He had once been used to love those words and to feel the rocklike
basis of them as fixed unshakably beneath the rolling sea of the
music; now he sang the melody only. A little later, as though he
had no right to indulge himself even in this, it died on the air;
and only the noise of his thick, stiffened boots could have been
heard crushing the frozen stubble, as he went staggering under his
load toward the barn.




XI


When he reached the worm fence of the hemp field, he threw his
load from his shoulder upon the topmost rail, and, holding it there
with one hand, climbed over. He had now to cross the stable lot.
Midway of this, he passed a rick of hay. Huddled under the
sheltered side were the sheep of the farm, several in number and of
the common sort. At the sight of him, they always bleated
familiarly, but this evening their long, quavering, gray notes were
more penetrating, more insistent than usual. These sensitive,
gentle creatures, whose instincts represent the accumulating and
inherited experiences of age upon age of direct contact with
nature, run far ahead of us in our forecasting wisdom; and many a
time they utter their disquietude and warning in language that is
understood only by themselves. The scant flock now fell into the
wake of David, their voices blending in a chorus of meek elegiacs,
their fore feet crowding close upon his heels. The dog, yielding
his place, fell into their wake, as though covering the rear; and