I was convinced that this pretty sight must have been
purposely arranged by Priscilla for the old man to see. But either
the girl held her too long, or her fondness was resented as too great
a freedom; for Zenobia suddenly put Priscilla decidedly away, and
gave her a haughty look, as from a mistress to a dependant. Old
Moodie shook his head; and again and again I saw him shake it, as he
withdrew along the road; and at the last point whence the farmhouse
was visible, he turned and shook his uplifted staff.
XI. THE WOOD-PATH
Not long after the preceding incident, in order to get the ache of
too constant labor out of my bones, and to relieve my spirit of the
irksomeness of a settled routine, I took a holiday. It was my
purpose to spend it all alone, from breakfast-time till twilight, in
the deepest wood-seclusion that lay anywhere around us. Though fond
of society, I was so constituted as to need these occasional
retirements, even in a life like that of Blithedale, which was itself
characterized by a remoteness from the world. Unless renewed by a
yet further withdrawal towards the inner circle of self-communion, I
lost the better part of my individuality. My thoughts became of
little worth, and my sensibilities grew as arid as a tuft of moss (a
thing whose life is in the shade, the rain, or the noontide dew),
crumbling in the sunshine after long expectance of a shower. So,
with my heart full of a drowsy pleasure, and cautious not to
dissipate my mood by previous intercourse with any one, I hurried
away, and was soon pacing a wood-path, arched overhead with
boughs, and dusky-brown beneath my feet.
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