The Swan of Vilamorta

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  • Behind
  • the
  • pine
  • grove
  • the
  • setting
  • sun
  • had
  • left
  • a
  • zone
  • of
  • fire
  • against
  • which
  • the
  • trunks
  • of
  • the
  • pine
  • trees
  • stood
  • out
  • like
  • bronze
  • columns.
  • The
  • path
  • was
  • rugged
  • and
  • uneven,
  • giving
  • evidence
  • of
  • the
  • ravages
  • wrought
  • by
  • the
  • winter
  • rains;
  • at
  • intervals
  • loose
  • stones,
  • looking
  • like
  • teeth
  • detached
  • from
  • the
  • gum,
  • rendered
  • it
  • still
  • more
  • impracticable.
  • The
  • melancholy
  • shades
  • of
  • twilight
  • were
  • beginning
  • to
  • envelop
  • the
  • landscape;
  • little
  • by
  • little
  • the
  • sunset
  • glow
  • faded
  • away
  • and
  • the
  • moon,
  • round
  • and
  • silvery,
  • mounted
  • in
  • the
  • heavens,
  • where
  • the
  • evening
  • star
  • was
  • already
  • shining.
  • The
  • dismal
  • croaking
  • of
  • the
  • frogs
  • fell
  • sharply
  • on
  • the
  • ear;
  • a
  • fresh
  • breeze
  • stirred
  • the
  • dry
  • plants
  • and
  • the
  • dusty
  • brambles
  • that
  • grew
  • by
  • the
  • roadside;
  • and
  • the
  • trunks
  • of
  • the
  • pine
  • trees
  • grew
  • momentarily
  • blacker,
  • standing
  • out
  • like
  • inky
  • bars
  • against
  • the
  • pale
  • green
  • of
  • the
  • horizon.
  • [pg
  • 002]
  • A
  • man
  • was
  • descending
  • the
  • path
  • slowly,
  • bent,
  • apparently,
  • on
  • enjoying
  • the
  • poetry
  • and
  • the
  • peace
  • of
  • the
  • scene
  • and
  • the
  • hour.
  • He
  • carried
  • a
  • stout
  • walking-stick,
  • and
  • as
  • far
  • as
  • one
  • could
  • judge
  • in
  • the
  • fading
  • light,
  • he
  • was
  • young
  • and
  • not
  • ill-looking.
  • He
  • paused
  • frequently,
  • casting
  • glances
  • to
  • the
  • right
  • and
  • to
  • the
  • left
  • as
  • if
  • in
  • search
  • of
  • some
  • familiar
  • landmark.
  • Finally
  • he
  • stood
  • still
  • and
  • looked
  • around
  • him.
  • At
  • his
  • back
  • was
  • a
  • hill
  • crowned
  • with
  • chestnut
  • trees;
  • on
  • his
  • left
  • was
  • the
  • pine
  • grove;
  • on
  • his
  • right
  • a
  • small
  • church
  • with
  • a
  • mean
  • belfry;
  • before
  • him
  • the
  • outlying
  • houses
  • of
  • the
  • town.
  • He
  • turned,
  • walked
  • back
  • some
  • ten
  • steps,
  • stopped,
  • fronting
  • the
  • portico
  • of
  • the
  • church,
  • examined
  • its
  • walls,
  • and,
  • satisfied
  • at
  • last
  • that
  • he
  • had
  • found
  • the
  • right
  • place,
  • raised
  • his
  • hands
  • to
  • his
  • mouth
  • and
  • forming
  • with
  • them
  • a
  • sort
  • of
  • speaking
  • trumpet,
  • cried,
  • in
  • a
  • clear
  • youthful
  • voice:
  • "Echo,
  • let
  • us
  • talk together!"
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