The Avenue, so called by the Newbridge people, was a stretch of road
four or five hundred yards long, completely arched over with huge,
wide-spreading apple-trees, planted years ago by an eccentric old
farmer. Overhead was one long canopy of snowy fragrant bloom. Below the
boughs the air was full of a purple twilight and far ahead a glimpse
of painted sunset sky shone like a great rose window at the end of a
cathedral aisle.
Its beauty seemed to strike the child dumb. She leaned back in the
buggy, her thin hands clasped before her, her face lifted rapturously to
the white splendor above. Even when they had passed out and were driving
down the long slope to Newbridge she never moved or spoke. Still with
rapt face she gazed afar into the sunset west, with eyes that saw
visions trooping splendidly across that glowing background. Through
Newbridge, a bustling little village where dogs barked at them and small
boys hooted and curious faces peered from the windows, they drove, still
in silence. When three more miles had dropped away behind them the child
had not spoken. She could keep silence, it was evident, as energetically
as she could talk.
I guess you re feeling pretty tired and hungry, Matthew ventured to
say at last, accounting for her long visitation of dumbness with the
only reason he could think of. But we haven t very far to go now--only
another mile.
She came out of her reverie with a deep sigh and looked at him with the
dreamy gaze of a soul that had been wondering afar, star-led.
Oh, Mr. Cuthbert, she whispered, that place we came through--that
white place--what was it?
Well now, you must mean the Avenue, said Matthew after a few moments
profound reflection. It is a kind of pretty place.
Pretty? Oh, _pretty_ doesn t seem the right word to use. Nor beautiful,
either. They don t go far enough. Oh, it was wonderful--wonderful.
It s the first thing I ever saw that couldn t be improved upon by
imagination. It just satisfied me here --she put one hand on her
breast-- it made a queer funny ache and yet it was a pleasant ache. Did
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