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the hearth。'
Belle sighed。 'Where does tea come from？' she presently demanded。
'From China；' said I； 'I just now mentioned it； and the mention of
it put me in mind of tea。'
'What kind of country is China？'
'I know very little about it； all I know is； that it is a very
large country far to the East； but scarcely large enough to contain
its inhabitants； who are so numerous； that though China does not
cover one…ninth part of the world； its inhabitants amount to one…
third of the population of the world。'
'And do they talk as we do？'
'Oh no！ I know nothing of their language； but I have heard that it
is quite different from all others； and so difficult that none but
the cleverest people amongst foreigners can master it； on which
account； perhaps； only the French pretend to know anything about
it。'
'Are the French so very clever； then？' said Belle。
'They say there are no people like them； at least in Europe。 But
talking of Chinese reminds me that I have not for some time past
given you a lesson in Armenian。 The word for tea in Armenian is …
by the bye what is the Armenian word for tea？'
'That's your affair； not mine；' said Belle； 'it seems hard that the
master should ask the scholar。'
'Well；' said I； 'whatever the word may be in Armenian； it is a
noun； and as we have never yet declined an Armenian noun together；
we may as well take this opportunity of declining one。 Belle；
there are ten declensions in Armenian！
'What's a declension？'
'The way of declining a noun。'
'Then； in the civilest way imaginable； I decline the noun。 Is that
a declension？'
'You should never play on words； to do so is low； vulgar； smelling
of the pothouse； the workhouse。 Belle； I insist on your declining
an Armenian noun。'
'I have done so already；' said Belle。
'If you go on in this way；' said I； 'I shall decline taking any
more tea with you。 Will you decline an Armenian noun？'
'I don't like the language；' said Belle。 'If you must teach me
languages； why not teach me French or Chinese？'
'I know nothing of Chinese； and as for French； none but a Frenchman
is clever enough to speak it … to say nothing of teaching； no； we
will stick to Armenian； unless； indeed； you would prefer Welsh！'
'Welsh； I have heard； is vulgar；' said Belle； 'so； if I must learn
one of the two； I will prefer Armenian； which I never heard of till
you mentioned it to me； though； of the two； I really think Welsh
sounds best。'
'The Armenian noun；' said I； 'which I propose for your declension
this night； is …； which signifieth Master。'
'I neither like the word nor the sound；' said Belle。
'I can't help that；' said I； 'it is the word I choose： Master；
with all its variations； being the first noun the sound of which I
would have you learn from my lips。 Come； let us begin …
'A master。 Of a master； etc。 Repeat … '
'I am not much used to say the word；' said Belle； 'but to oblige
you I will decline it as you wish'； and thereupon Belle declined
Master in Armenian。
'You have declined the noun very well；' said I； 'that is in the
singular number； we will now go to the plural。'
'What is the plural？' said Belle。
'That which implies more than one； for example； Masters； you shall
now go through masters in Armenian。'
'Never；' said Belle； 'never； it is bad to have one master； but more
I would never bear； whether in Armenian or English。'
'You do not understand；' said I； 'I merely want you to decline
Masters in Armenian。'
'I do decline them； I will have nothing to do with them； nor with
master either； I was wrong to … What sound is that？'
'I did not hear it； but I daresay it is thunder； in Armenian … '
'Never mind what it is in Armenian； but why do you think it is
thunder？'
'Ere I returned from my stroll； I looked up into the heavens； and
by their appearance I judged that a storm was nigh at hand。'
'And why did you not tell me so？'
'You never asked me about the state of the atmosphere； and I am not
in the habit of giving my opinion to people on any subject； unless
questioned。 But； setting that aside； can you blame me for not
troubling you with forebodings about storm and tempest； which might
have prevented the pleasure you promised yourself in drinking tea；
or perhaps a lesson in Armenian； though you pretend to dislike the
latter？'
