第4部分(第1/7 頁)

the　day's　delight。　I　went　bare…headed；　that　the　golden　beams　might　shed　upon　me　their　unstinted　blessing。　That　day　I　must　have　walked　some　thirty　miles；　yet　I　knew　not　fatigue。　Could　I　but　have　once　more　the　strength　which　then　supported　me！

I　had　stepped　into　a　new　life。　Between　the　man　I　had　been　and　that　which　I　now　became　there　was　a　very　notable　difference。　In　a　single　day　I　had　matured　astonishingly；　which　means；　no　doubt；　that　I　suddenly　entered　into　conscious　enjoyment　of　powers　and　sensibilities　which　had　been　developing　unknown　to　me。　To　instance　only　one　point：　till　then　I　had　cared　very　little　about　plants　and　flowers；　but　now　I　found　myself　eagerly　interested　in　every　blossom；　in　every　growth　of　the　wayside。　As　I　walked　I　gathered　a　quantity　of　plants；　promising　myself　to　buy　a　book　on　the　morrow　and　identify　them　all。　Nor　was　it　a　passing　humour；　never　since　have　I　lost　my　pleasure　in　the　flowers　of　the　field；　and　my　desire　to　know　them　all。　My　ignorance　at　the　time　of　which　I　speak　seems　to　me　now　very　shameful；　but　I　was　merely　in　the　case　of　ordinary　people；　whether　living　in　town　or　country。　How　many　could　give　the　familiar　name　of　half　a　dozen　plants　plucked　at　random　from　beneath　the　hedge　in　springtime？　To　me　the　flowers　became　symbolical　of　a　great　release；　of　a　wonderful　awakening。　My　eyes　had　all　at　once　been　opened；　till　then　I　had　walked　in　darkness；　yet　knew　it　not。

Well　do　I　remember　the　rambles　of　that　springtide。　I　had　a　lodging　in　one　of　those　outer　streets　of　Exeter　which　savour　more　of　country　than　of　town；　and　every　morning　I　set　forth　to　make　discoveries。　The　weather　could　not　have　been　more　kindly；　I　felt　the　influences　of　a　climate　I　had　never　known；　there　was　a　balm　in　the　air　which　soothed　no　less　than　it　exhilara