hire, to return to
Birmingham, where there was a niche already provided for me in my
father's prosperous business. But before I left the north it was an
understood thing amongst us all that I was to go and pay a visit of
some weeks at the Hope Farm. My father was as much pleased at this plan
as I was; and the dear family of cousins often spoke of things to be
done, and sights to be shown me, during this visit. My want of wisdom
in having told 'that thing' (under such ambiguous words I concealed the
injudicious confidence I had made to Phillis) was the only drawback to
my anticipations of pleasure.

The ways of life were too simple at the Hope Farm for my coming to them
to make the slightest disturbance. I knew my room, like a son of the
house. I knew the regular course of their days, and that I was expected
to fall into it, like one of the family. Deep summer peace brooded over
the place; the warm golden air was filled with the murmur of insects
near at hand, the more distant sound of voices out in the fields, the
clear faraway rumble of carts over the stone-paved lanes miles away.
The heat was too great for the birds to be singing; only now and then
one might hear the wood-pigeons in the trees beyond the Ashfield. The
cattle stood knee-deep in the pond, flicking their tails about to keep
off the flies. The minister stood in the hay-field, without hat or
cravat, coat or waistcoat, panting and smiling. Phillis had been
leading the row of farm-servants, turning the swathes of fragrant hay
with measured movement. She went to the end--to the hedge, and then,
throwing down her rake, she came to me with her free sisterly welcome.
'Go, Paul!' said the minister. 'We need all hands to make use of the
sunshine to-day. "Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with all
thy might." It will be a healthy change of work for thee, lad; and I
find best rest in change of work.' So off I went, a willing labourer,
following Phillis's lead; it was the primitive distinction of rank; the
boy who frightened the sparrows off the fruit was the last in our rear.
We did not leave off till the red sun was gone down behind the
fir-trees bordering the common. Then we went home to
supper--prayers--to bed; some bird singing far into the night, as I
heard it through my open window, and the poultry beginning their
clatter and cackle in the earliest morning. I had carried what luggage
I immediately needed with me from my lodgings and the rest was to be