4
After the warm days came rain and drizzle and wind. The roads became difficult because of the mud and slosh. Only in the avenue did it dry up soon, however hard it had rained. For the poplars gave no shade, so the sun was able to come at once as soon as the rain had ceased. And they gave no shelter either, so the wind came with a rush and dried the puddles.
The squire came driving with his wife. When the carriage reached the place where the willow stood, the wet mud splashed all over her new silk dress.
"Ugh!" she said.
"What's all this nasty mess?" asked the squire.
The keeper, who was sitting on the box beside the coachman, pointed to the willow-tree:
"It's that fellow there," he said. "He was planted by mistake and now he has stood and grown big. He shelters the ground from the wind and shades it from the sun, so there is always a big puddle under him, long after the rest of the avenue is dry."
"Did you ever hear of such a thing?" said the squire. "And the look of him, too! He spoils the whole of the beautiful, stately avenue. See and poll him to-morrow, keeper. Off with the whole of his crown, do you hear?"
For that happened to be his mood that day.