At last, however, she was
highly delighted at the sight of some plants of purple loose-strife,
growing on the bank. 'Oh!' cried she, 'that is the flower that is so
beautiful at Dykelands.'
'What! the loose strife?' said Elizabeth, 'it is common enough in all
damp places.'
Poor Helen! as if this slight to the flower she admired were not a
sufficient shock to her feelings, Rupert, perfectly unconscious on
what tender ground he was treading, said, 'If it is a lover of damp,
I am sure it can nowhere be better suited than at Dykelands. Did you
grow web-footed there, Helen?'
'O Rupert,' said Helen, 'I am sure the garden is always quite dry.'
'Except when it is wet,' said Elizabeth.
'That was certainly the case when I was there two years ago,'
observed Rupert; 'I could not stir two steps from the door without
meeting with a pool deep enough to swim a man-of-war.'
'Rupert,' said Elizabeth, 'I hereby give notice, that whosoever says
one single word against the perfect dryness, cleanliness, and beauty,
of dear Dykelands, commits high treason against Miss Helen
Woodbourne; and as protecting disconsolate damsels is the bounden
duty of a true knight and cavalier, I advise you never to mention the
subject, on pain of being considered a discourteous recreant.
Pages:
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249