THE FLORAL TELEGRAPH. 83 
permitted to make ourselves visible, 
to enjoy such flattering speeches — 
our power over mortals is limited, 
indeed. Long ere the six months had 
expired, had the means been mine, I 
would have brought the noble Lionel 
to supplant the loutish Edmund. I 
spurned the idea of my Violetta being 
thought too mean for the eldest born. 
But, what I could not do, a fatal and 
a guilty curiosity did for poor Lionel. 
He made the opening, and thus threw 
himself, in some measure, under my 
friendly but misjudging control. He 
had read his brother’s letter, and 
wished himself to be a witness of his 
manner of courting, and of the charms 
