We passed them,
one by one, in the happiest mood, enjoying the earth around us, the
sky above, and ourselves most of all.
"The scenery, however, gradually became more rough and broken.
Knobs of gray gneiss, crowned by mournful cedars, intrenched upon
the arable land, and the dark-blue gleam of water appeared through
the trees. Our road, which had been approaching the Sound, now
skirted the head of a deep, irregular inlet, beyond which extended
a beautiful promontory, thickly studded with cedars, and with
scattering groups of elm, oak and maple trees. Towards the end of
the promontory stood a house, with white walls shining against the
blue line of the Sound.
"`There is Arcadia, at last!' exclaimed Mr. Shelldrake.
"A general outcry of delight greeted the announcement. And,
indeed, the loveliness of the picture surpassed our most poetic
anticipations. The low sun was throwing exquisite lights across
the point, painting the slopes of grass of golden green, and giving
a pearly softness to the gray rocks. In the back-ground was drawn
the far-off water-line, over which a few specks of sail glimmered
against the sky.
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