236 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINNAEUS 



' He'll find out by-and-by that it is the nature of 

 man to fall in love, and then he will have that sort of 

 nature to study,' whispered the elder of the two Keuter- 

 holm boys, who fancied himself grown up, to Hedenblad, 

 who had prepared some careful notes on the matrimonial 

 rites of the Laplanders. Hedenblad again wound his 

 horn for the lecture. 



Linnaeus was standing on a rock making observa- 

 tions on the weather from the movements of the birds 

 and beasts. There had been a long drought, and now 

 evidently something was taking place betokening a 

 change. The creatures were restless yet not shy. The 

 golden plover piped loud and long. The swallows were 

 skimming the Idre Lake quite close to its glassy surface. 

 i We need carry no barometer,' said the leader ; ' there is 

 always one ready to our hands on these fells. The tools 

 are always here ; we have to learn to use them. How- 

 ever the clergy may construe it that the kingdom of 

 heaven is within us, the kingdom of earth certainly is 

 so, and education's business is to open up this kingdom 

 to us. There, Emporelius's shot has broken up my 

 barometer.' The sharp report sent with a start thousands 

 of winged things all into the air at once. The sports- 

 man took up bleeding and still palpitating one poor 

 little willow-grouse in its summer dress, but with its 

 wings, breast, and legs still unusually white. 'The 

 rest are more frightened than hurt,' said Nasman 

 sarcastically. 



It seemed as if the shot had brought down the rain 



