THOMAS NED FINDS A PEARL OP PRICE. 243 



less content to dwell here apart from the world. 

 Everything about me took on a somber tinge, despite 

 the golden atmosphere of this land so near the sun. 

 Even the living things — the parrots, the mocking 

 birds, the vivacious wrens — seemed to be aware that 

 some great calamity had happened. There seemed 

 to be a mournful cadence in the song birds' notes, 

 and even Polly Psittacus was hushed and subdued. 



The grave beneath the palms. 



He noticed our friend's absence, for he went from 

 house to kitchen, head hanging down, and with 

 a solemn air; but he was now a bird of tact and 

 discretion, and if he felt either grief or joy at 

 Ned's departure, he had the good sense not to speak 

 of it. 



So I became restless, and anxious to leave this 

 paradise which at the first had held so much of 

 promise, so much of pleasure. The substance of 

 things had not changed ; but everything was now 

 tinged with the melancholy of a terrible happen- 



