So, he went away with that young man, and presently they came to one of the prettiest
girls that ever was seen—just like Fanny in the corner there—and she had eyes like
Fanny, and hair like Fanny, and dimples like Fanny’s, and she laughed and colored
just as Fanny does while I am talking about her. So, the young man fell in love directly—
just as Somebody I won’t mention, the first time he came here, did with Fanny.
Well! he was teased sometimes—just as Somebody used to be by Fanny;
and they sometimes quarreled—just as Somebody and Fanny used to quarrel;
and they made it up and sat in the dark, and wrote letters every day, and never
were happy asunder and were always looking out for one another and pretending
not to, and were engaged at Christmas time and sat close to one another by the fire,
and were going to be married very soon—all exactly like Somebody I won’t mention,
and Fanny!
But, the traveler lost them one day, as he had lost the rest of his friends, and,
after calling to them to come back, which they never did, went on upon his journey.
So, he went on for a little while without seeing anything until, at last, he came
to a middle-aged gentleman.
So, he said to the gentleman, “What are you doing here?”
And his answer was, “I am always busy. Come and be busy with me!”
So, he began to be very busy with that gentleman, and they went on through the wood
together. The whole journey was through a wood, only it had been open and green
at first, like a wood in spring, and now began to be thick and dark, like a wood
in summer; some of the little trees that had come out earliest were even turning brown.
The gentleman was not alone but had a lady of about the same age with him,
who was his Wife, and they had children, who were with them too. So, they all went
on together through the wood, cutting down the trees, making a path through
the branches and the fallen leaves, carrying burdens, and working hard.
Sometimes, they came to a long green avenue that opened into deeper woods.
Then they would hear a very little, distant voice crying,
“Father, father, I am another child! Stop for me!”
And presently, they would see a very little figure, growing larger as it came along,
running to join them. When it came up, they all crowded around it and kissed
and welcomed it; and then they all went on together.
Sometimes, they came to several avenues at once, and then they all stood still,
and one of the children said, “Father, I am going to sea,” and another said,
“Father, I am going to India,”
and another, “Father, I am going to seek my fortune where I can,”
and another, “Father, I am going to Heaven!”
So, with many tears at parting, they went, solitary, down those avenues, each child
upon its way; and the child who went to Heaven rose into the golden air and vanished.
Whenever these partings happened, the traveler looked at the gentleman and saw him
glance up at the sky above the trees, where the day was beginning to decline
and the sunset to come on. He saw, too, that his hair was turning grey. But, they never
could rest long, for they had their journey to perform, and it was necessary for them
to be always busy.
At last, there had been so many partings that there were no children left, and only
the traveler, the gentleman, and the lady went upon their way in company.
And now the wood was yellow; and now brown; and the leaves, even of the forest trees,
began to fall.