238 October Conclusion. 



and his pleasure in escaping from my own paternal 

 society ; but a little reflection soon set me right on 

 these points. His was not the age when learning of 

 any kind is a solace or a pleasure, nor does the for- 

 tunate elasticity of youth accept any bereavement, 

 however terrible, as a sufficient reason for perpetual 

 sadness ; whilst as to the charms of my own society, 

 I quite understood that a lad, who for nine months had 

 sat at table opposite to a grave old face like mine, 

 might wish to see younger faces and merrier. How- 

 ever, I confess that what Alexis learned during our 

 time at the Val Ste. Ve*ronique was not of a very intel- 

 lectual nature. He picked up a good deal of natural 

 history from the keeper, and acquired something of the 

 knowledge which distinguishes Red Indians, at least 

 in Cooper's novels ; and he educated his legs, for he 

 became an excellent pedestrian. All this is excellent 

 in its way ; but another year of our wood-life would 

 turn the boy into a half -savage, and unfit him for any 

 other society than that of his dear friend, the Weasel. 

 So our experiment -of sylvan retirement is not likely to 

 be repeated, except for briefer spaces. We may, in 

 the future, permit ourselves the enjoyment of sylvan 

 weeks or months ; but this long stay in the Val Ste. 

 V6ronique will remain alone in our memory as THE 

 SYLVAN YEAR. 



