and future--a very fruitful subject of conversation,
I assure you."

"Wide enough, certainly."

"None too wide for a tree of his standing."

"Ask him, dear, if Joe will marry this Polly Sweetlove."

"He will not tell me that; he makes a special reservation in favour of
lovers' secrets. They would not confide their loves to his keeping so
often as they do if he betrayed them. No, he's a staunch old fellow in
that respect, and the consequence is, that for centuries lovers have
breathed their vows under his protecting branches."

"I'm sorry for that--I mean I am sorry he will not tell you about this
young couple, for I should like to know if they will marry. Indeed, you
must find out somehow, for everyone who reads your book will be curious
on this subject."

"What, as to whether ploughman Joe will marry Polly the housemaid. Had
he been the eldest son of the Squire now, and she the Vicar's daughter,
instead of the maid--"

"It would not have been a whit more interesting, for love is love, and
human nature the same in high and low degree. But, perhaps, this old
tree doesn't know anything about future events?"

"He knows from his long experience of the past what will happen if
certain conditions are given; he knows, for instance, the secret
whispers, and the silent tokens exchanged beneath his boughs, and from
them he knows what will assuredly result if things take their ordinary
course."

"So does anyone, prophet or no prophet."

"But his process of reasoning, based upon the experience of a thousand
years, is unerring; he saw William the Conqueror, and listened to a
council of war held under his branches; he knew what would happen if
William's projects were successful: whether they would be successful was
not within his knowledge. He was intimately acquainted with Herne's Oak
at Windsor, and they frequently visited."

"Visited! how was that possible?"

"Quite possible; trees visit one another just the same as human
beings--they hold intercourse by means of the wind. For instance, when
the wind blows from the north-east, Southwood Oak visits at Windsor Park,
and when the wind is in the opposite direction a return visit is paid.
There isn't a tree of any position in England but the Old Oak of
Southwood knows. He is in himself the History of England, only he is
unlike all other histories, for he speaks the truth."

"He must have witnessed many love scenes!"

"Thousands!"

"Tell me some?"

"Not now