And when he went on saying nothing but "Eh! eh!" and kept advancing
toward me step by step, I was suddenly seized with so curious a
sensation of disgust that I hastily jumped to my feet, leaped over the
fence, and, without looking round, ran across country until my fiddle
in my pocket twanged again.
When at last I stopped to take breath, the orchard and the whole
valley were out of sight and I was in a beautiful forest. But I took
little note of it, for I was downright provoked at the peasant's
impertinence, and I fumed for a long time, to myself. I walked on
quickly, going farther and farther from the high-road and in among the
mountains. The plank-roadway which I had been following ceased, and
before me was only a narrow, unfrequented foot-path. Not a soul was
to be seen anywhere, and no sound was to be heard. But it was very
pleasant walking; the trees rustled and the birds sang sweetly. I
resigned myself to the guidance of heaven, and, taking out my violin,
played all my favorite airs. Very joyous they sounded in the lonely
forest.
I grew tired of playing after a while, for I stumbled every minute
over the tiresome roots of the trees, and I began to grow very hungry,
while the wood seemed endless. Thus I wandered for the entire day,
until the sun's rays came aslant through the trunks of the trees, when
at last I emerged on a little grassy vale shut in by the mountains and
gay with red and yellow flowers, above which myriads of butterflies
were fluttering in the golden light of the setting sun.
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