第30部分(第2/7 頁)

　woodpecker　from　the　copse　in　yonder　hollow。　。　。　。

In　the　falling　of　a　summer　night；　I　walk　by　Ullswater。　The　sky　is　still　warm　with　the　afterglow　of　sunset；　a　dusky　crimson　smouldering　above　the　dark　mountain　line。　Below　me　spreads　a　long　reach　of　the　lake；　steel…grey　between　its　dim　colourless　shores。　In　the　profound　stillness；　the　trotting　of　a　horse　beyond　the　water　sounds　strangely　near；　it　serves　only　to　make　more　sensible　the　repose　of　Nature　in　this　her　sanctuary。　I　feel　a　solitude　unutterable；　yet　nothing　akin　to　desolation；　the　heart　of　the　land　I　love　seems　to　beat　in　the　silent　night　gathering　around　me；　amid　things　eternal；　I　touch　the　familiar　and　the　kindly　earth。　Moving；　I　step　softly；　as　though　my　footfall　were　an　irreverence。　A　turn　in　the　road；　and　there　is　wafted　to　me　a　faint　perfume；　that　of　meadow…sweet。　Then　I　see　a　light　glimmering　in　the　farmhouse　window……a　little　ray　against　the　blackness　of　the　great　hillside；　below　which　the　water　sleeps。　。　。　。

A　pathway　leads　me　by　the　winding　of　the　river　Ouse。　Far　on　every　side　stretches　a　homely　landscape；　tilth　and　pasture；　hedgerow　and　clustered　trees；　to　where　the　sky　rests　upon　the　gentle　hills。　Slow；　silent；　the　river　lapses　between　its　daisied　banks；　its　grey…　green　osier　beds。　Yonder　is　the　little　town　of　St。　Neots。　In　all　England　no　simpler　bit　of　rural　scenery；　in　all　the　world　nothing　of　its　kind　more　beautiful。　Cattle　are　lowing　amid　the　rich　meadows。　Here　one　may　loiter　and　dream　in　utter　restfulness；　whilst　the　great　white　clouds　mirror　themselves　in　the　water　as　they　pass　above。　。　。　。

I　am　walking　upon　the　South　Downs。　In　the　valleys；　the　sun　lies　hot；　but　here　sings　a　breeze　which　freshens　the　forehead　and　fills　the　heart　with　gladness。　My　foot　upon　the　short；　soft　tur