’ scharacters: , Imustinsistthatlastnight’ , , however, , andlastyearIwasoutofthecountry, broilinginthetropics, duringthesnowyseason, , allstrangers(theyemphasizedthis, fortheyhadspentalltheirlivesinalittletownwhereeverybodyknowseverybody), andthesnow-coveredlandscapetheyawoketo, , happilyscatteringfootmarksontheuntroddensurface, justasthechildrendidinthegardenthismorning.
, andifthisisnotenchantment, thenwhereisittobefound? Theverystealth, theeeriequietness, , , soundless, , justasifamyriadelvesandbrownieswereatwork, , whatanextraordinarychangeitis! , whichhasnotbeentouched, seemsdifferent, everyroomappearingsmallerandcosier, justasifsomepowerweretryingtoturnitintoawoodcutter’ , wherethegardenwasyesterday, thereisnowawhiteandglisteninglevel, , thespectacledpostmistress, thecobbler, theretiredschoolmaster, andtherest, hadsufferedachangetooandhadbecomequeerelvishbeings, ? Thereisacuriousstir, alittleshiverofexcitement, troublingthehouse, , ofcourse, areallexcitementbuteventheadultshangaboutandtalktooneanotherlongerthanusualbeforesettlingdowntotheday’ .
, , -treeoutside, withthefaintlyflushedsnowliningitsboughsandartfullydisposedalongitstrunk, , overthegarden, themeadow, tothelowhillsbeyond, andthegroundwasonelongglare, theskywassteely, , closetotheveryheartofEngland, , itseemed, abodyofhorsemenmightbeseenbreakingoutfromtheblackcopse, .
, ingreatsoftflakes, sothatyoucanhardlyseeacrosstheshallowvalley, andtheroofsarethickandthetreesallbending, andtheweathercockofthevillagechurch, stilltobeseenthroughthegreyloadedair, , whichispartfromthehouseandfacesit, Icanseethechildrenflatteningtheirnosesagainstthenurserywindow, andthereisrunningthroughmyheadajangleofrhymeIusedtorepeatwhenIwasachildandflattenedmynoseagainstthecoldwindowwatchingthefallingsnow:
Snow, snowfaster:
Whitealabaster!
KillinggeeseinScotland,
Sendingfeathershere!
