124 A TOXJE, ROUND MT GAEDEN. 



It led just the life I have chosen, marked out for myself, 

 and which. I follow, — when the world will have the kindness 

 to let me alone — when the wicked, the intriguing, the rogues 

 and the fools, do not force me to return to the combat — me, 

 the most pacific and the most irascible man in the world ! 



But heaven and earth are envious of happiness and dehcious 

 idleness. 



My dear brother Eugene, and the skilful engineer Sauvage, 

 the inventor of helices, were one day chattering on the banks 

 of this poor rivulet, and spoke very iU of it. " Now is not 

 this," said my brother, "a pretty do-nothing of a rivulet, 

 which goes merrily on, idling without shame, flowing in the 

 sunshine, or creeping among the grass, instead of working, and 

 paying for the ground it occupies, as an honest rivulet ou^t 

 to do. Could it not grind coffee and pepper]" 



"And sharpen tools?" answered Sauvage. 



"And saw wood)" said my brother. 



And I trembled for the rivulet; and I interrupted the con- 

 versation by crying very loudly, that these envious beings, 

 these tyrants, would in the next place trample down my 

 Verffiss-mein-nicM ! Alas! I was only able to protect it 

 against them. It was not long before a rascal came into the 

 country, whom I fi-equently saw prowhng along its green 

 banks, on the side where it leaps into the sea. This man did 

 not appear to me to have the air of one who came there to 

 seek for rhymes, or awaken sweet remembrances, or even to 

 let his thoughts fall asleep to the murmur of the water. " My 

 friend," said he to the rivulet, " you glide along, you affect a 

 quiet air, and you sing in a manner to create envy in your 

 hearer, whilst I work and toil beyond my strength. It 

 appears to me you could help me a bit ; it is not a labour you 

 are acquainted with, but I will teach you ; you shall soon be 

 in working condition. You must be very tired of leading such 

 an idle life; it will amuse you to make files and sharpen 

 knives." Shortly afterwards a wheel, machinery, and mill- 

 stone, were brought to the rivulet. From that time it works ; 

 it turns a great wheel, which turns a smaller one, which turns 

 the millstone. It sings still, but it is not that same softly 

 monotonous and happily melancholy song it used to sing. 

 There are cries and passion in the song of to-day; it bounds, 



