Once in the woods, an exquisite sense of freedom came upon him.
There was nothing mocking in the soft, graceful stir of the
expanded foliage, in the twittering of the unfrightened birds,
or the scampering of the squirrels, over the rustling carpet of
dead leaves. He lay down upon the moss under a spreading beech-
tree and tried to think; but the thoughts would not come. He could
not even clearly recall the keen troubles and mortifications he had
endured: all things were so peaceful and beautiful that a portion
of their peace and beauty fell upon men and invested them with a
more kindly character.
Towards noon Jacob found himself beyond the limited geography of
his life. The first man he encountered was a stranger, who greeted
him with a hearty and respectful "How do you do, sir?"
"Perhaps," thought Jacob, "I am not so very different from other
people, if I only thought so myself."
At noon, he stopped at a farm-house by the roadside to get a drink
of water. A pleasant woman, who came from the door at that moment
with a pitcher, allowed him to lower the bucket and haul it up
dripping with precious coolness.
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