〃And　a　civilised　wife？〃　he　asked；　bringing　his　horse　close　up　beside　me　and　putting　his　arm　round　my　waist；　〃has　she　ceased　to　be　a　woman？〃
  〃I　should　think　so　indeed；she　is　a　goddess；　and　can　never　be　worshipped　and　adored　enough。〃
  〃It　seems　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　conversation　is　growing　personal。〃
  I　started　off　at　a　canter　across　the　short；　springy　turf。　The　Hirschwald　is　an　enchanted　place　on　such　an　evening；　when　the　mists　lie　low　on　the　turf；　and　overhead　the　delicate；　bare　branches　of　the　silver　birches　stand　out　clear　against　the　soft　sky；　while　the　little　moon　looks　down　kindly　on　the　damp　November　world。　Where　the　trees　thicken　into　a　wood；　the　fragrance　of　the　wet　earth　and　rotting　leaves　kicked　up　by　the　horses'　hoofs　fills　my　soul　with　delight。　　I　particularly　love　that　smell；it　brings　before　me　the　entire　benevolence　of　Nature；　for　ever　working　death　and　decay；　so　piteous　in　themselves；　into　the　means　of　fresh　life　and　glory；　and　sending　up　sweet　odours　as　she　works。
  December　7th。I　have　been　to　England。　　I　went　for　at　least　a　month　and　stayed　a　week　in　a　fog　and　was　blown　home　again　in　a　gale。　Twice　I　fled　before　the　fogs　into　the　country　to　see　friends　with　gardens；　but　it　was　raining；　and　except　the　beautiful　lawns　（not　to　be　had　in　the　Fatherland）　and　the　infinite　possibilities；　there　was　nothing　to　interest　the　intelligent　and　garden…loving　foreigner；　for　the　good　reason　that　you　cannot　be　interested　in　gardens　under　an　umbrella。　　So　I　went　back　to　the　fogs；　and　after　groping　about　for　a　few　days　more　began　to　long　inordinately　for　Germany。　A　terrific　gale　sprang　up　after　I　had　started；　and　the　journey　both　by　sea　and　land　was　full　of　horrors；　the　trains　in　Germany　being　heated　to　such　an　extent　that　it　is　next　to　impossible　to　sit　still；　great　gusts　of　hot　air　coming　up　under　the　cushions；　the　cushions　themselves　being　very　hot；　and　the　wretched　traveller　still　hotter。
  But　when　I　reached　my　home　and　got　out　of　the　train　into　the　purest；　brightest　snow…atmosphere；　the　air　so　still　that　the　whole　world　seemed　to　be　listening；　the　sky　cloudless；　the　crisp　snow　sparkling　underfoot　and　on　the　trees；　and　a　happy　row　of　three　beaming　babies　awaiting　me；　I　was　consoled　for　all　my　torments；　only　remembering　them　enough　to　wonder　why　I　had　gone　away　at　all。
  The　babies　each　had　a　kitten　in　one　hand　and　an　elegant　bouquet　of　pine　needles　and　grass　in　the　other；　and　what　with　the　due　presentation　of　the　bouquets　and　the　struggles　of　the　kittens；　the　hugging　and　kissing　was　much　interfered　with。　Kittens；　bouquets；　and　babies　were　all　somehow　squeezed　into　the　sleigh；　and　off　we　went　with　jingling　bells　and　shrieks　of　delight。　　　〃Directly　you　comes　home　the　fun　begins；〃　said　the　May　baby；　sitting　very　close　to　me。　　〃How　the　snow　purrs！〃　cried　the　April　baby；　as　the　horses　scrunched　it　up　with　their　feet。　The　June　baby　sat　loudly　singing　〃The　King　of　Love　my　Shepherd　is；〃　and　swinging　her　kitten　round　by　its　tail　to　emphasise　the　rhythm。
