Non-Fiction > Books > London, 1878 - Inland voyage

Po7it-siir-Sa7nbre, 53
with her heels upon the donkey's side, and scat-
tered shrill remarks among the wayfarers. It
was notable that none of the tired men took the
trouble to reply. Our conductor soon led us
out of the lane and across country. The sun
had gone down, but the west in front of us was
one lake of level gold. The path wandered
a while in the open, and then passed under a
trellis like a bower indefinitely prolonged. On
either hand were shadowy orchards ; cottages
lay low among the leaves and sent their
smoke to heaven ; every here and there, in an
opening, appeared the great gold face of the
west.
I never saw the Cigarette in such an idyllic
frame of mind. He waxed positively lyrical in
praise of country scenes. I was little less
exhilarated myself ; the mild air of the evening,
the shadows, the rich lights and the silence,
made a symphonious accompaniment about our