Inthislandwherethepopulationwascentredinthetownsitwaspossibletolosesightofcivilisationinaveryshorttime，passingonlyanoccasionalfarmhouse，wherethewomenwerehandlingredrootsinthecourtyard；oralittleboylyingonhiselbowsonthehillsidesurroundedbyaflockofblackstrong-smellinggoats。
　　Saveforathreadofwateratthebottom，theriverwasmerelyadeepchannelofdryyellowstones。OnthebankgrewthosetreeswhichHelenhadsaiditwasworththevoyageoutmerelytosee。
　　Aprilhadbursttheirbuds，andtheyborelargeblossomsamongtheirglossygreenleaveswithpetalsofathickwax-likesubstancecolouredanexquisitecreamorpinkordeepcrimson。Butfilledwithoneofthoseunreasonableexultationswhichstartgenerallyfromanunknowncause，andsweepwholecountriesandskiesintotheirembrace，shewalkedwithoutseeing。Thenightwasencroachingupontheday。
　　Herearshummedwiththetunesshehadplayedthenightbefore；
　　shesang，andthesingingmadeherwalkfasterandfaster。
　　Shedidnotseedistinctlywhereshewasgoing，thetreesandthelandscapeappearingonlyasmassesofgreenandblue，withanoccasionalspaceofdifferentlycolouredsky。Facesofpeopleshehadseenlastnightcamebeforeher；sheheardtheirvoices；
　　shestoppedsinging，andbegansayingthingsoveragainorsayingthingsdifferently，orinventingthingsthatmighthavebeensaid。
　　Theconstraintofbeingamongstrangersinalongsilkdressmadeitunusuallyexcitingtostridethusalone。Hewet，Hirst，Mr。Venning，MissAllan，themusic，thelight，thedarktreesinthegarden，thedawn，——asshewalkedtheywentsurgingroundinherhead，atumultuousbackgroundfromwhichthepresentmoment，withitsopportunityofdoingexactlyassheliked，sprungmorewonderfullyvivideventhanthenightbefore。
　　Soshemighthavewalkeduntilshehadlostallknowledgeofherway，haditnotbeenfortheinterruptionofatree，which，althoughitdidnotgrowacrossherpath，stoppedheraseffectivelyasifthebrancheshadstruckherintheface。Itwasanordinarytree，buttoheritappearedsostrangethatitmighthavebeentheonlytreeintheworld。Darkwasthetrunkinthemiddle，andthebranchesspranghereandthere，leavingjaggedintervalsoflightbetweenthemasdistinctlyasifithadbutthatsecondrisenfromtheground。
　　Havingseenasightthatwouldlastherforalifetime，andforalifetimewouldpreservethatsecond，thetreeoncemoresankintotheordinaryranksoftrees，andshewasabletoseatherselfinitsshadeandtopicktheredflowerswiththethingreenleaveswhichweregrowingbeneathit。Shelaidthemsidebyside，flowertoflowerandstalktostalk，caressingthemforwalkingalone。
　　Flowersandevenpebblesintheearthhadtheirownlifeanddisposition，andbroughtbackthefeelingsofachildtowhomtheywerecompanions。
　　Lookingup，hereyewascaughtbythelineofthemountainsflyingoutenergeticallyacrosstheskylikethelashofacurlingwhip。
　　Shelookedatthepaledistantsky，andthehighbareplacesonthemountain-topslyingexposedtothesun。Whenshesatdownshehaddroppedherbooksontotheearthatherfeet，andnowshelookeddownonthemlyingthere，sosquareinthegrass，atallstembendingoverandticklingthesmoothbrowncoverofGibbon，whilethemottledblueBalzaclaynakedinthesun。Withafeelingthattoopenandreadwouldcertainlybeasurprisingexperience，sheturnedthehistorian’spageandreadthat——
　　Hisgenerals，intheearlypartofhisreign，attemptedthereductionofAethiopiaandArabiaFelix。Theymarchednearathousandmilestothesouthofthetropic；buttheheatoftheclimatesoonrepelledtheinvadersandprotectedtheunwarlikenativesofthosesequesteredregions……ThenortherncountriesofEuropescarcelydeservedtheexpenseandlabourofconquest。
　　TheforestsandmorassesofGermanywerefilledwithahardyraceofbarbarians，whodespisedlifewhenitwasseparatedfromfreedom。
　　Neverhadanywordsbeensovividandsobeautiful——ArabiaFelix——
