pageant of summer-第3章

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nests；　the　butterflies　fluttered　by；　and　the　acorns　dropped　from　

the　oaks。　　It　is　a　long；　long　time；　counted　by　artificial　hours　or　

by　the　seasons；　but　it　is　longer　still　in　another　way。　　The　

greenfinch　in　the　hawthorn　yonder　has　been　there　since　I　came　out；　

and　all　the　time　has　been　happily　talking　to　his　love。　　He　has　left　

the　hawthorn　indeed；　but　only　for　a　minute　or　two；　to　fetch　a　few　

seeds；　and　comes　back　each　time　more　full　of　song…talk　than　ever。　　

He　notes　no　slow　movement　of　the　oak's　shadow　on　the　grass；　it　is　

nothing　to　him　and　his　lady　dear　that　the　sun；　as　seen　from　his　

nest；　is　crossing　from　one　great　bough　of　the　oak　to　another。　　The　

dew　even　in　the　deepest　and　most　tangled　grass　has　long　since　been　

dried；　and　some　of　the　flowers　that　close　at　noon　will　shortly　fold　

their　petals。　　The　morning　airs；　which　breathe　so　sweetly；　come　

less　and　less　frequently　as　the　heat　increases。　　Vanishing　from　the　

sky；　the　last　fragments　of　cloud　have　left　an　untarnished　azure。　　

Many　times　the　bees　have　returned　to　their　hives；　and　thus　the　

index　of　the　day　advances。　　It　is　nothing　to　the　greenfinches；　all　

their　thoughts　are　in　their　song…talk。　　The　sunny　moment　is　to　them　

all　in　all。　　So　deeply　are　they　rapt　in　it　that　they　do　not　know　

whether　it　is　a　moment　or　a　year。　　There　is　no　clock　for　feeling；　

for　joy；　for　love。



And　with　all　their　motions　and　stepping　from　bough　to　bough；　they　

are　not　restless；　they　have　so　much　time；　you　see。　　So；　too；　the　

whitethroat　in　the　wild　parsley；　so；　too；　the　thrush　that　just　now　

peered　out　and　partly　fluttered　his　wings　as　he　stood　to　look。　　A　

butterfly　comes　and　stays　on　a　leaf　…　a　leaf　much　warmed　by　the　sun　

…　and　shuts　his　wings。　　In　a　minute　he　opens　them；　shuts　them　

again；　half　wheels　round；　and　by…and…by　…　just　when　he　chooses；　and　

not　before　…　floats　away。　　The　flowers　open；　and　remain　open　for　

hours；　to　the　sun。　　Hastelessness　is　the　only　word　one　can　make　up　

to　describe　it；　there　is　much　rest；　but　no　haste。　　Each　moment；　as　

with　the　greenfinches；　is　so　full　of　life　that　it　seems　so　long　and　

so　sufficient　in　itself。　　Not　only　the　days；　but　life　itself　

lengthens　in　summer。　　I　would　spread　abroad　my　arms　and　gather　more　

of　it　to　me；　could　I　do　so。



All　the　procession　of　living　and　growing　things　passes。　　The　grass　

stands　up　taller　and　still　taller；　the　sheaths　open；　and　the　stalk　

arises；　the　pollen　clings　till　the　breeze　sweeps　it。　　The　bees　rush　

past；　and　the　resolute　wasps；　the　humble…bees；　whose　weight　swings　

them　along。　　About　the　oaks　and　maples　the　brown　chafers　swarm；　and　

the　fern…owls　at　dusk；　and　the　blackbirds　and　jays　by　day；　cannot　

reduce　their　legions　while　they　last。　　Yellow　butterflies；　and　

white；　broad　red　admirals；　and　sweet　blues；　think　of　the　kingdom　of　

flowers　which　is　theirs！　　Heavy　moths　burring　at　the　edge　of　the　

copse；　green；　and　red；　and　gold　flies：　gnats；　like　smoke；　around　

the　tree…tops；　midges　so　thick　over　the　brook；　as　if　you　could　haul　

a　netful；　tiny　leaping　creatures　in　the　grass；　bronze　beetles　

across　the　path；　blue　dragonflies　pondering　on　cool　leaves　of　

water…plantain。　　Blue　jays　flitting；　a　magpie　drooping　across　from　

elm　to　elm；　young　rooks　that　have　escaped　the　hostile　shot　

blundering　up　into　the　branches；　missel　thrushes　leading　their　

fledglings；　already　strong　on　the　wing；　from　field　to　field。　　An　

egg　here　on　the　sward　dropped　by　a　starling；　a　red　ladybird　

creeping；　tortoise…like；　up　a　green　fern　frond。　　Finches　undulating　

through　the　air；　shooting　themselves　with　closed　wings；　and　linnets　

