The Banksiae, whom are little, frank, honest-hearted creatures, andsay out what they think, as such plebeian people will, used totell her roundly she was thankless for the supreme excellence ofher lot.

"You have everything the soul of a rose can wish for: a splendidold wall with no nasty chinks in it; a careful gardener, who nipsall the larvae in the bud before they can do you any damage; sun,water, care; above all, nobody ever cuts a single blossom off you!What more can you wish for? This orangery is paradise!"

She did not answer.

What wounded her pride so very deeply was just this fact, that theynever DID cut off any of her blossoms. When day after day, monthafter month, she crowned herself with her rich crimson glory and noone ever came nigh to behold or to gather it, she could have diedwith vexation and humiliation.