130 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



was a group of ancient pollarded elm trees with 

 huge, hollow trunks, and behind them an open 

 space, a pleasant green slope, where some of the 

 village children used to go every day to play on the 

 grass* Here I used to see this girl lying in the sun, 

 her dark chestnut hair loosed and scattered on the 

 sward, her arms stretched out, her eyes nearly closed, 

 basking in the sun, as happy as some heat-loving 

 wild animal. No, it was not strange that she had not 

 gone to school with the others when her disposition 

 was remembered, but most strange to hear a voice 

 of such quality in a spot where nature was rich and 

 lovely, and only man was, if not vile, at all events 

 singularly wanting in the finer human qualities* 



Looking out from the open window across the 

 low hedge-top, I could see her as she alternately 

 rose and fell with slow, indolent motion, now 

 waist-high above the green dividing wall, then only 

 her brown head visible resting against the rope just 

 where her hand had grasped it* And as she swayed 

 herself to and fro she sang that simple melody 

 probably some child's hymn which she had been 

 taught at the Sunday school ; but it was a very 

 long hymn, or else she repeated the same few stanzas 

 many times, and after each there was a brief pause, 

 and then the voice that seemed to fall and rise with 

 the motion went on as before* I could have stood 

 there for an hour nay, for hours listening to it, 



