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           THELakeatlast—asheetofshiningmetalbroodedoverbydroopingtrees.CharityandHarneyhadsecuredaboatand,gettingawayfromthewharvesandtherefreshment-booths,theydriftedidlyalong,huggingtheshadowoftheshore.Wherethesunstruckthewateritsshaftsflamedbackblindinglyattheheat-veiledsky;andtheleastshadewasblackbycontrast.TheLakewassosmooththatthereflectionofthetreesonitsedgeseemedenamelledonasolidsurface;butgradually,asthesundeclined,thewatergrewtransparent,andCharity,leaningover,plungedherfascinatedgazeintodepthssoclearthatshesawtheinvertedtree-topsinterwovenwiththegreengrowthsofthebottom.

           TheyroundedapointatthefartherendoftheLake,andenteringaninletpushedtheirbowagainstaprotrudingtree-trunk.Agreenveilofwillowsoverhungthem.Beyondthetrees,wheat-fieldssparkledinthesun;andallalongthehorizontheclearhillsthrobbedwithlight.Charityleanedbackinthestern,andHarneyunshippedtheoarsandlayinthebottomoftheboatwithoutspeaking.

           EversincetheirmeetingattheCrestonpoolhehadbeensubjecttothesebroodingsilences,whichwereasdifferentaspossiblefromthepauseswhentheyceasedtospeakbecausewordswereneedless.Atsuchtimeshisfaceworetheexpressionshehadseenonitwhenshehadlookedinathimfromthedarknessandagaintherecameoverherasenseofthemysteriousdistancebetweenthem;butusuallyhisfitsofabstractionwerefollowedbyburstsofgaietythatchasedawaytheshadowbeforeitchilledher.