Mondayafternoonthestormwhichhadbeenbeatingupagainstthesoutheasterlywindnearlyalldaythickened,folduponfold,inthenorthwest。Thegaleincreased,andblackenedtheharborandwhitenedtheopenseabeyond,wheresailaftersailappearedroundthereefofWhalebackLight,andraninawildscamperforthesafeanchorageswithin。
Sincenooncautiouscoastersofallsortshadbeendroppinginwithacasualair;thecoalschoonersandbargeshadrockedandnoddedknowinglytooneanother,withtheirtaperandtruncatedmasts,onthebreastoftheinvisibleswell;andtheflockoflittleyachtsandpleasure-boatswhichalwaysfleckthebayhuddledtogetherinthesafewaters。ThecraftthatcamescurryinginjustbeforenightfallweremackerelseinersfromGloucester。Theywereallofonegracefulshapeandonesize;theycamewithallsailset,takingthewaninglightlikesunshineontheirflying-jibs,andtrailingeachtwodoriesbehindthem,withtheirseinespiledinblackheapsbetweenthethwarts。Assoonastheycameinsidetheirjibsweakenedandfell,andtheanchor-chainsrattledfromtheirbows。Beforethedarkhidthemwecouldhavecountedsixtyorseventyshipsintheharbor,andasthenightfelltheyimprovisedalittleVeniceunderthehillwiththeirlights,whichtwinkledrhythmically,likethelampsinthebasinofSt。Mark,betweentheMaineandNewHampshirecoasts。
Therewasadashofrain,andwethoughtthestormhadbegun;butthatendedit,assomanytimesthissummeradashofrainhasendedastorm。
Themorningcameveiledinafogthatkepttheshippingatanchorthroughtheday;butthenextnighttheweathercleared。Wewoketothecluckingoftackle,andsawthewholefleetstandingdreamilyouttosea。Whentheywerefairlygone,thesummer,whichhadheldaloofindismayofthesuddencold,seemedtoreturnandpossessthelandagain;andthesuccessionofsilverdaysandcrystalnightsresumedthetranquilroundwhichwethoughthadceased。
I。
Onesaysofeverysummer,whenitisdrawingnearitsend,\"Thereneverwassuchasummer\";butifthesummerisoneofthosewhichslipfromthefeebleholdofelderlyhands,whenthedaysoftheyearsmaybereckonedwiththescientificlogicoftheinsurancetablesandthesadconvictionofthepsalmist,oneseesitgowithapassionateprescienceofneverseeingitslikeagainsuchastheyoungerwitnesscannotknow。Eachnewsummerofthefewleftmustbeshorterandswifterthanthelast:itsJuneswillbethirtydayslong,anditsJulysandAuguststhirty-one,incompliancewiththealmanac;butthedayswillbeofsosmallacompassthatfourteenofthemwillrattleroundinaweekoftheoldsizelikeshrivelledpeasinapod。
Tobesuretheyswellsomewhatintheretrospect,likethesamepeasputtosoak;andIamawarenowofsomeJunedaysofthosewhichwefirstspentatKitteryPointthisyear,whichwerenearlytwenty-fourhourslong。Eventhedaysofdecliningyearslingeralittlehere,wherethereisnothingtohurrythem,andwhereitispleasanttoloiter,andmusebesidetheseaandshore,whicharesonettedtogetheratKitteryPointthattheyhardlyknowthemselvesapart。Thedays,whatevertheirlength,aredivided,notintohours,butintomails。Theybegin,withoutregardtothesun,ateighto\'clock,whenthefirstmailcomeswithafewlettersandpaperswhichhadforgottenthemselvesthenightbefore。Athalf-pasteleventhegreatmid-daymailarrives;atfouro\'clockthereisanotherindifferentandscatteringpost,muchlikethatateightinthemorning;andatseventhelastmailarriveswiththeBostoneveningpapersandtheNewYorkmorningpapers,tomakeyouforgetanylettersyouwerelookingfor。Theopeningofthemid-daymailisthatwhichmostthrongswithsummerfolksthelittlepostofficeundertheelms,oppositetheweather-beatenmansionofSirWilliamPepperrell;buttheeveningmailattractsalargeandmainlydisinterestedcircleofnatives。Theday\'sworkonlandandseaisthenover,andthevillageleisure,percheduponfencesandstayedagainsthousewalls,isofapicturesquenesswhichweshouldprizeifwesawitabroad,andwhichIamnotwillingtoslightonourownground。