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pageant of summer-第2章

小说: pageant of summer 字数: 每页4000字

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shows that the hedge is there of nut…trees; but one great hawthorn 

spreads out in a semicircle; roofing the grass which is yet more 

verdant in the still pool (as it were) under it。  Next a corner; 

more oaks; and a chestnut in bloom。  Returning to this spot an old 

apple tree stands right out in the meadow like an island。  There 

seemed just now the tiniest twinkle of movement by the rushes; but 

it was lost among the hedge parsley。  Among the grey leaves of the 

willow there is another flit of motion; and visible now against the 

sky there is a little brown bird; not to be distinguished at the 

moment from the many other little brown birds that are known to be 

about。  He got up into the willow from the hedge parsley somehow; 

without being seen to climb or fly。  Suddenly he crosses to the 

tops of the hawthorn and immediately flings himself up into the air 

a yard or two; his wings and ruffled crest making a ragged outline; 

jerk; jerk; jerk; as if it were with the utmost difficulty he could 

keep even at that height。  He scolds; and twitters; and chirps; and 

all at once sinks like a stone into the hedge and out of sight as a 

stone into a pond。  It is a whitethroat; his nest is deep in the 

parsley and nettles。  Presently he will go out to the island apple 

tree and back again in a minute or two; the pair of them are so 

fond of each other's affectionate company; they cannot remain 

apart。



Watching the line of the hedge; about every two minutes; either 

near at hand or yonder a bird darts out just at the level of the 

grass; hovers a second with labouring wings; and returns as swiftly 

to the cover。  Sometimes it is a flycatcher; sometimes a 

greenfinch; or chaffinch; now and then a robin; in one place a 

shrike; perhaps another is a red…start。  They are flyfishing all of 

them; seizing insects from the sorrel tips and grass; as the 

kingfisher takes a roach from the water。  A blackbird slips up into 

the oak and a dove descends in the corner by the chestnut tree。  

But these are not visible together; only one at a time and with 

intervals。  The larger part of the life of the hedge is out of 

sight。  All the thrush…fledglings; the young blackbirds; and 

finches are hidden; most of them on the mound among the ivy; and 

parsley; and rough grasses; protected; too; by a roof of brambles。  

The nests that still have eggs are not; like the nests of the early 

days of April; easily found; they are deep down in the tangled 

herbage by the shore of the ditch; or far inside the thorny 

thickets which then looked mere bushes; and are now so broad。  

Landrails are running in the grass concealed as a man would be in a 

wood; they have nests and eggs on the ground for which you may 

search in vain till the mowers come。



Up in the corner a fragment of white fur and marks of scratching 

show where a doe has been preparing for a litter。  Some well…

trodden runs lead from mound to mound; they are sandy near the 

hedge where the particles have been carried out adhering to the 

rabbits' feet and fur。  A crow rises lazily from the upper end of 

the field; and perches in the chestnut。  His presence; too; was 

unsuspected。  He is there by far too frequently。  At this season 

the crows are always in the mowing…grass; searching about; stalking 

in winding tracks from furrow to furrow; picking up an egg here and 

a foolish fledgling that has wandered from the mound yonder。  Very 

likely there may be a moorhen or two slipping about under cover of 

the long grass; thus hidden; they can leave the shelter of the 

flags and wander a distance from the brook。  So that beneath the 

surface of the grass and under the screen of the leaves there are 

ten times more birds than are seen。



Besides the singing and calling; there is a peculiar sound which is 

only heard in summer。  Waiting quietly to discover what birds are 

about; I become aware of a sound in the very air。  It is not the 

midsummer hum which will soon be heard over the heated hay in the 

valley and over the cooler hills alike。  It is not enough to be 

called a hum; and does but just tremble at the extreme edge of 

hearing。  If the branches wave and rustle they overbear it; the 

buzz of a passing bee is so much louder; it overcomes all of it 

that is in the whole field。  I cannot define it; except by calling 

the hours of winter to mind … they are silent; you hear a branch 

crack or creak as it rubs another in the wood; you hear the hoar 

frost crunch on the grass beneath your feet; but the air is without 

sound in itself。  The sound of summer is everywhere … in the 

passing breeze; in the hedge; in the broad…branching trees; in the 

grass as it swings; all the myriad particles that together make the 

summer are in motion。  The sap moves in the trees; the pollen is 

pushed out from grass and flower; and yet again these acres and 

acres of leaves and square miles of grass blades … for they would 

cover acres and square miles if reckoned edge to edge … are drawing 

their strength from the atmosphere。  Exceedingly minute as these 

vibrations must be; their numbers perhaps may give them a volume 

almost reaching in the aggregate to the power of the ear。  Besides 

the quivering leaf; the swinging grass; the fluttering bird's wing; 

and the thousand oval membranes which innumerable insects whirl 

about; a faint resonance seems to come from the very earth itself。  

The fervour of the sunbeams descending in a tidal flood rings on 

the strung harp of earth。  It is this exquisite undertone; heard 

and yet unheard; which brings the mind into sweet accordance with 

the wonderful instrument of nature。



By the apple tree there is a low bank; where the grass is less tall 

and admits the heat direct to the ground; here there are blue 

flowers … bluer than the wings of my favourite butterflies … with 

white centres … the lovely bird's…eyes; or veronica。  The violet 

and cowslip; bluebell and rose; are known to thousands; the 

veronica is overlooked。  The ploughboys know it; and the wayside 

children; the mower and those who linger in fields; but few else。  

Brightly blue and surrounded by greenest grass; imbedded in and all 

the more blue for the shadow of the grass; these growing 

butterflies' wings draw to themselves the sun。  From this island I 

look down into the depth of the grasses。  Red sorrel spires … deep 

drinkers of reddest sun wine … stand the boldest; and in their 

numbers threaten the buttercups。  To these in the distance they 

give the gipsy…gold tint … the reflection of fire on plates of the 

precious metal。  It will show even on a ring by firelight; blood in 

the gold; they say。  Gather the open marguerite daisies; and they 

seem large … so wide a disc; such fingers of rays; but in the grass 

their size is toned by so much green。  Clover heads of honey lurk 

in the bunches and by the hidden footpath。  Like clubs from 

Polynesia the tips of the grasses are varied in shape: some tend to 

a point … the foxtails … some are hard and cylindrical; others; 

avoiding the club shape; put forth the slenderest branches with 

fruit of seed at the ends; which tremble as the air goes by。  Their 

stalks are ripening and becoming of the colour of hay while yet the 

long blades remain green。



Each kind is repeated a hundred times; the foxtails are succeeded 

by foxtails; the narrow blades by narrow blades; but never become 

monotonous; sorrel stands by sorrel; daisy flowers by daisy。  This 

bed of veronica at the foot of the ancient apple has a whole 

handful of flowers; and yet they do not weary the eye。  Oak follows 

oak and elm ranks with elm; but the woodlands are pleasant; however 

many times reduplicated; their beauty only increases。  So; too; the 

summer days; the sun rises on the same grasses and green hedges; 

there is the same blue sky; but did we ever have enough of them?  

No; not in a hundred years!  There seems always a depth; somewh

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