and, later, a fringe of rain has moved gently 

 across the low hills and fallow fields, rip- 

 pling like a wave from that upper sea 

 which hangs invisible in golden weather, 

 but becomes portentous and vast as the 

 nether seas when the clouds gather and the 

 celestial watercourses are unlocked. One 

 day I thought I saw signs of a falling out 

 between the conspirators, and I set myself 

 to watch for some disclosure which might 

 escape from one side or the other in the 

 frankness of anger. The earth was sullen 

 and overcast, the sky dark and forbidding, 

 the clouds rolled together and grew black, 

 and the shadows deepened upon the grass. 

 At last there was a vivid flash of lightning, 

 a crash of thunder, and the sudden roar of 

 rain. " Now," I said to myself, " 1 shall 

 learn what all this secrecy has been about." 

 But I was doomed to disappointment ; after 

 a few minutes of angry expostulation the 

 sky suddenly uncovered itself, the clouds 

 piled themselves against the horizon and 

 disclosed their silver linings, and over the 

 whole earth there spread a broad smile, as 

 21 



" 



