The young man had listened with an emotion for which he could not account, to this long harangue. In his heart he recognized, through the hunter's exaggeration, the justice of his reasoning, and felt startled at being compelled to allow him to be in the right. Not knowing what to reply, or feeling that he was beaten, the Count suddenly turned the conversation.
"Hum!" he began, "I think you said it was past twelve?"
"About a quarter past," the hunter answered.
The Count consulted, his watch.
"Quite right," he said.
"Oh!" the hunter continued, pointing to the sun, "that is the only true clock; it never goes too fast or too slow, for Heaven regulates it."
The young man bowed his head affirmatively.
"We will start," he said.
"For what good at this moment?" the Canadian asked. "We have nothing pressing before us."
"That is true; but are you sure we have not lost our way?"