant.
Then I said to the molinar, 'Quanta? and he, holding up a tall finger, said 'Una Lira'. The young man leapt on to his stilts, the molinar stooped down and I got upon his shoulders, and we all attempted the many streams of the river Parma, in which I think I should by myself have drowned.
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