第16部分(第3/7 頁)

　which　are　all　but　trunks；　at　the　great　beautiful　leaves。　Delightful；　too；　are　the　scarlet　runners；　which　have　to　be　propped　again　and　again；　or　they　would　break　down　under　the　abundance　of　their　yield。　It　is　a　treat　to　me　to　go　among　them　with　a　basket；　gathering；　I　feel　as　though　Nature　herself　showed　kindness　to　me；　in　giving　me　such　abundant　food。　How　fresh　and　wholesome　are　the　odours……especially　if　a　shower　has　fallen　not　long　ago！

I　have　some　magnificent　carrots　this　year……straight；　clean；　tapering；　the　colour　a　joy　to　look　upon。

XXV

For　two　things　do　my　thoughts　turn　now　and　then　to　London。　I　should　like　to　hear　the　long　note　of　a　master's　violin；　or　the　faultless　cadence　of　an　exquisite　voice；　and　I　should　like　to　see　pictures。　Music　and　painting　have　always　meant　much　to　me；　here　I　can　enjoy　them　only　in　memory。

Of　course　there　is　the　disfort　of　concert…hall　and　exhibition…　rooms。　My　pleasure　in　the　finest　music　would　be　greatly　spoilt　by　having　to　sit　amid　a　crowd；　with　some　idiot　audible　on　right　hand　or　left；　and　the　show　of　pictures　would　give　me　a　headache　in　the　first　quarter　of　an　hour。　Non　sum　qualis　eram　when　I　waited　several　hours　at　the　gallery　door　to　hear　Patti；　and　knew　not　a　moment's　fatigue　to　the　end　of　the　concert；　or　when；　at　the　Academy；　I　was　astonished　to　find　that　it　was　four　o'clock；　and　I　had　forgotten　food　since　breakfast。　The　truth　is；　I　do　not　much　enjoy　anything　nowadays　which　I　cannot　enjoy　ALONE。　It　sounds　morose；　I　imagine　the　ment　of　good　people　if　they　overheard　such　a　confession。　Ought　I；　in　truth；　to　be　ashamed　of　it？

I　always　read　the　newspaper　articles　on　exhibitions　of　pictures；　and　with　most　pleasure　when　the　pictures　are　landscapes。　The　mere　names　of　paintings　often　gladden　me　for　a　wh