UNREST AND REST 



135 



that the green margin of the stream, with its 

 luscious roots and grasses, would amply supply all 

 his wants. One thing only he asked of me as 

 a last favour, and that was to find for him some 

 disused burrow — under a tree-root or other such 

 protection for choice — some resting-place, however 

 humble, which he might call his own, wherein to 

 lay his aged head, with its sightless eyes, and to 

 dream away what was still left to him of life. 



Of course, I readily agreed, and we set off at 

 once on the quest. The shades of evening were 

 gathering in thickly, and darkness was beginning 

 to brood over the face of the water, when at last we 

 came upon what seemed to me to be an excellent 

 situation. A thick hedge grew right down to the 

 margin of the stream, showing great bare and 

 twisted roots where the running water had eaten 

 away the earth, and in among these roots was a 

 hole, which even a man would have pronounced 

 to be unoccupied, as there were no traces of wear 

 about the entrance at all. 



I described the situation to him carefully, and it 

 received his heartiest approbation. Just to make 

 quite sure, I begged him to remain outside for a 

 moment while I went in and explored the dwelling- 

 place. I had even kindly thoughts of collecting a 



