For the lad's company invariably gave me new life, and strength, and hope. The very sight of him was as good as the coming of spring.
"Where shall we go?" said he, when we were fairly off, and he was guiding my carriage down Norton Bury streets.
"I think to the Mythe." The Mythe was a little hill on the outskirts of the town, breezy and fresh, where Squire Brithwood had built himself a fine house ten years ago.
"Ay, that will do; and as we go, you will see the floods out—a wonderful sight, isn't it? The river is rising still, I hear; at the tan-yard they are busy making a dam against it. How high are the floods here, generally, Phineas?"
"I'm sure I can't remember. But don't look so serious. Let us enjoy ourselves."
And I did enjoy, intensely, that pleasant stroll. The mere sunshine was delicious; delicious, too, to pause on the bridge at the other end of the town, and feel the breeze brought in by the rising waters, and hear the loud sound of them, as they poured in a cataract over the flood-gates hard by.
"Your lazy, muddy Avon looks splendid now. What masses of white foam it makes, and what wreaths of spray; and see! ever so much of the Ham is under water. How it sparkles in the sun."
"John, you like looking at anything pretty."
"Ah! don't I!" cried he, with his whole heart. My heart leaped too, to see him so happy.
"You can't think how fine this is from my window; I have watched it for a week. Every morning the water seems to have made itself a fresh channel. Look at that one, by the willow-tree—how savagely it pours!"