QUERCUS ALBA 



for the privilege of drifting on grace- 

 fully to old age, was done. 



Now, at last free from the neces- 

 sity of battle, free to grow accord- 

 ing to the dictates of his own will, 

 there seemed no reason why Quer- 

 cus Alba should not continue to 

 increase in size indefinitely. In the 

 beginning he did so, for the space 

 of a human generation, and still 

 another. In the moist, fertile soil 

 about his roots food was unlimited. 

 Above were sunlight and air with- 



41 