  The　house；　half…buried　in　the　snow；　looked　the　very　abode　of　peace；　and　I　ran　through　all　the　rooms；　eager　to　take　possession　of　them　again；　and　feeling　as　though　I　had　been　away　for　ever。　When　I　got　to　the　library　I　came　to　a　standstill；ah；　the　dear　room；　what　happy　times　I　have　spent　in　it　rummaging　amongst　the　books；　making　plans　for　my　garden；　building　castles　in　the　air；　writing；　dreaming；　doing　nothing！　　There　was　a　big　peat　fire　blazing　half　up　the　chimney；　and　the　old　housekeeper　had　put　pots　of　flowers　about；　and　on　the　writingtable　was　a　great　bunch　of　violets　scenting　the　room。　〃Oh；　how　good　it　is　to　be　home　again！〃　　I　sighed　in　my　satisfaction。　The　babies　clung　about　my　knees；　looking　up　at　me　with　eyes　full　of　love。　Outside　the　dazzling　snow　and　sunshine；　inside　the　bright　room　and　happy　facesI　thought　of　those　yellow　fogs　and　shivered。　　　The　library　is　not　used　by　the　Man　of　Wrath　；　it　is　neutral　ground　where　we　meet　in　the　evenings　for　an　hour　before　he　disappears　into　his　own　roomsa　series　of　very　smoky　dens　in　the　southeast　corner　of　the　house。　　It　looks；　I　am　afraid；　rather　too　gay　for　an　ideal　library；　and　its　colouring；　white　and　yellow；　is　so　cheerful　as　to　be　almost　frivolous。　There　are　white　bookcases　all　round　the　walls；　and　there　is　a　great　fireplace；　and　four　windows；　facing　full　south；　opening　on　to　my　most　cherished　bit　of　garden；　the　bit　round　the　sun…dial；　so　that　with　so　much　colour　and　such　a　big　fire　and　such　floods　of　sunshine　it　has　anything　but　a　sober　air；　in　spite　of　the　venerable　volumes　filling　the　shelves。　Indeed；　I　should　never　be　surprised　if　they　skipped　down　from　their　places；　and；　picking　up　their　leaves；　began　to　dance。
  With　this　room　to　live　in；　I　can　look　forward　with　perfect　equanimity　to　being　snowed　up　for　any　time　Providence　thinks　proper；　and　to　go　into　the　garden　in　its　snowed…up　state　is　like　going　into　a　bath　of　purity。　The　first　breath　on　opening　the　door　is　so　ineffably　pure　that　it　makes　me　gasp；　and　I　feel　a　black　and　sinful　object　in　the　midst　of　all　the　spotlessness。　　　Yesterday　I　sat　out　of　doors　near　the　sun…dial　the　whole　afternoon；　with　the　thermometer　so　many　degrees　below　freezing　that　it　will　be　weeks　finding　its　way　up　again；　but　there　was　no　wind；　and　beautiful　sunshine；　and　I　was　well　wrapped　up　in　furs。　I　even　had　tea　brought　out　there；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　menials；　and　sat　till　long　after　the　sun　had　set；　enjoying　the　frosty　air。　I　had　to　drink　the　tea　very　quickly；　for　it　showed　a　strong　inclination　to　begin　to　freeze。　　After　the　sun　had　gone　down　the　rooks　came　home　to　their　nests　in　the　garden　with　a　great　fuss　and　fluttering；　and　many　hesitations　and　squabbles　before　they　settled　on　their　respective　trees。　They　flew　over　my　head　in　hundreds　with　a　mighty　swish　of　wings；　and　when　they　had　arranged　themselves　comfortably；　an　intense　hush　fell　upon　the　garden；　and　the　house　began　to　look　like　a　Christmas　card；　with　its　white　roof　against　the　clear；　pale　green　of　the　western　sky；　and　lamplight　shining　in　the　windows。
