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>onique 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. 

 Veronique will remain alone in our me"nory as — The 

 Sylvan Year. 



