48 FIELD AND HEDGEROW. 



cloudle^r'sky blown pale, a summer sun blown 

 cool deep draughts of refreshing air to man and horse 

 dear definition of red-tile roof and conical oast perfect 

 colour of soft ash-green trees. In the evening, fourteen 

 black swifts rushing together through the upper atmo- 

 sphere with shrill cries, sometimes aside and on the 

 tip of one wing, with a whirl descending, a black trail, 

 to the tiled ridge they dwell in. Fine weather aft 



thlS A swooning August day, with a hot east wind, from 

 which there is no escape, which gives no air to the chest 

 -you breathe and arc not satisfied with the inspiration ; 

 it does not fill ; there is no life in the killed atmosphere. 

 It is a vacuum of heat, and yet the strong hot wind ben 

 the trees, and the tall firs wrestle with it as they did with 

 Sinis the Pine-bender, bowed down and rebounding as i: 

 they would whirl their cones away like a catapult. Masses 

 of air are moving by, and yet there is none to breathe. N o 

 escape in the shadow of hedge or wood, or in the darken, 

 room ; darkness excludes the heat that comes with lij 

 but the heat of the oven-wind cannot be shut out. 

 Some monstrous dragon of the Chinese sky pants his 

 fiery breath upon us, and the brown grass stalk: 

 to catch flame in the field. The grain of wheat that was 

 full of juice dries hard in the cars, and water is no mor. 

 good for thirst. There is not a cloud in the sky ; but at 

 night there is heavy rain, and the flowers arc beaten 

 down. There is a thunder-wind that blows at intervals 

 when great clouds arc visibly gathering over the hayficld. 

 It is almost a calm ; but from time to time a breath 

 comes, and a low mournful cry sounds in the hollow 

 farmhouse the windows and doors arc open, and the 

 men and women have gone out to make hasty help in 



