AN EVENING WALK. 183 



and by almost an excess of attention, and an effort at more 

 than ordinary liveliness, she strove to make amends for the 

 slight ebullition of temper stirred up by the morning's incident ; 

 but her sociability seemed forced, and we felt that our own was 

 much of the same description. 



Our after dinner sitting was soon ended for an evening stroll. 

 It had been a sultry day towards the end of August ; the lazy 

 zephirs had been all asleep since noontide ; so, with a view to 

 meet the first of them which should happen to be stirring, we 

 directed our steps towards a high open heath or common. Its 

 summit was crowned by a magnificent beach, towards which we 

 slowly ascended, under a shower of darts levelled by the 

 declining sun ; and, on arriving at the tree, were right glad to 

 seat ourselves on the circular bench which surrounded its 

 smooth and bulky bole. 



Here, in addition to the welcome boons of rest and shade, 

 we were presented gratis with the exhibition of a finer 

 panorama than the Messrs. Barker ever yet produced. 



What a scene of tranquil splendour lay before us ; one of 

 those glowing pictures of the declining day and declining year, 

 whereon, like a pair of dying painters, they seem to have com- 

 bined their utmost skill and richest colours in order to exceed, 

 in a last effort, all the productions of their meridian prime. 



After a few moments of silent admiration, we were on the 

 point of exclaiming to our young companion, " Oh ! who 

 could prefer the most brilliant ball-room to a scene like this ? 



M 2 



