286 
POPULAR TALES OF FLOWERS 
blue heaven of her dov/ncast eyes, Modesty ever seemed 
to sit enthroned. 
In her casual visits to the distant market town, men 
turned their heads in wonderment, and even women mar- 
velled from whence such a being of life and beauty had 
sprung; for wherever she moved she seemed to throAv 
across the pavement a glad streak as if of sunshine. The 
astonished stranger made his inquiries in vain — all he 
could gather was that she was callel the Violet of the 
Valley, but where she dwelt there were few that knew. 
And many an eye ere it closed in sleep pictured that 
form moving before it, until slumber settled down, and 
in dreams they were carried away to far-off dells and 
dingles, to valleys where the nightingale made music all 
summer long; and they thought of Eve before she fell, 
and believed that somewhere in the earth there still ex- 
isted an unvisited Paradise. They pictured a rustic home 
which the amiable Jasmine overhung, without knowing 
that with such her own was garlanded. They conjured 
up a porch twined over with Moss-Roses, unconscious 
that the threshold over which her beauty passed was 
wreathed with the same queenly flowers. In their sleep 
they sighed over perfumed beds of Pinks, not knowing 
that ther own garden was covered with them; and they 
built up an imaginary abode for Love to dwell in, before 
the winged god had either alighted upon or visited the 
spot. 
Many a sigh was sent over the hills which overlooked 
that little cottage, and many a prayer wafted towards the 
happy valley in which she dwelt; but the bees murmured 
round her home, the butterflies sat swing:! re upon her 
flowers, morning and evening the birds SA’^ elled their an- 
thems upon the breeze, and all night long the brook went 
singing to itself beneath her window, and, excepting an 
affection for all those sweet sights and sounds, and a 
heart at peace with all mankind, she was as yet untouched 
by Love. 
But Love at length came, timid, as he ever cometh ; 
concealing himself at first behind the trees, or screened 
by the surrounding bushes, as if all he coveted was to 
listen to the music of her voice. When he appeared, she 
vanished; when he retreated, she was again in her accus- 
