第29章

Suchanticipatedglimpsesofhernowandthenrealizedthemselvesintheevent。Rencountersofnotmorethanaminute’sduration，frequentlyrepeated，willbuildupmutualinterest，evenanintimacy，inalonelyplace。Theirsgrewasimperceptiblyasthetree-twigsbudded。Thereneverwasaparticularmomentatwhichitcouldbesaidtheybecamefriends；yetadelicateunderstandingnowexistedbetweentwowhointhewinterhadbeenstrangers。

Springweathercameonrathersuddenly，theunsealingofbudsthathadlongbeenswollenaccomplishingitselfinthespaceofonewarmnight。Therushofsapintheveinsofthetreescouldalmostbeheard。TheflowersoflateApriltookupapositionunseen，andlookedasiftheyhadbeenbloomingalongwhile，thoughtherehadbeennotraceofthemthedaybeforeyesterday；

birdsbegannottomindgettingwet。In-doorpeoplesaidtheyhadheardthenightingale，towhichout-doorpeoplerepliedcontemptuouslythattheyhadheardhimafortnightbefore。

Theyoungdoctor’spracticebeingscarcelysolargeasaLondonsurgeon’s，hefrequentlywalkedinthewood。Indeedsuchpracticeashehadhedidnotfollowupwiththeassiduitythatwouldhavebeennecessaryfordevelopingittoexceptionalproportions。Oneday，bookinhand，hewalkedinapartofthewoodwherethetreesweremainlyoaks。Itwasacalmafternoon，andtherewaseverywherearoundthatsignofgreatundertakingsonthepartofvegetablenaturewhichisapttofillreflectivehumanbeingswhoarenotundertakingmuchthemselveswithasuddenuneasinessatthecontrast。Heheardinthedistanceacurioussound，somethinglikethequackofaduck，which，thoughitwascommonenoughhereaboutthistime，wasnotcommontohim。

LookingthroughthetreesFitzpierssoonperceivedtheoriginofthenoise。Thebarkingseasonhadjustcommenced，andwhathehadheardwasthetearoftherippingtoolasitplougheditswayalongthestickypartingbetweenthetrunkandtherind。Melburydidalargebusinessinbark，andashewasGrace’sfather，andpossiblymightbefoundonthespot，Fitzpierswasattractedtothesceneevenmorethanhemighthavebeenbyitsintrinsicinterest。WhenhegotnearerherecognizedamongtheworkmenthetwoTimothys，andRobertCreedle，whoprobablyhadbeen“lent“byWinterborne；MartySouthalsoassisted。

EachtreedoomedtothisflayingprocesswasfirstattackedbyCreedle。Withasmallbillhookhecarefullyfreedthecollarofthetreefromtwigsandpatchesofmosswhichincrustedittoaheightofafootortwoabovetheground，anoperationcomparabletothe“littletoilet“oftheexecutioner’svictim。Afterthisitwasbarkedinitserectpositiontoapointashighasamancouldreach。Ifafineproductofvegetablenaturecouldeverbesaidtolookridiculousitwasthecasenow，whentheoakstoodnaked-

legged，andasifashamed，tilltheaxe-mancameandcutaringroundit，andthetwoTimothysfinishedtheworkwiththecrosscut-saw。

Assoonasithadfallenthebarkersattackeditlikelocusts，andinashorttimenotaparticleofrindwasleftonthetrunkandlargerlimbs。MartySouthwasanadeptatpeelingtheupperparts，andthereshestoodencagedamidthemassoftwigsandbudslikeagreatbird，runninghertoolintothesmallestbranches，beyondthefarthestpointstowhichtheskillandpatienceofthemenenabledthemtoproceed——brancheswhich，intheirlifetime，hadswayedhighabovethebulkofthewood，andcaughtthelatestandearliestraysofthesunandmoonwhilethelowerpartoftheforestwasstillindarkness。

“Youseemtohaveabetterinstrumentthanthey，Marty。”saidFitzpiers。

“No，sir。”shesaid，holdingupthetool——ahorse’sleg-bonefittedintoahandleandfiledtoanedge——