A RIDICULOUS ANTI-CLIMAX 215 



While I hesitated lo, a shriek that I 

 knew ; the saucy chipmunk emerged " full 

 of fight," and I suddenly remembered that 

 one of these small creatures can make as 

 much noise scurrying about among the dry 

 leaves as an elephant crashing through 

 them. 



I was relieved but the woods-spirit had 

 departed. This ridiculous anti-climax broke 

 the spell of solitude, and put to flight all my 

 reveries. I gathered up my belongings and 

 prepared to pick my perilous way down the 

 rocks, musing upon my small tormentor. 

 Why did Nature make such a little beast, 

 and endow him with such a big capacity for 

 noise and confusion? and above all, why 

 did she place him in the heart of her most 

 beautiful creation the woods ? 



