THE VENUS EVE 33 



is lengthening out the day, birds sing- a thousand birds, all sorts . . . the 

 ing, even foraging, though the sun tumult at the rookery . . . dwindling 

 is down and the stars one by one are thrush notes ... a last ' quarr ' 

 lighting up. The latest song- thrush on or two from the rookery . . . the 

 such an eve, however chilly the air, has plaint of the partridge, whose form 

 scarcely ended by a quarter to eight ; can no longer be picked out in the 

 and then often, the hardest working wheat field . . . the peewits in full 

 of the rooks at this hour, by ones cry : these, I think somewhat in this 

 and twos, are slowly straggling home order, are the steps of sound that 

 with the final supply of food for their lead from sundown into dark at mid- 

 sitting mates ; even a few minutes April. 



later, whilst the hare is stealing softly Then the steps in the lighting up 

 through pastures that are soaked in and march westwards of planet and 

 dew, her sensitive ears hardly a star : first Jupiter and Venus, alight at 

 moment at rest, odd exclamations, about the same minute, Jupiter shin- 

 growing drowsier, no doubt, but still ing, as he always does, very steadily, 

 vigorous, come from the rookery. ~. : Venus throbbing a little in the gold 



If you cease for a few minutes to and glow of sundown ; next, in the 



notice the changes in the sky and blue, Sirius, throbbing far more in- 



stars, and the behaviour of the birds, tensely ; then a star or two of Orion, 



you will find, looking again, that the his belt parallel now, at the time of 



eve is over and the night fully in. lighting up, with the earth's horizon ; 



This is a true charm about our English Arcturus in the opposite, darker 



twilights they are never stationary quarter of the sky ; and, a few minutes 



for any length of time, have none of later at most, Capella and Vega 



the monotony of the night-long twi- and with them night. Put down thus 



lights of summer inTjnore northern in a row of dead words, there is not 



latitudes. In Norway the July night much to recommend the fleeting 



is all twilight. scenery of twilight ; indeed, words, 



Here the eye and ear are alert to a however you arrange and play with 



quick succession even at midsummer, them, are irresponsive to the task ; 



more so now of changes, steps in that but nobody watches these wonderful 



mysterious zone of shadow that lies spring twilights of England without 



between day and night. A choir of very good reward. 



3 



