THE MAYFLIES 95 



small, hooved feet. The foolish might 

 suppose this the spoor of Widow Chouan's 

 goats, but they abide, at least, a Ueue away 

 and would not stray so far ; besides, these 

 marks were never made by Breton goat, 

 they show a hoof more arched and classic. 



At this spot is a tinkling runnel screened 

 by great bracken fi'onds and heather. 

 Beyond the ground breaks steeply away, 

 and you emerge on open rock-strewn 

 country. Here and there you will see a 

 homestead with its orchard, but for the 

 most part uncultivated land ; all this the 

 peasants call " the happy valley." 



We count words pleasant or unpleasing 

 by past significance, by their bearing on 

 our personal remembrance. I wish that I 

 could change this name, for some of us 

 cannot forget another " happy valley " in 

 far Picardy, where things that once were 

 men lay huddled stark and black-faced 

 under a brazen and a cloudless sky. But 

 here we would blot out all infamy, hark 

 back to living days of June, before the 

 world went mad. Therefore we will call 

 this Breton vale " the golden valley." 

 And truly, for in the spring it is a 