happy　with　their　young。



Golden　dandelion　discs　…　gold　and　orange　…　of　a　hue　more　beautiful；　

I　think；　than　the　higher　and　more　visible　buttercup。　　A　blackbird；　

gleaming；　so　black　is　he；　splashing　in　the　runlet　of　water　across　

the　gateway。　　A　ruddy　king…fisher　swiftly　drawing　himself；　as　you　

might　draw　a　stroke　with　a　pencil；　over　the　surface　of　the　yellow　

buttercups；　and　away　above　the　hedge。　　Hart's…tongue　fern；　thick　

with　green；　so　green　as　to　be　thick　with　its　colour；　deep　in　the　

ditch　under　the　shady　hazel　boughs。　　White　meadow…sweet　lifting　its　

tiny　florets；　and　black…flowered　sedges。　　You　must　push　through　the　

reed　grass　to　find　the　sword…flags；　the　stout　willow…herbs　will　not　

be　trampled　down；　but　resist　the　foot　like　underwood。　　Pink　lychnis　

flowers　behind　the　withy　stoles；　and　little　black　moorhens　swim　

away；　as　you　gather　it；　after　their　mother；　who　has　dived　under　the　

water…grass；　and　broken　the　smooth　surface　of　the　duckweed。　　Yellow　

loosestrife　is　rising；　thick　comfrey　stands　at　the　very　edge；　the　

sandpipers　run　where　the　shore　is　free　from　bushes。　　Back　by　the　

underwood　the　prickly　and　repellent　brambles　will　presently　present　

us　with　fruit。　　For　the　squirrels　the　nuts　are　forming；　green　

beechmast　is　there　…　green　wedges　under　the　spray；　up　in　the　oaks　

the　small　knots；　like　bark　rolled　up　in　a　dot；　will　be　acorns。　　

Purple　vetches　along　the　mounds；　yellow　lotus　where　the　grass　is　

shorter；　and　orchis　succeeds　to　orchis。　　As　I　write　them；　so　these　

things　come　…　not　set　in　gradation；　but　like　the　broadcast　flowers　

in　the　mowing…grass。



Now　follows　the　gorse；　and　the　pink　rest…harrow；　and　the　sweet　

lady's　bedstraw；　set　as　it　were　in　the　midst　of　a　little　thorn…

bush。　　The　broad　repetition　of　the　yellow　clover　is　not　to　be　

written；　acre　upon　acre；　and　not　one　spot　of　green；　as　if　all　the　

green　had　been　planed　away；　leaving　only　the　flowers　to　which　the　

bees　come　by　the　thousand　from　far　and　near。　　But　one　white　campion　

stands　in　the　midst　of　the　lake　of　yellow。　　The　field　is　scented　as　

though　a　hundred　hives　of　honey　had　been　emptied　on　it。　　Along　the　

mound　by　it　the　bluebells　are　seeding；　the　hedge　has　been　cut　and　

the　ground　is　strewn　with　twigs。　　Among　those　seeding　blue…bells　

and　dry　twigs　and　mosses　I　think　a　titlark　has　his　nest；　as　he　

stays　all　day　there　and　in　the　oak　over。　　The　pale　clear　yellow　of　

charlock；　sharp　and　clear；　promises　the　finches　bushels　of　seed　for　

their　young。　　Under　the　scarlet　of　the　poppies　the　larks　run；　and　

then　for　change　of　colour　soar　into　the　blue。　　Creamy　honeysuckle　

on　the　hedge　around　the　cornfield；　buds　of　wild　rose　everywhere；　

but　no　sweet　petal　yet。　　Yonder；　where　the　wheat　can　climb　no　

higher　up　the　slope；　are　the　purple　heath…bells；　thyme　and　flitting　

stone…chats。



The　lone　barn　shut　off　by　acres　of　barley　is　noisy　with　sparrows。　　

It　is　their　city；　and　there　is　a　nest　in　every　crevice；　almost　

under　every　tile。　　Sometimes　the　partridges　run　between　the　ricks；　

and　when　the　bats　come　out　of　the　roof；　leverets　play　in　the　

waggon…track。　　At　even　a　fern…owl　beats　by；　passing　close　to　the　

eaves　whence　the　moths　issue。　　On　the　narrow　waggon…track　which　

descends　along　a　coombe　and　is　worn　in　chalk；　the　heat　pours　down　

by　day　as　if　an　invisible　lens　in　the　atmosphere　focussed　the　sun's　

rays。　　Strong　woody　knapweed　endures　it；　so　does　toadflax　and　pale　

blue　scabious；　and　wild　mignonette。　　The　very　sun　of　Spain　burns　

and　burns　and　ripens　the　wheat　on　the　edge　of　the　coombe；　and　will　

only　let　the　spring　moisten　a　yard　or　two　around　it；　but　there　a　

