THE COUNTRY LIFE. 243 



shining far brighter, in proportion, than the 

 moon ; an intensely clear metallic light like 

 incandescent silver. 



"The shadows of the trees on the frosted 

 ground are dull. As the footpath winds by 

 the hedge the noise of his footstep startles the 

 blackbird roosting in the bushes, and he 

 bustles out and flies across the field. There 

 is more rime on the posts and rails around the 

 rickyard, and the thatch on the haystack is 

 white with it in places. He draws out the 

 broad hay-knife a vast blade, wide at the 

 handle, the edge gradually curving to a point 

 and then searches for the rubber or whet- 

 stone, stuck somewhere in the side of the rick. 

 At the first sound of the stone upon the steel 

 the cattle in the adjoining yard and sheds utter 

 a few low l moos/ and there is a stir among 

 them. Mounting the ladder, he forces the knife 

 with both hands into the hay, making a square 

 cut which bends outwards, opening from the 

 main mass till it appears on the point of part- 

 ing and letting him fall with it to the ground. 

 But long practice has taught him how to 

 balance himself half on the ladder, half on the 



162 



