220 THE CHANGE 



its huge key, and then outside into the 

 morning. Sometimes I came to this very 

 place, listening to a nightingale, and his 

 song then was not yearning as it was at 

 night. I watched the warblers at their 

 work of weaving cradles among the brambles. 

 I had a friend in those days, a true friend, 

 to whom I told all the things in my heart, 

 Together we wandered and explored the 

 big woods in the country." 



He sighed, while a little wind stirred a 

 leaf upon the oak tree above, a leaf alone 

 among the guarded buds of next spring 

 and the buff oak apples upon the twigs. 

 The leaf made a faint risping as it spun 

 and shook, and he looked up at it, and 

 never had I seen a face so sad. 



" Not so long ago that leaf was a bud, 

 opening timorously to the spring sunshine 

 and the lark-song far up into heaven. I 

 wonder if, in its own obscure way, it 

 wondered about the world, and wove a 

 little dream of happiness for ever, like the 



