84 THE FLORIST. 
and bars tend only to enhance our longings, to excite suspicions in our 
naughty little breasts that fruits which are so strictly guarded must be 
of the most delicious order ; and each small conspirator whispers to his — 
brother, ‘“ It’s rubbish, Tommy, about their being unwholesome : they 
only want them for themselves.” 
I must tell you now (how one loves to linger even among the 
naughtinesses of early youth!) how I essayed to avenge myself upon 
our Gardener for his artful ambuscade behind those Scarlet Runners. 
He had, in those days, the finest Peaches in our neighbourhood ; and 
upon the occasion of our giving a grand dinner, at which the Ducal 
party from the Castle graciously assisted, he had sent in such a dish of 
them as could not be surpassed in the county. The specimen which 
crowned the pyramid was enormous (‘‘ Monstreuse,”’ though not ‘‘ de 
Doual”’’), and was the largest I had ever seen, save one, which my 
eldest. sister had made in wax, and in which, so far as size was con- 
cerned, she had considerably exceeded the powers of nature. When 
our guests had arrived (we saw them go through the hall, we little ones, 
as we stood in our night-gear upon a distant landing, like tipsy 
Pecksniffs on a reduced scale), and had seated themselves at the ban- 
quet, what do you think I had the audacity to do? I stole down stairs, 
imperfectly accoutred as I was, and substituted the artificial for the 
real Peach, secreting the latter in a cupboard of the housekeeper’s 
room, where the dessert was lying in state! 
Two hours later, some of the ladies were brought up ‘to see the 
children.” They found me, as you will conjecture, particularly fast 
asleep. I was located in an inner nursery, which seemed to be 
regarded that night, as a small chamber of horrors, attached to the 
general exhibition. ‘‘ 1s that the arch traitor,” I heard Lady Isabel 
ask, “‘ the villain slumbers soundly! let us kiss the hoary miscreant.” 
And then I heard how successfully my scheme had sped. The 
pyramid had been placed in the centre of the table, and the big Peach 
had been admired by all. Papa had been complimented, as though he 
did the pruning and nailing, and general management of the wall trees, 
himself. The Duke had facetiously suggested that it should be taken 
to a side table, and carved like a round of beef. Squire Granville 
prophesied that, when it was touched, there would be such an inunda- 
tion of juice, as would compel the company to swim for their lives. 
Finally, the Duchess had been persuaded to divide it with her neigh- 
bour, and then the imposture was discovered. It had been such fun ! 
Every one had been amused, and Papa, though he seemed puzzled 
and annoyed at first, had laughed most heartily of all. 
All this was very successful; but it was not the success I had 
intended. Nota word of blame was spoken of him for whose entire 
confusion and discomfiture I had laid my malignant plans. I alone 
was censured, and that most mildly. Taken by Mama to the Castle 
in the carriage, and my new clothes, I had expressed my penitence 
to the Duchess, and had been immediately punished with a large 
casket of the most delicious bonbons I ever tasted. 
Some years afterwards, for the war continued, and “ revenge, 
Timotheus cried,” through my boyhood, I made another hostile experi- 
