'GOD'S PEACE' 297
yellow wall, which surrounds the garden along the narrow lane. In one place the wall is double, form- ing a narrow enclosure. On the inner side there are •traces of roughly hewn steps, and in the enclosure an old tree is pining away, with leaves on only a few of its branches.
I look at the steps in the wall, at the tree in the enclosure, and I dream of the young monk, who must have sat where I am sitting now, listening to the old monks gossip after supper. But his thoughts are elsewhere ; he watches the sunset's golden play in the foliage outside the low window and his heart beats wildly. Then the brothers retire to rest and night falls on the monastery- garden. But the young monk carefully opens the door to the refectory, creeps to one of the windows, loosens its fastenings, and swings himself into the garden, feels his way through the dark night to the wall, stands on the topmost step, bends down one of the branches of the tree, lets it swing back, and he is in the enclosure, where his beloved, disguised in man's clothes, awaits him and stays with him, while the nightingale sings in the garden.
I will write a book about the old town and its cloister-peace. I should also like to let the night- ingales sing above the young monk and his secret happiness.
is' OF JULY.
I HAVE had a little adventure. IX
This morning I sat as usual outside the pavilion and fed my sparrows. There were many sparrows
