our village-第16部分
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hat axe had committed。 Above twenty of the finest trees lay stretched on the velvet turf。 There they lay in every shape and form of devastation： some； bare trunks stripped ready for the timber carriage； with the bark built up in long piles at the side； some with the spoilers busy about them； stripping； hacking； hewing； others with their noble branches； their brown and fragrant shoots all fresh as if they were alivemajestic corses； the slain of to…day！ The grove was like a field of battle。 The young lads who were stripping the bark； the very children who were picking up the chips； seemed awed and silent； as if conscious that death was around them。 The nightingales sang faintly and interruptedlya few low frightened notes like a requiem。
Ah！ here we are at the very scene of murder； the very tree that they are felling； they have just hewn round the trunk with those slaughtering axes； and are about to saw it asunder。 After all； it is a fine and thrilling operation； as the work of death usually is。 Into how grand an attitude was that young man thrown as he gave the final strokes round the root； and how wonderful is the effect of that supple and apparently powerless saw； bending like a riband； and yet overmastering that giant of the woods； conquering and overthrowing that thing of life！ Now it has passed half through the trunk； and the woodman has begun to calculate which way the tree will fall； he drives a wedge to direct its course；now a few more movements of the noiseless saw； and then a larger wedge。 See how the branches tremble！ Hark how the trunk begins to crack！ Another stroke of the huge hammer on the wedge； and the tree quivers； as with a mortal agony； shakes； reels； and falls。 How slow； and solemn； and awful it is！ How like to death； to human death in its grandest form！ Caesar in the Capitol； Seneca in the bath； could not fall more sublimely than that oak。
Even the heavens seem to sympathise with the devastation。 The clouds have gathered into one thick low canopy； dark and vapoury as the smoke which overhangs London； the setting sun is just gleaming underneath with a dim and bloody glare； and the crimson rays spreading upward with a lurid and portentous grandeur； a subdued and dusky glow； like the light reflected on the sky from some vast conflagration。 The deep flush fades away； and the rain begins to descend； and we hurry homeward rapidly； yet sadly； forgetful alike of the flowers； the hedgehog； and the wetting； thinking and talking only of the fallen tree。
THE DELL。
May 2nd。A delicious evening；bright sunshine； light summer air； a sky almost cloudless； and a fresh yet delicate verdure on the hedges and in the fields；an evening that seems made for a visit to my newly…discovered haunt； the mossy dell； one of the most beautiful spots in the neighbourhood； which after passing； times out of number； the field which it terminates； we found out about two months ago from the accident of May's killing a rabbit there。 May has had a fancy for the place ever since； and so have I。
Thither accordingly we bend our way；through the village；up the hill；along the common；past the avenue；across the bridge； and by the hill。 How deserted the road is to…night！ We have not seen a single acquaintance； except poor blind Robert； laden with his sack of grass plucked from the hedges； and the little boy that leads him。 A singular division of labour！ Little Jem guides Robert to the spots where the long grass grows； and tells him where it is most plentiful； and then the old man cuts it close to the roots； and between them they fill the sack； and sell the contents in the village。 Half the cows in the streetfor our baker； our wheelwright； and our shoemaker has each his Alderneyowe the best part of their maintenance to blind Robert's industry。
Here we are at the entrance of the cornfield which leads to the dell； and which commands so fine a view of the Loddon； the mill； the great farm； with its picturesque outbuildings； and the range of woody hills beyond。 It is impossible not to pause a moment at that gate； the landscape； always beautiful； is so suited to the season and the hour；so bright； and gay； and spring…like。 But May； who has the chance of another rabbit in her pretty head； has galloped forward to the dingle； and poor May； who follows me so faithfully in all my wanderings； has a right to a little indulgence in hers。 So to the dingle we go。
At the end of the field； which when seen from the road seems terminated by a thick dark coppice； we come suddenly to the edge of a ravine； on one side fringed with a low growth of alder； birch； and willow； on the other mossy； turfy； and bare； or only broken by bright tufts of blossomed broom。 One or two old pollards almost conceal the winding road that leads down the descent； by the side of which a spring as bright as crystal runs gurgling along。 The dell itself is an irregular piece of broken ground； in some parts very deep； intersected by two or three high banks of equal irregularity； now abrupt and bare； and rocklike； now crowned with tufts of the feathery willow or magnificent old thorns。 Everywhere the earth is covered by short； fine turf； mixed with mosses； soft； beautiful； and various； and embossed with the speckled leaves and lilac flowers of the arum； the paler blossoms of the common orchis； the enamelled blue of the wild hyacinth； so splendid in this evening light； and large tufts of oxslips and cowslips rising like nosegays from the short turf。
