X'J()T. EL!<.irNA, A TALE. I49 



bud, and that (lie never could make it e^:pan(?. I cannot 

 however fay any thing certain on this head •, for that young 

 lady having^ been very univerfally difliked, on account of 

 the nau2;hty thingjs (he did, no one would take the trouble 

 of writing her hiftory. 



The fairy, (vou will eadly perceive that Verdurine was 

 one), after having dillributed her gifts, entered again the 

 arbour, and difappeared. The young girls remained loft in af- 

 toni'.hment at this apparition ; thev abandoned their play, 

 and the flowers they had gathered, and only thought o£ 

 thofe thev had received. Every one made halfe to fliew 

 tliem to their parents ; and the young Elmina was no foon- 

 er got home, than fhe ran to Lindorine, and related to her 

 every thing that had happened ; and put her precious flower 

 into a fine porcelane vafe which fhe had. Lindorine appear- 

 ed to be very much aftonifhed at the adventure ; though 

 we fhall afterwards fee that Lindorine and Verdurine were 

 the fame. 



Elmina went to bed highly pleafed ; but her head was 

 fo full of the objects that had occupied her during the day, 

 that Ihe dreamt the whole night of meadows, rondeaus, fai- 

 ries, and enchanted flowers. Herfird care on awaking, was 

 to go to fee if hers had futfered no change during the 

 night ; (he ran towards the vafe where (he had put it ; 

 but in coming near the window,' (he heard a great 

 noife in the ftreet, and faw a troop of unlucky boys who 

 followed a poor woman. The geftures and fooleries of thefe 

 boys amufed the princefs, and made her laugh ; and it was 

 only after (lie loft fight of them, tliat (he retired from the 

 window to examine her flower. But, O heavens ! what was 

 her furprlfe and grief ! She faw the flower of raodefty be- 

 ginning to lofe its beautiful carnation colour, and the 

 flower of beneficence a!fo faded a little. Lindorine then 

 entering, found the princefs loft in grief and aitouilhment, 

 and a(ked the reafon of it. Ah ! faid Elmina, look at the 

 flowers ; they fade, they die, yet I have done nothing. 



In truth the princcf-i was innocent ; for (he had not per- 

 ceived that there was any thing bad in what had made her 

 laugh ; neverthelefs the flower of modefty had occafion to 

 fade, and the flower of beneficence to languKh, becaufe a 

 yaung girl ought never to indulge an indifcrcet curiofity, 

 fai Icfi laugh when thev make a mock of any on;. 



