Місіс Деллоуей

           ”saidthenursemaid,andSeptimusheardhersay“KayArr”closetohisear,deeply,softly,likeamelloworgan,butwitharoughnessinhervoicelikeagrasshopper’s,whichraspedhisspinedeliciouslyandsentrunningupintohisbrainwavesofsoundwhich,concussing,broke.Amarvellousdiscoveryindeed—thatthehumanvoiceincertainatmosphericconditions(foronemustbescientific,aboveallscientific)canquickentreesintolife!HappilyReziaputherhandwithatremendousweightonhiskneesothathewasweighteddown,transfixed,ortheexcitementoftheelmtreesrisingandfalling,risingandfallingwithalltheirleavesalightandthecolourthinningandthickeningfrombluetothegreenofahollowwave,likeplumesonhorses’heads,feathersonladies’,soproudlytheyroseandfell,sosuperbly,wouldhavesenthimmad.Buthewouldnotgomad.Hewouldshuthiseyes;hewouldseenomore.

           Buttheybeckoned;leaveswerealive;treeswerealive.Andtheleavesbeingconnectedbymillionsoffibreswithhisownbody,thereontheseat,fanneditupanddown;whenthebranchstretchedhe,too,madethatstatement.Thesparrowsfluttering,rising,andfallinginjaggedfountainswerepartofthepattern;thewhiteandblue,barredwithblackbranches.Soundsmadeharmonieswithpremeditation;thespacesbetweenthemwereassignificantasthesounds.Achildcried.Rightlyfarawayahornsounded.Alltakentogethermeantthebirthofanewreligion—

           “Septimus!”saidRezia.