“You confounded, wretched old grumbler,” he exclaimed, “what have you to say now? Is not this worth coming for? Or is it that even this will not suit you? Perhaps it is all too bright, the water too blue, the flowers too highly coloured, or”—here a most delicious scent was wafted across from some of the flowers—“they are perfumed too highly to please you! You haven’t found fault with anything yet, and we have been here nearly five minutes!”
Jack laughed; and Leonard noticed that it was more like his old, easy, good-natured laugh.
“I think you are too severe upon me, Leonard,” he replied. “Don’t you think so, Monella?”
Monella, the while, had been standing gazing on the scene like one in a dream. More than once he passed his hand across his eyes in a confused way, as though to make sure he was awake. When thus addressed, however, he seemed to rouse himself, and, without noticing the bantering question that had been addressed to him, and, extending one hand slowly towards the valley that lay before them, said,
“I praise Heaven that I have been led, after many days, to the land that I have seen in my visions. Now do I begin to understand why they were sent. And you too, my son,” he added, looking at Leonard, “you have had your visions and your dreams. Tell me, does this not remind you of them?”
“A SCENE THAT WAS GRATEFULLY REFRESHING.”
[Page 72.
“Indeed it does,” returned Leonard seriously. “Though, till you spoke of it, I had not thought of it. I felt so glad to think we had been successful so far, and that your expectations were being justified. It is all very strange.”