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aside；〃what would you do if you saw two lions in the road； one on each
side； and you didn't know if they was loose or if they was chained up？〃
〃Do？〃 shouted Edward； valiantly； 〃I shouldI shouldI should〃
His boastful accents died away into a mumble： 〃Dunno what I
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should do。〃
〃Shouldn't do anything；〃 I observed after consideration； and really it
would be difficult to arrive at a wiser conclusion。
〃If it came to DOING；〃 remarked Harold； reflectively； 〃the lions would
do all the doing there was to do； wouldn't they？〃
〃But if they was GOOD lions；〃 rejoined Charlotte； 〃they would do as
they would be done by。〃
〃Ah； but how are you to know a good lion from a bad one？〃 said
Edward。 〃The books don't tell you at all； and the lions ain't marked any
different。〃
〃Why； there aren't any good lions；〃 said Harold； hastily。
〃Oh yes； there are； heaps and heaps；〃 contradicted Edward。 〃Nearly
all the lions in the story…books are good lions。 There was Androcles' lion；
and St。 Jerome's lion； andandthe Lion and the Unicorn〃
〃He beat the Unicorn；〃 observed Harold； dubiously； 〃all round the
town。〃
〃That PROVES he was a good lion；〃 cried Edwards triumphantly。
〃But the question is； how are you to tell 'em when you see 'em？〃
〃_I_ should ask Martha；〃 said Harold of the simple creed。
Edward snorted contemptuously； then turned to Charlotte。 〃Look
here；〃 he said； 〃let's play at lions； anyhow； and I'll run on to that corner
and be a lion；I'll be two lions； one on each side of the road；and you'll
come along； and you won't know whether I'm chained up or not； and that'll
be the fun！〃
〃No； thank you；〃 said Charlotte； firmly； 〃you'll be chained up till I'm
quite close to you； and then you'll be loose； and you'll tear me in pieces；
and make my frock all dirty； and p'raps you'll hurt me as well。 _I_ know
your lions！〃
〃No； I won't； I swear I won't；〃 protested Edward。 〃I'll be quite a new
lion this time；something you can't even imagine。〃 And he raced off to
his post。 Charlotte hesitated； then she went timidly on； at each step
growing less Charlotte； the mummer of a minute； and more the anxious
Pilgrim of all time。 The lion's wrath waxed terrible at her approach； his
roaring filled the startled air。 I waited until they were both thoroughly
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absorbed； and then I slipped through the hedge out of the trodden highway；
into the vacant meadow spaces。 It was not that I was unsociable； nor that
I knew Edward's lions to the point of satiety； but the passion and the call
of the divine morning were high in my blood。
Earth to earth！ That was the frank note； the joyous summons of the
day； and they could not but jar and seem artificial； these human
discussions and pretences； when boon Nature； reticent no more； was
singing that full…throated song of hers that thrills and claims control of
every fibre。 The air was wine； the moist earth…smell； wine； the lark's
song； the wafts from the cow…shed at top of the field； the pant and smoke
of a distant train；all were wine；or song； was it？ or odour； this unity they
all blended into？ I had no words then to describe it； that earth… effluence
of which I was so conscious； nor； indeed； have I found words since。 I ran
sideways； shouting； I dug glad heels into the squelching soil； I splashed
diamond showers from puddles with a stick； I hurled clods skywards at
random； and presently I somehow found myself singing。 The words
were mere nonsense； irresponsible babble； the tune was an improvisation；
a weary； unrhythmic thing of rise and fall： and yet it seemed to me a
genuine utterance； and just at that moment the one thing fitting and right
and perfect。 Humanity would have rejected it with scorn； Nature；
everywhere singing in the same key； recognised and accepted it without a
flicker of dissent。
All the time the hearty wind was calling to me companionably from
where he swung and bellowed in the tree…tops。 〃Take me for guide to…
day；〃 he seemed to plead。 〃Other holidays you have tramped it in the
track of the stolid； unswerving sun； a belated truant； you have dragged a
weary foot homeward with only a pale； expressionless moon for company。
To…day why not I； the trickster； the hypocrite？ I； who whip round corners
and bluster； relapse and evade； then rally and pursue！ I can lead you the
best and rarest dance of any； for I am the strong capricious one； the lord of
misrule； and I alone am irresponsible and unprincipled； and obey no law。〃
And for me； I was ready enough to fall in with the fellow's humour； was
not this a whole holiday？ So we sheered off together； arm…in…arm； so to
speak； and with fullest confidence I took the jigging； thwartwise course
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my chainless pilot laid for me。
A whimsical comrade I found him； ere he had done with me。 Was it
in jest； or with some serious purpose of his own； that he brought me plump
upon a pair of lovers； silent； face to face o'er a discreet unwinking stile？
As a rule this sort of thing struck me as the most pitiful tomfoolery。 Two
calves rubbing noses through a gate were natural and right and within the
order of things； but that human beings； with salient interests and active
pursuits beckoning them on from every side； could thus！ Well； it was a
thing to hurry past； shamed of face； and think on no more。 But this
morning everything I met seemed to be accounted for and set in tune by
that same magical touch in the air； and it was with a certain surprise that I
found myself regarding these fatuous ones with kindliness instead of
contempt； as I rambled by； unheeded of them。 There was indeed some
reconciling influence abroad； which could bring the like antics into
harmony with bud and growth