As the sky whitened above the silent trees, and the gray
light penetrated to the grassy turf at our feet, Phil quoted softly
the line from Grey's Elegy in which the phrase of "incense-breathing
morn" occurs; and from that he went to certain parts of Milton's
"L'Allegro" and then to Shakespeare's songs, "When Daisies Pied" and
"Under the Greenwood Tree."
"'Faith," said he, breaking off from the poetry, "'tis a marvel how
content I feel! You would not believe it, the serene happiness that
has come over me. 'Tis easy to explain, though: I have adjusted my
affairs, provided for my wife, left nothing in confusion or disorder,
and am as ready for death as for life. I feel at last responsible to
no one; free to accept whatever fate I may incur; clear of burdens.
The great thing, man, is to have one's debts paid, one's obligations
discharged: then death or life matters little, and the mere act of
breathing fresh air is a joy unspeakable."
We now descried the figures of Falconer, Idsleigh, and a third
gentleman, approaching under the trees. Civil greetings passed as they
came up, and Falconer overwent the demands of mere courtesy so far as
to express himself upon the coolness and sweetness of the morning. But
he was scrutinising Philip curiously the while, as if there were some
reason why he should be less indifferent regarding this antagonist
than he had shown himself regarding Tom Faringfield and me.
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