"How beautiful is this earth!" thought Mr.Lavender, "and how simple to be good and happy thereon.Yet must we journey ten leagues beyond the wide world's end to find justice and liberty.There are dark powers like lions ever in the path.Yes," he continued, turning round to the pinetrees, who were creaking slightly in the wind, "hate and oppression, greed, lust, and ambition! There you stand malevolently regarding me.
Out upon you, dark witches of evil! If I had but an axe I would lay you lower than the dust." But the poor pine-trees paid no attention save to creak a little louder.And so incensed was Mr.Lavender by this insensibility on the part of those which his own words had made him perceive were the powers of darkness that he would very likely have barked his knuckles on them if Blink by her impatience had not induced him to resume his walk and mount on to the noble rampart of the Spaniard's Road.