76 
though she did not think they did it out of love for 
her, but rather that they might get a higher price for 
her, it was certainly true that the character of Hya¬ 
cinths had improved, since they had been made by 
cultivation capable of receiving more various influ¬ 
ences from the great source of light. 
The Tulip, whose vanity alone was gratified by 
the improvement, held her head very stiffly, and 
pretended not to hear this remark. A slight curl of 
her lip alone gave evidence of the emotion with 
which she received it. 
“ I wish,” she said rather impatiently, “ that the 
red-winged black-birds would come and eat up 
these flies who are preparing to lay their eggs in 
my bulb.” 
Mary wondered how a flower that was so hand¬ 
some could be so unamiable ; but at that moment 
her eye was attracted by a little wren who ran up 
