But these pleasures had to end; it grew colder and colder; we had long since consumed all the old grape-roots which constituted our _petit bois_, and we were ravaging our way through an expensive pile of _grand bois_ without much effect upon the climate. One morning the most enterprising spirit of our party kindled such a mighty blaze on our chamber hearth that she set the chimney on fire, thus threatening the Swiss republic with the loss of the insurance, and involving mademoiselle in I know not what penalties for having a chimney that could be set on fire. By the blessing of Heaven, the vigor of mademoiselle, and the activity of Louis and Alexis the farmer, the flames were subdued and the house saved. Mademoiselle forgave us, but we knew it was time to go, and the next Sunday we were in Florence.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Little Swiss Sojourn, by W. D. Howells