XXVII. Hiving the Bees

           

           TheWeatherburybeeswerelateintheirswarmingthisyear.ItwasinthelatterpartofJune,andthedayaftertheinterviewwithTroyinthehayfield,thatBathshebawasstandinginhergarden,watchingaswarmintheairandguessingtheirprobablesettlingplace.Notonlyweretheylatethisyear,butunruly.Sometimesthroughoutawholeseasonalltheswarmswouldalightonthelowestattainableboughsuchaspartofacurrant-bushorespalierapple-tree;nextyeartheywould,withjustthesameunanimity,makestraightofftotheuppermostmemberofsometall,gauntcostard,orquarrenden,andtheredefyallinvaderswhodidnotcomearmedwithladdersandstavestotakethem.

           Thiswasthecaseatpresent.Bathsheba’seyes,shadedbyonehand,werefollowingtheascendingmultitudeagainsttheunexplorablestretchofbluetilltheyultimatelyhaltedbyoneoftheunwieldytreesspokenof.Aprocesssomewhatanalogoustothatofallegedformationsoftheuniverse,timeandtimesago,wasobservable.Thebustlingswarmhadswepttheskyinascatteredanduniformhaze,whichnowthickenedtoanebulouscentre:thisglidedontoaboughandgrewstilldenser,tillitformedasolidblackspotuponthelight.

           ThemenandwomenbeingallbusilyengagedinsavingthehayevenLiddyhadleftthehouseforthepurposeoflendingahandBathshebaresolvedtohivethebeesherself,ifpossible.

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