THE PADDOCK
so alive, at heart! Ay.... outside the Paddock, and outside the world: inside our bodies, and deep in our souls: through everything, and beyond everything—surely, all is Life, the Life Everlasting! eternal freshness, toil untired, boundless rest—and we a part of it, all the time and for ever. Ah, child, it is all right!—
(A pause.)
(Lightly.) And just you wait a bit, Janet. Who knows? years and years ahead, perhaps you will find it the pleasantest and most natural thing in the world to fall asleep in the sun, some bright November morning.
Janet—Oh, Liz, Liz! Can you imagine it?
Elizabeth—At present, not very easily, I confess!
Janet—And for once, I am more than willing to wait.—Oh, naughty!.... Look behind you, Liz!
Elizabeth—Why, who is this? Mother’s little Jeanie could not stay by herself one minute? Hush, dearie....see! Poor old Hine was so tired she has had to fall fast, fast asleep—kind Jeanie would not wake her? She promised to finish the story? May be she is dreaming the end to it now—Come along! We will set the basket down here, so, beside her, and go and see what Daddy is doing with all those sheep.
Janet—Come along, Jeanie, come along! A race to the Paddock-gate! Mother shall be judge—Now! One....two....three....Off!....Run, Jeanie! Run, Auntie! Run, run, run!
(Exeunt Elizabeth, Janet, and the child.)
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