AccompaniedbyyoungDr.Strafford,IwenttoCalifornia.Myphysicalillnesshadbeenbrief.Dr.Brookehadtakenmattersinhisownhandsandorderedanabsoluterest,afterdwellingatsomelengthontheviciouspacesetbymodernbusinessandthelackofconsiderationandknowledgeshownbymenofaffairsfortheirbodies.Therewasalimittothewrackandstrainwhichthehumanorganismcouldstand.Hemustofcoursehavesuspectedthepresenceofdisturbinganddisintegratingfactors,butheconfinedhimselftotellingmethatonlyanexceptionalconstitutionhadsavedmefromaseriousillness;hemustinawayhavecomprehendedwhyIdidnotwishtogoabroad,andhavemyfamilyjoinmeontheRiviera,asTomPetersproposed.Californiahadbeenmychoice,andDr.BrookerecommendedtheclimateofSantaBarbara.
HighupontheMontecitohillsIfoundavillabesidethegatewayofoneofthedeepcanonsthatfurrowthemountainside,anddayafterdayIlayinachaironthesunnyterrace,withacontinuallyrecurringamazementatthebrilliancyofmysurroundings.IntheearlymorningIlookeddownonafeatherymisthidingtheworld,amistpresentlytobeshotwithsilverandsapphire-blue,dissolvedbyslowenchantmentuntiltherelayrevealedtheplainandtheshimmeringoceanwithitsdistantislandstremblinginthehaze.Atsunsetmyeyessoughtthemountains,mountainsunreal,likeglorifiedsceneryofgrandopera,withvioletshadowsinthewoodedcanonclefts,andcragsofpinktourmalineandrubyagainsttheskies.Alldaylonginthetemperedheatflowersblazedaroundme,insectshummed,lizardsdartedinandoutoftheterracewall,birdsflashedamongthecheckeredshadowsoftheliveoaks.ThatgroveofgnarledoakssummonedupbeforemevisionsofsomeclassicvillapoisedaboveGrecianseas,shiningamidstdarkfoliage,therefugeofforgottenkings.Belowme,ontheslope,thespacedorangetreeswereheavywithgoldenfruit.
Afterawhile,asIgrewstronger,Iwasdrivendownandallowedtowalkonthewidebeachthatstretchedinfrontofthegayhousesfacingthesea.CormorantsdivedunderthelongrollersthatcamecrashinginfromthePacific;gullswheeledandscreamedinthesoftwind;alertlittlebirdsdartedhereandtherewithincredibleswiftness,leavingtinyfootprintsacrosstheribsandfurrowsofthewetsand.Fartothesouthwardadarkbarrierofmountainsroseoutofthesea.SometimesI
satwithmybackagainsttheduneswatchingthedragoftheoutgoingwaterrollingthepebblesafterit,makingagleamingfloorforthelighttodance.
AtfirstIcouldnotbeartorecalltheeventsthathadprecededandfollowedmyvisittoKrebsthatSundaymorning.Myillnesshadbegunthatnight;ontheMondayTomPetershadcometotheClubandinsisteduponmybeingtakentohishouseWhenIhadrecoveredsufficientlytherehadbeenratherapatheticrenewalofourfriendship.Perrycametoseeme.Theirattitudewasoneofapprehensionnotunmixedwithwonder;andthoughthey,knewoftheexistenceofamentalcrisis,suspected,inallprobability,someofthecausesofit,theyrefrainedcarefullyfromallcomments,contentingthemselveswithtellingmewhenI