　　Aethiopia。Butthosewerenotmorenoblethantheothers，hardybarbarians，forests，andmorasses。Theyseemedtodriveroadsbacktotheverybeginningoftheworld，oneithersideofwhichthepopulationsofalltimesandcountriesstoodinavenues，andbypassingdownthemallknowledgewouldbehers，andthebookoftheworldturnedbacktotheveryfirstpage。
　　Suchwasherexcitementatthepossibilitiesofknowledgenowopeningbeforeherthatsheceasedtoread，andabreezeturningthepage，thecoversofGibbongentlyruffledandclosedtogether。Shethenroseagainandwalkedon。Slowlyhermindbecamelessconfusedandsoughttheoriginsofherexaltation，whichweretwofoldandcouldbelimitedbyanefforttothepersonsofMr。HirstandMr。Hewet。
　　Anyclearanalysisofthemwasimpossibleowingtothehazeofwonderinwhichtheywereenveloped。Shecouldnotreasonaboutthemasaboutpeoplewhosefeelingswentbythesameruleasherowndid，andherminddweltonthemwithakindofphysicalpleasuresuchasiscausedbythecontemplationofbrightthingshanginginthesun。
　　Fromthemalllifeseemedtoradiate；theverywordsofbooksweresteepedinradiance。Shethenbecamehauntedbyasuspicionwhichshewassoreluctanttofacethatshewelcomedatripandstumbleoverthegrassbecausethusherattentionwasdispersed，butinasecondithadcollecteditselfagain。Unconsciouslyshehadbeenwalkingfasterandfaster，herbodytryingtooutrunhermind；
　　butshewasnowonthesummitofalittlehillockofearthwhichroseabovetheriveranddisplayedthevalley。Shewasnolongerabletojugglewithseveralideas，butmustdealwiththemostpersistent，andakindofmelancholyreplacedherexcitement。Shesankdownontotheearthclaspingherkneestogether，andlookingblanklyinfrontofher。Forsometimesheobservedagreatyellowbutterfly，whichwasopeningandclosingitswingsveryslowlyonalittleflatstone。
　　“Whatisittobeinlove？“shedemanded，afteralongsilence；
　　eachwordasitcameintobeingseemedtoshoveitselfoutintoanunknownsea。Hypnotisedbythewingsofthebutterfly，andawedbythediscoveryofaterriblepossibilityinlife，shesatforsometimelonger。Whenthebutterflyflewaway，sherose，andwithhertwobooksbeneathherarmreturnedhomeagain，muchasasoldierpreparedforbattle。
　　Thesunofthatsamedaygoingdown，duskwassalutedasusualatthehotelbyaninstantaneoussparkleofelectriclights。
　　Thehoursbetweendinnerandbedtimewerealwaysdifficultenoughtokill，andthenightafterthedancetheywerefurthertarnishedbythepeevishnessofdissipation。Certainly，intheopinionofHirstandHewet，wholaybackinlongarm-chairsinthemiddleofthehall，withtheircoffee-cupsbesidethem，andtheircigarettesintheirhands，theeveningwasunusuallydull，thewomenunusuallybadlydressed，themenunusuallyfatuous。Moreover，whenthemailhadbeendistributedhalfanhouragotherewerenolettersforeitherofthetwoyoungmen。Aseveryotherperson，practically，hadreceivedtwoorthreeplumplettersfromEngland，whichtheywerenowengagedinreading，thisseemedhard，andpromptedHirsttomakethecausticremarkthattheanimalshadbeenfed。
　　Theirsilence，hesaid，remindedhimofthesilenceinthelion-housewheneachbeastholdsalumpofrawmeatinitspaws。Hewenton，stimulatedbythiscomparison，tolikensometohippopotamuses，sometocanarybirds，sometoswine，sometoparrots，andsometoloathsomereptilescurledroundthehalf-decayedbodiesofsheep。
　　Theintermittentsounds——nowacough，nowahorriblewheezingorthroat-clearing，nowalittlepatterofconversation——werejust，hedeclared，whatyouhearifyoustandinthelion-housewhenthebonesarebeingmauled。ButthesecomparisonsdidnotrouseHewet，who，afteracarelessglanceroundtheroom，fixedhiseyesuponathicketofnativespearswhichweresoingeniouslyarrangedastoruntheirpointsatyouwhicheverwayyouapproachedthem。
　　Hewasclearlyobliviousofhissurroundings；whereuponHirst，perceivingthatHewet’smindwasacompleteblank，fixedhisattentionmorecloselyuponhisfellow-creatures。Hewastoofarfromthem，however，tohearwhattheyweresaying，butitpleasedhimtoconstructlittletheoriesaboutthemfromtheirgesturesandappearance。