  I　had　been　reading　a　Life　of　Luther；　lent　me　by　our　parson；　in　the　intervals　between　looking　round　me　and　being　happy。　He　came　one　day　with　the　book　and　begged　me　to　read　it；　having　discovered　that　my　interest　in　Luther　was　not　as　living　as　it　ought　to　be；　so　I　took　it　out　with　me　into　the　garden；　because　the　dullest　book　takes　on　a　certain　saving　grace　if　read　out　of　doors；　just　as　bread　and　butter；　devoid　of　charm　in　the　drawing…room；　is　ambrosia　eaten　under　a　tree。　I　read　Luther　all　the　afternoon　with　pauses　for　refreshing　glances　at　the　garden　and　the　sky；　and　much　thankfulness　in　my　heart。　His　struggles　with　devils　amazed　me　；　and　I　wondered　whether　such　a　day　as　that；　full　of　grace　and　the　forgiveness　of　sins；　never　struck　him　as　something　to　make　him　relent　even　towards　devils。　He　apparently　never　allowed　himself　just　to　be　happy。　He　was　a　wonderful　man；　but　I　am　glad　I　was　not　his　wife。
  Our　parson　is　an　interesting　person；　and　untiring　in　his　efforts　to　improve　himself。　　Both　he　and　his　wife　study　whenever　they　have　a　spare　moment；　and　there　is　a　tradition　that　she　stirs　her　puddings　with　one　hand　and　holds　a　Latin　grammar　in　the　other；　the　grammar；　of　course；　getting　the　greater　share　of　her　attention。　　To　most　German　Hausfraus　the　dinners　and　the　puddings　are　of　paramount　importance；　and　they　pride　themselves　on　keeping　those　parts　of　their　houses　that　are　seen　in　a　state　of　perpetual　and　spotless　perfection；　and　this　is　exceedingly　praiseworthy；　but；　I　would　humbly　inquire；　are　there　not　other　things　even　more　important？　　And　is　not　plain　living　and　high　thinking　better　than　the　other　way　about？　And　all　too　careful　making　of　dinners　and　dusting　of　furniture　takes　a　terrible　amount　of　precious　time；　andand　with　shame　I　confess　that　my　sympathies　are　all　with　the　pudding　and　the　grammar。　It　cannot　be　right　to　be　the　slave　of　one's　household　gods；　and　I　protest　that　if　my　furniture　ever　annoyed　me　by　wanting　to　be　dusted　when　I　wanted　to　be　doing　something　else；　and　there　was　no　one　to　do　the　dusting　for　me；　I　would　cast　it　all　into　the　nearest　bonfire　and　sit　and　warm　my　toes　at　the　flames　with　great　contentment；　triumphantly　selling　my　dusters　to　the　very　next　pedlar　who　was　weak　enough　to　buy　them。　Parsons'　wives　have　to　do　the　housework　and　cooking　themselves；　and　are　thus　not　only　cooks　and　housemaids；　but　if　they　have　children　and　they　always　do　have　childrenthey　are　head　and　under　nurse　as　well；　and　besides　these　trifling　duties　have　a　good　deal　to　do　with　their　fruit　and　vegetable　garden；　and　everything　to　do　with　their　poultry。　This　being　so；　is　it　not　pathetic　to　find　a　young　woman　bravely　struggling　to　learn　languages　and　keep　up　with　her　husband？　If　I　were　that　husband；　those　puddings　would　taste　sweetest　to　me　that　were　served　with　Latin　sauce。　　They　are　both　severely　pious；　and　are　for　ever　engaged　in　desperate　efforts　to　practise　what　they　preach；　than　which；　as　we　all　know；　nothing　is　more　difficult。　He　works　in　his　parish　with　the　most　noble　self…devotion；　and　never　loses　courage；　although　his　efforts　have　been　several　times　rewarded　by　disgusting　libels　pasted　up　on　the　street…corners；　thrown　under　doors；　and　even　fastened　to　his　own　garden　wall。　Th