The ground on the other side of the dell is much lower than the field through which we came； so that it is mainly to the labyrinthine intricacy of these high banks that it owes its singular character of wildness and variety。 Now we seem hemmed in by those green cliffs； shut out from all the world； with nothing visible but those verdant mounds and the deep blue sky； now by some sudden turn we get a peep at an adjoining meadow； where the sheep are lying； dappling its sloping surface like the small clouds on the summer heaven。 Poor harmless； quiet creatures； how still they are！ Some socially lying side by side； some grouped in threes and fours； some quite apart。 Ah！ there are lambs amongst thempretty； pretty lambsnestled in by their mothers。 Soft； quiet； sleepy things！ Not all so quiet； though！ There is a party of these young lambs as wide awake as heart can desire； half a dozen of them playing together； frisking； dancing； leaping； butting； and crying in the young voice； which is so pretty a diminutive of the full…grown bleat。 How beautiful they are with their innocent spotted faces； their mottled feet； their long curly tails； and their light flexible forms； frolicking like so many kittens； but with a gentleness； an assurance of sweetness and innocence； which no kitten； nothing that ever is to be a cat； can have。 How complete and perfect is their enjoyment of existence！ Ah！ little rogues！ your play has been too noisy； you have awakened your mammas； and two or three of the old ewes are getting up； and one of them marching gravely to the troop of lambs has selected her own； given her a gentle butt； and trotted off； the poor rebuked lamb following meekly； but every now and then stopping and casting a longing look at its playmates； who； after a moment's awed pause； had resumed their gambols； whilst the stately dame every now and then looked back in her turn； to see that her little one was following。 At last she lay down； and the lamb by her side。 I never saw so pretty a pastoral scene in my life。*
*I have seen one which affected me much more。 Walking in the Church…lane with one of the young ladies of the vicarage； we met a large flock of sheep； with the usual retinue of shepherds and dogs。 Lingering after them and almost out of sight； we encountered a straggling ewe； now trotting along； now walking； and every now and then stopping to look back； and bleating。 A little behind her came a lame lamb； bleating occasionally； as if in answer to its dam； and doing its very best to keep up with her。 It was a lameness of both the fore…feet； the knees were bent； and it seemed to walk on the very edge of the hoofon tip…toe； if I may venture such an expression。 My young friend thought that the lameness proceeded from original malformation； I am rather of opinion that it was accidental； and that the poor creature was wretchedly foot…sore。 However that might be； the pain and difficulty with which it took every step were not to be mistaken； and the distress and fondness of the mother； her perplexity as the flock passed gradually out of sight； the effort with which the poor lamb contrived to keep up a sort of trot； and their mutual calls and lamentations were really so affecting； that Ellen and I； although not at all lachrymose sort of people； had much ado not to cry。 We could not find a boy to carry the lamb； which was too big for us to manage；but I was quite sure that the ewe would not desert it； and as the dark was coming on； we both trusted that the shepherds on folding their flock would miss them and return for them；and so I am happy to say it proved。
Another turning of the dell gives a glimpse of the dark coppice by which it is backed； and from which we are separated by some marshy； rushy ground； where the springs have formed into a pool； and where the moor…hen loves to build her nest。 Ay； there is one scudding away now；I can hear her plash into the water； and the rustling of her wings amongst the rushes。 This is the deepest part of the wild dingle。 How uneven the ground is！ Surely these excavations； now so thoroughly clothed with vegetation； must originally have been huge gravel pits； there is no other way of accounting for the labyrinth； for they do dig gravel in such capricious meanders； but the quantity seems incredible。 Well！ there is no end of guessing！ We are getting amongst the springs； and must turn back。 Round this corner； where on ledges like fairy terraces the orchises and arums grow； and we emerge suddenly on a new side of the dell； just fronting the small homestead of our good neighbour Farmer Allen。
This rustic dwelling belongs to what used to be called in this part of the country 'a little bargain'： thirty or forty acres； perhaps； of arable land； which the owner and his sons cultivated themselves；