　　Mrs。Thornburyhadreceivedagreatmanyletters。Shewascompletelyengrossedinthem。Whenshehadfinishedapageshehandedittoherhusband，orgavehimthesenseofwhatshewasreadinginaseriesofshortquotationslinkedtogetherbyasoundatthebackofherthroat。“EviewritesthatGeorgehasgonetoGlasgow。
　　’HefindsMr。Chadbournesonicetoworkwith，andwehopetospendChristmastogether，butIshouldnotliketomoveBettyandAlfredanygreatdistanceno，quiteright，thoughitisdifficulttoimaginecoldweatherinthisheat……EleanorandRogerdroveoverinthenewtrap……EleanorcertainlylookedmorelikeherselfthanI’veseenhersincethewinter。ShehasputBabyonthreebottlesnow，whichI’msureiswiseI’msureitistoo，andsogetsbetternights……Myhairstillfallsout。Ifinditonthepillow！ButIamcheeredbyhearingfromTottieHallGreen……MurielisinTorquayenjoyingherselfgreatlyatdances。
　　She_is_goingtoshowherblackputafterall。’……AlinefromHerbert——sobusy，poorfellow！Ah！Margaretsays，’PooroldMrs。Fairbankdiedontheeighth，quitesuddenlyintheconservatory，onlyamaidinthehouse，whohadn’tthepresenceofmindtoliftherup，whichtheythinkmighthavesavedher，butthedoctorsaysitmighthavecomeatanymoment，andonecanonlyfeelthankfulthatitwasinthehouseandnotinthestreetIshouldthinkso！。
　　Thepigeonshaveincreasedterribly，justastherabbitsdidfiveyearsago……’“Whileshereadherhusbandkeptnoddinghisheadveryslightly，butverysteadilyinsignofapproval。
　　Nearby，MissAllanwasreadingherletterstoo。Theywerenotaltogetherpleasant，ascouldbeseenfromtheslightrigiditywhichcameoverherlargefinefaceasshefinishedreadingthemandreplacedthemneatlyintheirenvelopes。Thelinesofcareandresponsibilityonherfacemadeherresembleanelderlymanratherthanawoman。Thelettersbroughthernewsofthefailureoflastyear’sfruitcropinNewZealand，whichwasaseriousmatter，forHubert，heronlybrother，madehislivingonafruitfarm，andifitfailedagain，ofcourse，hewouldthrowuphisplace，comebacktoEngland，andwhatweretheytodowithhimthistime？
　　Thejourneyouthere，whichmeantthelossofaterm’swork，becameanextravaganceandnotthejustandwonderfulholidayduetoherafterfifteenyearsofpunctuallecturingandcorrectingessaysuponEnglishliterature。Emily，hersister，whowasateacheralso，wrote:“Weoughttobeprepared，thoughIhavenodoubtHubertwillbemorereasonablethistime。“AndthenwentoninhersensiblewaytosaythatshewasenjoyingaveryjollytimeintheLakes。“Theyarelookingexceedinglyprettyjustnow。
　　Ihaveseldomseenthetreessoforwardatthistimeofyear。
　　Wehavetakenourlunchoutseveraldays。OldAliceisasyoungasever，andasksaftereveryoneaffectionately。Thedayspassveryquickly，andtermwillsoonbehere。Politicalprospects_not_good，Ithinkprivately，butdonotliketodampEllen’senthusiasm。
　　LloydGeorgehastakentheBillup，butsohavemanybeforenow，andwearewhereweare；buttrusttofindmyselfmistaken。
　　Anyhow，wehaveourworkcutoutforus……SurelyMeredithlacksthe_human_noteonelikesinW。W。？“sheconcluded，andwentontodiscusssomequestionsofEnglishliteraturewhichMissAllanhadraisedinherlastletter。
　　AtalittledistancefromMissAllan，onaseatshadedandmadesemi-privatebyathickclumpofpalmtrees，ArthurandSusanwerereadingeachother’sletters。Thebigslashingmanuscriptsofhockey-playingyoungwomeninWiltshirelayonArthur’sknee，whileSusandecipheredtightlittlelegalhandswhichrarelyfilledmorethanapage，andalwaysconveyedthesameimpressionofjocularandbreezygoodwill。
　　“IdohopeMr。Hutchinsonwilllikeme，Arthur，“shesaid，lookingup。
　　“Who’syourlovingFlo？“askedArthur。
　　“FloGraves——thegirlItoldyouabout，whowasengagedtothatdreadfulMr。Vincent，“saidSusan。“IsMr。Hutchinsonmarried？“
　　sheasked。