"
Fanny and Severne rose at the word. Vizard said he felt excluded from
that invitation, having cut his wise-teeth; so he would light a cigar
instead; and he did. Zoe took the other two into the kitchen garden--four
acres, surrounded with a high wall, of orange-red brick, full of little
holes where the nails had been. Zoe, being now at home, and queen, wore a
new and pretty deportment. She was half maternal, and led her friend and
lover about like two kids. She took them to this and that fruit tree, set
them to eat, and looked on, superior. By way of climax, she led them to
the south wall, crimson with ten thousand peaches and nectarines; she
stepped over the border, took superb peaches and nectarines from the
trees, and gave them with her own hand to Fanny and Severne. The head
gardener glared in dismay at the fair spoliator. Zoe observed him, and
laughed. "Poor Lucas," said she; "he would like them all to hang on the
tree till they fell off with a wasp inside. Eat as many as ever you can,
young people; Lucas is amusing."
"I never had peaches enough off the tree before," said Fanny.
"No more have I," said Severne. "This must be the Elysian fields, and I
shall spoil my dinner.
Pages:
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372