258 EVERSLEY GARDENS 



of the house, for they darkened the windows, 

 and impeded the view of the great glebe 

 field, the Mount, and the fringe of Firs 

 against the sky on the moor above. And 

 no one lamented them save my brother, who, 

 being an active climber, found them an excel- 

 lent asylum from his tutor, or from Turk 

 and Brenda, the alarming Scotch deerhounds, 

 whose advent somewhat detracted from the 

 joy with which we welcomed relations, who 

 drove over in state for the day from Maiden- 

 head and Taplow. 



Masses of shrubs were planted to keep 

 out the cold draughts of air, which even on 

 Summer evenings streamed down from the 

 large bogs a quarter of a mile away. Plane 

 trees, which threatened in every high gale to 

 fall upon the south end of the house, were cut 

 down. And our sleep in May was thenceforth 

 undisturbed by a nightingale, who shouted so 

 loud from one close to my window, that I 

 remember once hurling at the " poor bird, as 

 all forlorn " he sang the night through, any- 

 thing that came handy, from coals to boots. 



