'GOD'S PEACE' 359
they play with each other, now plaintive and far, now sighing and near, now questioning, now answering, now melting together in joyous meeting of all harmonies. It seems to be nature's bridal song which sings about us. Do you not hear it too ? ' 'I hear nature call to a festival: spring out, ye flowers, sing out, ye birds, unfold, trees ! Awake, adorn thyselves, and hasten lest ye be too late. Spring is already here, and when May-day dawns the princess of Rough-Hill will be a bride. I hear nature chant your wedding hymn.'
We are stopped in our walk by a river, which ordinarily is a shallow stream amongst big stones, but which the spring rains have filled to over- flowing, only here and there a stone stands out. ' I suppose we shall have to turn back?' I asked.
Greta leant tenderly towards me and said : ' The spring makes me lazy, don't let us go a round- about way ; don't you think you can carry me ? '
She puts her arms round my neck and I lift her and carry her out into the stream. I feel her soft body against mine, her warm breath on my face. I feel her no burden, but I grow faint and giddy, and must use my utmost will-power not to stagger and fall.
We sit down, both a little out of breath, on the bench on the other side of the river, but Greta leans her head against mine, saying in a murmur: 'You, my strong bridegroom, how happy I was in your arms.'
Spring is early this year. Nature is ringing her wedding bells. The bridal folk are longing for the marriage morn.
