descended as far as he dared, and saw that The 



seven wild- swans were frozen on the tarn's face. Hill-Tarn. 



They had alit there to rest, no doubt : but a 



fierce cold had numbed them, and an intense 



frost of death had suddenly transfixed each as 



they swam slowly circlewise as is their wont. 



They may have been there for days, perhaps 



for weeks. A month later the gillie repeated 



his arduous and dangerous feat. They were 



still there, motionless, ready for flight as it 



seemed. 



How often in thought I have seen that 

 coronal of white swans above the dark face of 

 that far, solitary tarn : in how many dreams I 

 have listened to the rustle of unloosening 

 wings, and seen seven white phantoms rise 

 cloud-like, and like clouds at night drift swiftly 

 into the dark ; and heard, as mournful bells 

 through the solitudes of sleep, the honk-honk 

 of the wild -swans traversing the obscure 

 forgotten ways to the secret country beyond 

 sleep and dreams and silence. 



55 



