nandheartoftheworld.Theytaketheimpressionofthewhole.Jacobcasthiseyeoverit.Astrike,amurder,football,bodiesfoundvociferationfromallpartsofEnglandsimultaneously.HowmiserableitisthattheGlobenewspaperoffersnothingbettertoJacobFlanders!Whenachildbeginstoreadhistoryonemarvels,sorrowfully,tohearhimspelloutinhisnewvoicetheancientwords.
ThePrimeMinister'sspeechwasreportedinsomethingoverfivecolumns.Feelinginhispocket,Jacobtookoutapipeandproceededtofillit.Fiveminutes,tenminutes,fifteenminutespassed.Jacobtookthepaperovertothefire.ThePrimeMinisterproposedameasureforgivingHomeRuletoIreland.Jacobknockedouthispipe.HewascertainlythinkingaboutHomeRuleinIreland—averydifficultmatter.Averycoldnight.
Thesnow,whichhadbeenfallingallnight,layatthreeo'clockintheafternoonoverthefieldsandthehill.Clumpsofwitheredgrassstoodoutuponthehill-topthefurzebusheswereblack,andnowandthenablackshivercrossedthesnowasthewinddroveflurriesoffrozenparticlesbeforeit.Thesoundwasthatofabroomsweeping—sweeping.
Thestreamcreptalongbytheroadunseenbyanyone.Sticksandleavescaughtinthefrozengrass.Theskywassullengreyandthetreesofblackiron.Uncompromisingwastheseverityofthecountry.Atfouro'clockthesnowwasagainfalling.Thedayhadgoneout.
Awindowtingedyellowabouttwofeetacrossalonecombatedthewhitefieldsandtheblacktrees….Atsixo'clockaman'sfigurecarryingalanterncrossedthefield….Araftoftwigstayeduponastone,suddenlydetacheditself,andfloatedtowardstheculvert….Aloadofsnowslippedandfellfromafirbranch….Latertherewasamournfulcry….Amotorcarcamealongtheroadshovingthedarkbeforeit….Thedarkshutdownbehindit….
Spacesofcompleteimmobilityseparatedeachofthesemovements.Thelandseemedtoliedead….Thentheoldshepherdreturnedstifflyacrossthefield.Stifflyandpainfullythefrozenearthwastroddenunderandgavebeneathpressurelikeatreadmill.Thewornvoicesofclocksrepeatedthefactofthehourallnightlong.
Jacob,too,heardthem,andrakedoutthefire.Herose.Hestretchedhimself.Hewenttobed.