CHAPTER XXXIII

usthavewrittenitbeforeatreejustlikethat: “‘Beholdtheyoungwildplum-treewhichhasadornedherselfafterimmemorialfashioninawedding-veiloffinelace.Thefingersofwoodpixiesmusthavewovenit,fornothinglikeitevercamefromanearthlyloom.Ivowthetreeisconsciousofitsloveliness.Itisbridlingbeforeourveryeyes—asifitsbeautywerenotthemostephemeralthinginthewoods,asitistherarestandmostexceeding,fortodayitisandtomorrowitisnot.Everysouthwindpurringthroughtheboughswillwinnowawayashowerofslenderpetals.Butwhatmatter?Todayitisqueenofthewildplacesanditisalwaystodayinthewoods.’” “I’msureyoufeelmuchbettersinceyou’vegotthatoutofyoursystem,”saidBarneyheartlessly. “Here’sapatchofdandelions,”saidValancy,unsubdued.“Dandelionsshouldn’tgrowinthewoods,though.Theyhaven’tanysenseofthefitnessofthingsatall.Theyaretoocheerfulandself-satisfied.They