Luckfavoredmeasecondtime。Asarewardformyprowess，IwasgivenLaFontaine’sFables，inapopular，cheapedition，crammedwithpictures，small，Iadmit，andveryinaccurate，butstilldelightful。Herewerethecrow，thefox，thewolf，themagpie，thefrog，therabbit，theass，thedog，thecat:allpersonsofmyacquaintance。Thegloriousbookwasimmenselytomytaste，withitsskimpyillustrationsonwhichtheanimalwalkedandtalked。Astounderstandingwhatitsaid，thatwasanotherstory！Nevermind，mylad！Puttogethersyllablesthatsaynothingtoyouasyet;theywillspeaktoyoulaterandLaFontainewillalwaysremainyourfriend。
IcometothetimewhenIwastenyearsoldandatRodezCollege。
Myfunctionsasaservingboyinthechapelentitledmetofreeinstructionasadayboarder。Therewerefourofusinwhitesurplicesandredskull—capsandcassocks。Iwastheyoungestofthepartyanddidlittlemorethanwalkon。Icountedasaunit;
andthatwasaboutall，forIwasnevercertainwhentoringthebellormovethemissal。Iwasallofatremblewhenwegatheredtwoonthissideandtwoonthat，withgenuflection’s，inthemiddleofthesanctuary，tointonetheDomine，salvumfacregernattheendofmass。Letmemakeaconfession:tongue—tiedwithshyness，Iusedtoleaveittotheothers。
Nevertheless，Iwaswellthoughtof，for，intheschool，Icutagoodfigureincompositionandtranslation。Inthatclassicalatmosphere，therewastalkofProcas，KingofAlba，andofhistwosons，NumitorandAmulius。WeheardofCynoegirus，thestrongjawedman，who，havinglosthistwohandsinbattle，seizedandheldaPersiangalleywithhisteeth，andofCadmusthePhoenician，whosowedadragon’steethasthoughtheywerebeansandgatheredhisharvestintheshapeofahostofarmedmen，whokilledoneanotherastheyroseupfromtheground。Theonlyonewhosurvivedtheslaughterwasoneastoughasleather，presumablythesonofthebigbackgrinder。