A BROOK 49 



ing with the late frosts, could not yet keep out the 

 sunshine with their broad green. A white spot on the 

 footpath yonder was where the bloom had fallen from 

 a blackthorn bush. 



The note of the tree-pipit came from over the corn 

 there were some detached oaks away in the midst of 

 the field, and the birds were doubtless flying continually 

 up and down between the wheat and the branches. A 

 willow-wren sang plaintively in the plantation behind, 

 and once a cuckoo called at a distance. How beautiful 

 is the sunshine ! The very dust of the road at my feet 

 seemed to glow with whiteness, to be lit up by it, and 

 to become another thing. This spot henceforward was 

 a place of pilgrimage. 



Looking that morning over the parapet of the bridge, 

 down stream, there was a dead branch at the mouth of 

 the arch, it had caught and got fixed while it floated 

 along. A quantity of aquatic weeds coming down the 

 stream had drifted against the branch and remained en- 

 tangled in it. Fresh weeds were still coming and adding 

 to the mass, which had attracted a water-rat. 



Perched on the branch the little brown creature bent 

 forward over the surface, and with its two forepaws drew 

 towards it the slender thread of a weed, exactly as with 

 hands. Holding the thread in the paws, it nibbled it, 

 eating the sweet and tender portion, feeding without 

 fear though but a few feet away, and precisely beneath 

 me. 



In a minute the surface of the current was disturbed by 

 larger ripples. There had been a ripple caused by the 

 draught through the arch, but this was now increased. 

 Directly afterwards a moorhen swam out, and began to 

 search among the edge of the tangled weeds. So long 

 as I was perfectly still the bird took no heed, but at a 



D 