few　rushes　have　sprung；　and　in　the　water　itself　brooklime　with　blue　

flowers　grows　so　thickly　that　nothing　but　a　bird　could　find　space　

to　drink。　　So　down　again　from　this　sun　of　Spain　to　woody　coverts　

where　the　wild　hops　are　blocking　every　avenue；　and　green…flowered　

bryony　would　fain　climb　to　the　trees；　where　grey…flecked　ivy　winds　

spirally　about　the　red　rugged　bark　of　pines；　where　burdocks　fight　

for　the　footpath；　and　teazle…heads　look　over　the　low　hedges。　　

Brake…fern　rises　five　feet　high；　in　some　way　woodpeckers　are　

associated　with　brake；　and　there　seem　more　of　them　where　it　

flourishes。　　If　you　count　the　depth　and　strength　of　its　roots　in　

the　loamy　sand；　add　the　thickness　of　its　flattened　stem；　and　the　

width　of　its　branching　fronds；　you　may　say　that　it　comes　near　to　be　

a　little　tree。　　Beneath　where　the　ponds　are　bushy　mare's…tails　

grow；　and　on　the　moist　banks　　jointed　pewterwort；　some　of　the　broad　

bronze　leaves　of　water…weeds　seem　to　try　and　conquer　the　pond　and　

cover　it　so　firmly　that　a　wagtail　may　run　on　them。　　A　white　

butterfly　follows　along　the　waggon…road；　the　pheasants　slip　away　as　

quietly　as　the　butterfly　flies；　but　a　jay　screeches　loudly　and　

flutters　in　high　rage　to　see　us。　　Under　an　ancient　garden　wall　

among　matted　bines　of　trumpet　convolvulus；　there　is　a　hedge…

sparrow's　nest　overhung　with　ivy　on　which　even　now　the　last　black　

berries　cling。



There　are　minute　white　flowers　on　the　top　of　the　wall；　out　of　

reach；　and　lichen　grows　against　it　dried　by　the　sun　till　it　looks　

ready　to　crumble。　　By　the　gateway　grows　a　thick　bunch　of　meadow　

geranium；　soon　to　flower；　over　the　gate　is　the　dusty　highway　road；　

quiet　but　dusty；　dotted　with　the　innumerable　foot…marks　of　a　flock　

of　sheep　that　has　passed。　　The　sound　of　their　bleating　still　comes　

back；　and　the　bees　driven　up　by　their　feet　have　hardly　had　time　to　

settle　again　on　the　white　clover　beginning　to　flower　on　the　short　

roadside　sward。　　All　the　hawthorn　leaves　and　briar　and　bramble；　the　

honeysuckle；　too；　is　gritty　with　the　dust　that　has　been　scattered　

upon　it。　　But　see　…　can　it　be？　　Stretch　a　hand　high；　quick；　and　

reach　it　down；　the　first；　the　sweetest；　the　dearest　rose　of　June。　　

Not　yet　expected；　for　the　time　is　between　the　may　and　the　roses；　

least　of　all　here　in　the　hot　and　dusty　highway；　but　it　is　found　…　

the　first　rose　of　June。



Straight　go　the　white　petals　to　the　heart；　straight　the　mind's　

glance　goes　back　to　how　many　other　pageants　of　summer　in　old　times！　　

When　perchance　the　sunny　days　were　even　more　sunny；　when　the　stilly　

oaks　were　full　of　mystery；　lurking　like　the　Druid's　mistletoe　in　

the　midst　of　their　mighty　branches。　　A　glamour　in　the　heart　came　

back　to　it　again　from　every　flower；　as　the　sunshine　was　reflected　

from　them；　so　the　feeling　in　the　heart　returned　tenfold。　　To　the　

dreamy　summer　haze；　love　gave　a　deep　enchantment；　the　colours　were　

fairer；　the　blue　more　lovely　in　the　lucid　sky。　　Each　leaf　finer；　

and　the　gross　earth　enamelled　beneath　the　feet。　　A　sweet　breath　on　

the　air；　a　soft　warm　hand　in　the　touch　of　the　sunshine；　a　glance　in　

the　gleam　of　the　rippled　waters；　a　whisper　in　the　dance　of　the　

shadows。　　The　ethereal　haze　lifted　the　heavy　oaks　and　they　were　

buoyant　on　the　mead；　the　rugged　bark　was　chastened　and　no　longer　

rough；　each　slender　flower　beneath　them　again　refined。　　There　was　a　

presence　everywhere；　though　unseen；　on　the　open　hills；　and　not　shut　

out　under　the　dark　pines。　　Dear　were　the　June　roses　then　because　

for　another　gathered。　　Yet　even　dearer　now　with　so　many　years　as　it　

were　upon　the　petals；　all　the　days　that　have　been　before；　all　the　

heart…throbs；　all　our　ho