CHAPTER LII. "ALL OVER."

laytonwassofarrecoveredastobeabletositupandlookabouthim.TheserenetranquillityofthelovelyOctoberskiesseemedtofalllikeaspelluponhissoul. Amidstthewildanddesolateswamp,herewasanislandofsecurity,wherenaturetookmentohershelteringbosom.Athousandbirds,speakingwiththousandairyvoices,werecallingfrombreezytree-tops,andfromswingingcradlesofvine-leaveswhitecloudssailed,inchangingandvaryingislands,overtheheavygreenbattlementsofthewoods.Thewavering,slumberoussoundofthousandleaves,throughwhichtheautumnairwalkedtoandfro,consoledhim.Lifebegantolooktohimlikeatroubleddream,foreverpast.Hisownsufferings,thehoursofagonyanddeathwhichhehadneverdaredtoremember,seemednowtowearanewandglorifiedform.SuchisthedivinepowerinwhichGodstillrevealshimselfthroughthelovelyandincorruptibleformsofnature. ClaytonbecameinterestedinDred,asapsychologicalstudy.Atfirsthewassilentandreserved,butattendedtothewantsofhisguestwithevidentrespectandkindness.Gradually,however,theloveofexpression,whichlieshiddeninalmosteverysoul,begantounfolditselfinhim,andheseemedtofindpleasureinasympatheticlistener.Hiswildjargonofhebraisticphrases,names,andallusions,hadforClayton,inhisenfeebledstate,aquaintandpoeticinterest.Hecomparedhim,inhisownmind,tooneofthoseoldrudeGothicdoorways,sofrequentinEuropeancathedrals,wherescripturalimages,carvedinroughgranite,minglethemselveswithathousandwayward,fantasticfreaksofarchitectureandsometimeshethought,withasigh,howmuchmighthavebeenaccomplishedbyasoulsoardentandaframesoenergetic,hadtheybeenenlightenedandguided. Dredwouldsometimescome,intheshadypartoftheafternoon,andlieonthegrassbesidehim,andtalkforhoursinaquaint,rambling,dreamystyle,throughwhichtherewereoccasionalflashesofpracticalabilityandshrewdness. Hehadbeenagreattraveller—atravellerthroughregionsgenerallyheldinaccessibletohumanfootandeye.Hehadexplorednotonlythevastswamp-girdleoftheAtlantic,buttheevergladesofFlorida,withalltheirstrangeandtropicalluxurianceofgrowthhehadwanderedalongthedrearyandperilousbeltofsandwhichskirtsthesouthernAtlanticshores,fullofquicksandsandofdangers,andtherehehadmusedoftheeternalsecretofthetides