- 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!"
pro-mbooks3 : libris