46 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTEES. 



freedom. Though they did struggle desperately, and cry 

 aloud in fear and sorrow, I comforted myself in thinking that 

 it was because they did not understand what I desired ; that, 

 when they came to know of the good I intended, what a nice 

 little house I should build for them, what delicate food I 

 would bring, and above all, how dearly I should love them, 

 that then they would learn to love me, and become reconciled 

 to everything, and happy as I was in having them. 



So, in my simplicity, I tried to believe, until the whole 

 thing became as real as if it were true ; and the sunny attic, I 

 proudly called my room, soon became a sort of caravansary, 

 filled with these captive travellers of air and earth. What a 

 happiness it was to me to familiarize each new prisoner with 

 my presence, and sit and watch in low-breathed quiet all their 

 ways, as I used to in the woods, and laugh out suddenly, 

 until the old house rang, at some odd whimsicality of passion- 

 !► ate gesture. How I loved to have them on my person, to 

 caress me, to feed from my hands and mouth, to peck at me 

 in feigned wrath, or seize my hands with harmless teeth in 

 fierce dissembled savagery. Aye, I was lordly proud then, — 

 even happy as a king. 



When the snow came, too, what a joyful time that was to 

 be, — for now I was to captm-e many more lovely friends. 



When the grey heavy cloud gathered over night, and a 

 few broad flakes came scattering slowly down through the 

 twilight, then I knew there would be a heavy snow in the 

 morning. What a restless, fidgety fever I was in ! I went 

 to bed early that night, that I might get up early, and mean- 

 while sleep away the suspense. 



I forgot to say my prayers — for I did say them nightly in 

 those sinless times — and lay tossed in restless visions of traps, 

 and snares, and dead-falls ; of monstrous hares, as big as my 

 dog Milo, swung up by the neck at the end of a pole ; of 

 great flocks of quails, with strange beautiful birds among 

 them, fluttering and peering their heads through the sticks 



