Gone to Earth

her had finished his break

-frames?' he asked,

A

I'll be able to get them there new section crates I wanted. He's doing more for me

ither of them reflected that Abel had always been like that tow

ut Hazel's adventures, and she

chicken,' said Abel, after

I'm away, being clemmed

announced, 'it's the water and a st

durst

see if

d it hard enough to be dignified when we have done right; but Foxy could

content-digestive content, a state bordering on t

cken; the hours she had spent in gnawin

little thing!' wailed

u dead. What for did yo

me more eloquent

'Eh! I wish you and me could live all alone by

dently feeling doubtful if such a

r Foxy. She knew that if she did not take Foxy away

nd cows. You was made a fox, and you be a fox, and its queer-like to me, Foxy, as folk canna see that. They expect y

Hazel went in to try her proposition on Abel. But Abel

, would a tarrier do that-a well-tr

make the same law for

,' said Abel. 'And what g

all for you!'

E

even days only for Abel Wo

you 'ave. How many young fellers told you your 'air was abron this time? That fool

the lucky hit about the young fellows and the reminiscence called up

el; it's time you was mar

ne'er get

e the first as comes-if t

one had asked her, and that no labo

her head, 'I will marry, t

rtier; maybe they'll be cleaner w

. He was always saying

ted th

first as comes!' she c

in Abel. 'What'l

Little M

th, you're bound to keep it, and so now I know that if e

wrathful for

bel said. 'I 'spose you'll be wearing

meet

you for it-to sing? They'm afte

t everythin

or certain sur

Monday thr

n prac

the music. One of them sort as is that m

l be grand to be in a g

bin in a gent

as take

ent I dunno who is, for he's got a watch-chai

g like a blackbird. Hazel sat down and watched him, resting her

r souls to rest in as inna tired, as there's

nk of me coffin? That's about the only thing as I'll n

it came o'er me as I'll

found that out? Laws! what

ght of the active, angular old man for w

,' she said slowly. Then she sprang up feverishly. 'Let's

and began to harp madly, till the little shanty throbbed with the sound of the wires and the lament

home seemed dull. She thought wistfully of the green silk dress and the supper in the old, stately room. She thoug

I'll go and see

cles had formed round the water-butt; the strange humming stillnes

e,' she thought.

ed to the prickly wreath, sewing on the variegated holly-

o 'im?' she asked;

is father died he 'ad his enjoyment-proud as proud

a wonderful new sensation. She fetched a cloth and rubbed at the brown mark. It would not come out. As long as she wore t

he burst

d the deep lament, old as the moan of forests and falling water, that goes up th

*

in. But Hazel did not mind that, though her boots let in the water, as she minded the atmosphere of gloom at old Samson's blind house. She would never, as Abel always did, 'view the corpse,' and this was always taken as an insult. So she waited in the ro

had been given, over and above the usual

rop at the pub

onderful place. She sat in a corner of the settle and watched her boots steam, growing very sleepy. But suddenly there wa

id Hazel, 'it met be the

n,' said the rider,

new who

ere's any young lady about here with

t wrong,' t

there's no lady of that colour hereabouts. And wh

's young-young as a kitt

d her hands

ddler chap her

and went t

arps,' he said. 'Saw! saw! The only time as ever I liked a fiddle was w

Reddin. 'I didn't com

per, a concert or a wedding,' Abel we

n lau

be the las

both, I suppose,' said the pu

a great roar

!' he

sively, as if half prepared to go to the door. She sat

, nodding his large head wisely, 'h

l troughing, and the patter of rain on the iron roof of the house and the miniature roof

mer of it in such words as Eternity, Fate, God. All the outcries of all creatures, living and dying, sink in its depth as in an unsounded ocean. Whether this listening silence, incurious, yet hearing all, is benignant or malevolent, who can say? The wistful dreams of men haunt this theme for ever; the

aven,' a song her mother had taught her. He was to accompany the choir, or glee-party, that met

a miserable bit of a silly song, but you mun make the best of i

dramatic than musical. She would sink her voice in the sad

wen's old sheep-dog,' he

She was a wild thing, and she sang according to instinct

sun was hot. Hazel, under the pale green larch-trees, in her bright dress,

s slung from his shoulder, the gilding looking tawdry in the open day. Twice during the walk, once in a round clearing fringed with birches, and once in a pine-glade, he stopped, put the har

ybe they'd think I wa

erging from his abstraction. 'It inn

ed Hazel shrilly. 'I dunna wan

ove, might nod thoughtfully over a human destiny. Someone, it almost seemed, had

than ever in the spring world. Here and there the leaves of a young tree lipped the grey-whit

larger heaps and skir

place,' said Hazel;

born, a cow fell down that t

hey sa

She was all

een suspected. But it was not epilepsy. It was pity. She, in her inexpressive, childish way, shared with the love-martyr of Galilee the heartrending capacity for imaginative sympathy. In common with Him and others

er father now. 'You're too nesh,

im was not that warm, suffering thing, cr

teep grey cliff, her hands folde

come to me hereabouts,' she

crouching look, and the large soft leaves of a plane-tree flapped helple

uddenly he turned ro

. 'Hark at the music! They

oung lamb runs with its mother. She forgot her dark intuitions; she only remembered that sh