108 JUNE 



enjoy the sight and sound of the refreshing 

 onslaught all around, while sipping my tea ; but in 

 a few minutes the drops began to come through 

 the leafy roof. Outside was already a sheet of 

 water ; it was impossible to get to the house quickly 

 enough to avoid a wetting, the paths having at 

 once developed a brown fungus as slippery as glass, 

 compelling one to walk delicately, like Agag. I 

 really must inform the Burra Sahib to-night that, 



" The rain it raineth every day 



Upon the just and unjust fellah, 

 But chiefly on the just, because 



The unjust's taken the just's umbrella/' 



Suddenly the rain stopped, and the sun shone, like 

 a child ceasing to cry, and shouting with laughter. 

 My chair and tea-table were surrounded by a 

 pond. The Grey Beard came to see after me and 

 remove the tea things, and him I desired to bring 

 the master's boots. In them I was able to wade 

 about dryshod, and see how fresh and sweet 

 everything looked. The Marshal Niels, the 

 Sunflowers, the Cannas, all with different shades 

 of green in their leaves. Strange, in how short a 

 space of time, only a few days since the rains 



