SHE DISCOVERED ME. 225 



This little episode ended, madam slipped into 

 her nest, and all became silent, she in her place 

 and I in mine. If this state of things could 

 only remain ; if she would only accept me as a 

 tree-trunk or a misshapen bowlder, and pay no 

 attention to me. what a beautiful study I should 

 have ! Half an hour, perhaps more, passed 

 without a sound, and then the silence was broken 

 by magpie calls from without. The sitting bird 

 left the nest and flew out of the grove, quite 

 near the ground ; I heard much talk and chatter 

 in low tones outside, and they flew. I slipped 

 out as quickly as possible, wishing indeed that I 

 had wings as she had, and went home, encour- 

 aged to think I should really be able to study 

 the magpie. 



But I did not know my bird. The next day, 

 before I knew she was about, she discovered 

 me, though it was plain that she hoped I had 

 not discovered her. Instantly she became silent 

 and wary, coming to her nest over the top of 

 the trees, so quietly that I should not have 

 known it except for her shadow on the leaves. 

 No talk or song now fell upon my ear ; calls 

 outside were few and subdued. Everything was 

 different from the natural unconsciousness of 

 the previous day ; the birds were on guard, and 

 henceforth I should be under surveillance. 



From this moment I lost my pleasure in the 



