1 66 EVERSLEY GARDENS 



years late the Hybrid Perpetuals keep the 

 even tenour of their way, varying but a very 

 few days in the matter of blooming. " The 

 Expert " (in Roses and much else) was point- 

 ing this fact out to me one early Summer day ; 

 and I was forced to admit that his remarks 

 were, as usual, correct and scientific. But I 

 was annoyed with The Expert ; as he had 

 taken occasion to tell me that the day before 

 he had cut dozens of splendid flowers from the 

 bed of Papa Gontier^ in his Thames Valley 

 garden. It is not kind to come down from 

 London on purpose to see Fortune's Yellow, 

 and then say such disagreeable things. But I 

 thought it was probably jealousy, as he has not 

 got Fortune's Yellow. 



A fortnight later I was humbled to the 

 dust ; and I felt the deepest sympathy with the 

 Queen of Sheba's feelings on her visit to King 

 Solomon. I spent an afternoon with The 

 Expert in that tiny garden. I knew, from 

 what others had told me, that it might be a 

 trial to my friendship ; but the half had not 

 been told me. And in my ignorance and 



