all is sunshine and liveliness, and
if you go . . . if you go, alas! it is not long before once more you
must set your face, a lonelier and a sadder man, towards the mountain
peaks. That seems to me to be the story of--oh, so many lives! That
seems to me to be the one big theme in a tale which superficially is
all jollity and laughter.

_Farewells!_

When Youth bids "Good-bye" to anything, it is usually to some very
_tremendous thing_--or at least, it seems to be tremendous in the eyes
of Youth. But Age--although few people ever suspect--is always saying
Farewell, not to some tremendous thing, because Age knows alas! that
very few things are tremendous, but to little everyday pleasures which
Youth, in the full pride of its few years, smiles at complaisantly, or
ignores--for will they not repeat themselves again and again, tomorrow
perhaps, certainly next year? But the "I Will" of Youth has become the
"I may" of Old Age. That is why Old Age is continually saying
"Farewell" secretly in its heart. Nobody hears it bid "Adieu" to the
things which pass; it says "Addio" under its breath so quietly that no
one ever knows: and Old Age is very, very proud. And Youth, seeing the
smile by which Old Age so often hides its tears, imagines that Age can
have no sadness beyond the fact of growing old. Youth is so strong, so
free, so contemptuous of all restraint, so secretly uncomprehending
face to face with the tears which are hastily wiped away. "For, what
has Age to weep over?" it cries. "After all, it has lived its life; it
has had its due share of existence. How stupid--to quarrel with the
shadows when they fall!" But Old Age hearing that cry, says nothing.
Youth would not understand it were it to speak a modicum of its
thoughts. Besides, Old Age is fearful of ridicule; and Youth so often
mistakes that fear for envy--whereas, Old Age envies Youth so little,
so very, very little! Would Old Age be young again? Yes, yes, a
thousand times _Yes_! But would Age be young again merely _to grow old
again_? No! A hundred thousand times No! Old Age is too difficult a
lesson to learn ever to repeat the process. Resignation is such a
hard-won victory that there remains no strength of will, no desire to
fight the battle all over again. And resignation _is_ a victory--a
victory which nothing on earth can rob us. And because it is a
victory, and because the winning of it cost us so many unseen tears, so
many pangs, s