'My dislike is not pretended；' said Belle； 'I hate the sound of it；
but I love my tea； and it was kind of you not to wish to cast a
cloud over my little pleasures； the thunder came quite time enough
to interrupt it without being anticipated … there is another peal …
I will clear away； and see that my tent is in a condition to resist
the storm； and I think you had better bestir yourself。'
Isopel departed； and I remained seated on my stone； as nothing
belonging to myself required any particular attention； in about a
quarter of an hour she returned； and seated herself upon her stool。
'How dark the place is become since I left you；' said she； 'just as
if night were just at hand。'
'Look up at the sky；' said I； 'and you will not wonder； it is all
of a deep olive。 The wind is beginning to rise； hark how it moans
among the branches； and see how their tops are bending； it brings
dust on its wings … I felt some fall on my face； and what is this；
a drop of rain？'
'We shall have plenty anon；' said Belle； 'do you hear？ it already
begins to hiss upon the embers； that fire of ours will soon be
extinguished。'
'It is not probable that we shall want it；' said I； 'but we had
better seek shelter： let us go into my tent。'
'Go in；' said Belle； 'but you go in alone； as for me； I will seek
my own。'
'You are right；' said I； 'to be afraid of me； I have taught you to
decline master in Armenian。'
'You almost tempt me；' said Belle； 'to make you decline mistress in
English。'
'To make matters short；' said I； 'I decline a mistress。'
'What do you mean？' said Belle； angrily。
'I have merely done what you wished me；' said I； 'and in your own
style； there is no other way of declining anything in English； for
in English there are no declensions。'
'The rain is increasing；' said Belle。
'It is so；' said I； 'I shall go to my tent； you may come if you
please； I do assure you I am not afraid of you。'
'Nor I of you；' said Belle； 'so I will come。 Why should I be
afraid？ I can take my own part； that is … '
We went into the tent and sat down； and now the rain began to pour
with vehemence。 'I hope we shall not be flooded in this hollow；'
said I to Belle。 'There is no fear of that；' said Belle； 'the
wandering people； amongst other names； call it the dry hollow。 I
believe there is a passage somewhere or other by which the wet is
carried off。 There must be a cloud right above us； it is so dark。
Oh！ what a flash！'
'And what a peal！' said I； 'that is what the Hebrews call Koul
Adonai … the voice of the Lord。 Are you afraid？'
'No；' said Belle； 'I rather like to hear it。'
'You are right；' said I； 'I am fond of the sound of thunder myself。
There is nothing like it； Koul Adonai behadar： the voice of the
Lord is a glorious voice； as the prayer…book version hath it。'
'There is something awful in it；' said Belle； 'and then the
lightning … the whole dingle is now in a blaze。'
'〃The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve； and discovereth
the thick bushes。〃 As you say； there is something awful in
thunder。'
'There are all kinds of noises above us；' said Belle； 'surely I
heard the crashing of a tree？'
'〃The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedar trees；〃' said I； 'but
what you hear is caused by a convulsion of the air； during a
thunder…storm there are occasionally all kinds of aerial noises。
Ab Gwilym； who； next to King David； has best described a
thunderstorm； speaks of these aerial noises in the following
manner：…
'Astonied now I stand at strains；
As of ten thousand clanking chains；
And once； methought that； overthrown；
The welkin's oaks came whelming down；
Upon my head up starts my hair：
Why hunt abroad the hounds of air？
What cursed hag is screeching high；
Whilst crash goes all her crockery？'
You would hardly believe； Belle； that though I offered at least ten
thousand lines nearly as good as those to the booksellers in
London； the simpletons were so blind to their interest； as to
refuse purchasing them！'
'I don't wonder at it；' said Belle； 'especially if such dreadful
expressions frequently occur as that towards the end； … surely that
was the crash of a tree？'
'Ah！' said I； 'there falls the cedar tree … I mean the sallow； one
of the tall trees on the outside of the dingle has been snapped
short。'
'What a pity；' sai