第22部分(第1/7 页)

word　Home　will　have　only　a　special　significance；　indicating　the　mon　abode　of　retired　labourers　who　are　drawing　old…age　pensions。

XVIII

I　cannot　close　my　eyes　upon　this　day　without　setting　down　some　record　of　it；　yet　the　foolish　insufficiency　of　words！　At　sunrise　I　looked　forth；　nowhere　could　I　discern　a　cloud　the　size　of　a　man's　hand；　the　leaves　quivered　gently；　as　if　with　joy　in　the　divine　morning　which　glistened　upon　their　dew。　At　sunset　I　stood　in　the　meadow　above　my　house；　and　watched　the　red　orb　sink　into　purple　mist；　whilst　in　the　violet　heaven　behind　me　rose　the　perfect　moon。　All　between；　through　the　soft　circling　of　the　dial's　shadow；　was　loveliness　and　quiet　unutterable。　Never；　I　could　fancy；　did　autumn　clothe　in　such　magnificence　the　elms　and　beeches；　never；　I　should　think；　did　the　leafage　on　my　walls　blaze　in　such　royal　crimson。　It　was　no　day　for　wandering；　under　a　canopy　of　blue　or　gold；　where　the　eye　could　fall　on　nothing　that　was　not　beautiful；　enough　to　be　at　one　with　Nature　in　dreamy　rest。　From　stubble　fields　sounded　the　long　caw　of　rooks；　a　sleepy　crowing　ever　and　anon　told　of　the　neighbour　farm；　my　doves　cooed　above　their　cot。　Was　it　for　five　minutes；　or　was　it　for　an　hour；　that　I　watched　the　yellow　butterfly　wafted　as　by　an　insensible　tremor　of　the　air　amid　the　garden　glintings？　In　every　autumn　there　es　one　such　flawless　day。　None　that　I　have　known　brought　me　a　mind　so　touched　to　the　fitting　mood　of　wele；　and　so　fulfilled　the　promise　of　its　peace。

XIX

I　was　at　ramble　in　the　lanes；　when；　from　somewhere　at　a　distance；　there　sounded　the　voice　of　a　countryman……strange　to　say……singing。　The　notes　were　indistinct；　but　they　rose；　to　my　ear；　with　a　moment's　musical　sadness；　and　of　a　sudden　my　heart　was　stricken　with　a　memory　so