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"Night quickly shut in, but to my extreme wonder, I found that

the cottagers had a means of prolonging light by the use of

tapers, and was delighted to find that the setting of the sun did

not put an end to the pleasure I experienced in watching my human

neighbours. In the evening the young girl and her companion were

employed in various occupations which I did not understand; and

the old man again took up the instrument which produced the

divine sounds that had enchanted me in the morning. So soon as he

had finished, the youth began, not to play, but to utter sounds

that were monotonous, and neither resembling the harmony of the

old man's instrument nor the songs of the birds; I since found

that he read aloud, but at that time I knew nothing of the

science of words or letters.

"The family, after having been thus occupied for a short time,

extinguished their lights and retired, as I conjectured, to

rest."

Chapter 12