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，butIshouldnotliketomoveBettyandAlfredanygreatdistance(no，quiteright)，thoughitisdifficulttoimaginecoldweatherinthisheat……EleanorandRogerdroveoverinthenewtrap……EleanorcertainlylookedmorelikeherselfthanI’veseenhersincethewinter。ShehasputBabyonthreebottlesnow，whichI’msureiswise(I’msureitistoo)，andsogetsbetternights……Myhairstillfallsout。Ifinditonthepillow！ButIamcheeredbyhearingfromTottieHallGreen……MurielisinTorquayenjoyingherselfgreatlyatdances。
She_is_goingtoshowherblackputafterall。’……AlinefromHerbert——sobusy，poorfellow！Ah！Margaretsays，’PooroldMrs。Fairbankdiedontheeighth，quitesuddenlyintheconservatory，onlyamaidinthehouse，whohadn’tthepresenceofmindtoliftherup，whichtheythinkmighthavesavedher，butthedoctorsaysitmighthavecomeatanymoment，andonecanonlyfeelthankfulthatitwasinthehouseandnotinthestreet(Ishouldthinkso！)。
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。
