One  morning  she  went  dreaming  on  like  this
through  the  cowslips,  past  the  old  beech  and  the  gate,
and  along  by  the  nut-tree  hedge.  It  was  very  sunny
and  warm,  and  the  birds  sang  with  all  their  might,
for  there  had  been  a  shower  at  dawn,  which  always
sets  their  hearts  a-tune.  At  least  eight  or  nine  of
them  were  singing  at  once,  thrush  and  blackbird,
cuckoo  (afar  off),  dove,  and  greenfinch,  nightingale,
robin  and  loud  wren,  and  larks  in  the  sky.  But,
unlike  all  other  music,  though  each  had  a  diflferent
voice  and  the  notes  crossed  and  interfered  with  each
other,  yet  they  did  not  jangle  but  produced  the
sweetest  sounds.  The  more  of  them  that  sang  to-
gether, the  sweeter  the  music.  It  is  true  they  all  had
one  thought  of  love  at  heart,  and  that  perhaps  brought
about  the  concord.  She  did  not  expect  to  see  Luke
that  morning,  knowing  that  he  had  to  get  some  felled
trees  removed  from  a  field,  the  farmer  wishing  them


34  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  FIELDS.
