THE DISCOYEKT. 249 



if he has anything very good, I -would rather it should be this 

 year than any other, in which I am stronger than I ever 

 have been." 



" My good Monsieur Esmond," M. Ollbruok came one 

 morning to say, in a very bland manner, " if it would not in- 

 convenience you, I should like very much for you to come 

 and see the little thing I spoke of." 



" Ah ! are you there, my dear OUbruck? I am delighted to 

 see you,we will go and visit my triumph to-morrow morning, 

 — I am curious to see what sort of a figure you will make." 



" My good Monsieur KImond, I will go and humble myself 

 before your magnificence whenever you please; but that 

 which I have to show you is such a trifle, that I do not enter- 

 tain a hope that you will think it worthy of a second 

 glance." 



" This fellow is pretty confident," thought Esmond to 

 himself; then he added aloud : " Listen, Ollbruok, I warn 

 you of one thing, which is, that my plant, brilliant as it 

 will appear to you, is not in perfection; it suffered from the 

 last winter." 



" That is exactly the case with mine. Monsieur Esmond, 

 the winter tried it very severely." 



" But, you know, the prettiest girl in the world — " 



"Exactly! exactly!" 



After long ceremonies, they went to Esmond's garden, and 

 there E6mond showed us, (for I was with them,) a beautiful 

 shrub, the young branches of which are white; the large, 

 oblong, figured leaves, of a deep green on the upper side, and 

 white beneath, do not abandon the tree during the winter. 

 At the extremity of each branch blows a lax cluster of seven 

 or eight round balls formed into little alveoles or cells like 

 those of a honeycomb ; the centre ball is of the most splendid 

 orange-colour, and yields an agreeable saffron odour; when 

 the flower begins to decline, it smells like honey; it was 

 a Buddlea. 



" Well I " said M. Esmond, triumphantly. 



Ollbruck was confounded, pale, speechless. 



" Well ! what do you say to that ? " repeated M. Elmond. 



" It is fine, it is superb ; but I know the plant." 



" I did not imagine you did not know the plant. I know 



