It was a lovely soft spring morning at the end of March, and
unusually balmy for the time of year; even Ernest's melancholy was
relieved for a while by the look of spring that pervaded earth and
sky; but it soon returned, and smiling sadly he said to himself: "It
may bring hope to others, but for me there can be no hope henceforth."
As these words were in his mind he joined the small crowd who were
gathered round the railings, and saw that they were looking at three
sheep with very small lambs only a day or two old, which had been
penned off for shelter and protection from the others that ranged
the park.
They were very pretty, and Londoners so seldom get a chance of
seeing lambs that it was no wonder everyone stopped to look at them.
Ernest observed that no one seemed fonder of them than a great
lubberly butcher boy, who leaned up against the railings with a tray
of meat upon his shoulder. He was looking at this boy and smiling at
the grotesqueness his admiration, when he became aware that he was
being watched intently by a man in coachman's livery, who had also
stopped to admire the lambs, and was leaning against the opposite side
of the enclosure.
Pages:
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580