where, only the day before, she had seen a great
many flowers. These, however, were now a
little past their bloom; and wishing to give her
friends the freshest and loveliest blossoms, she
strayed farther into the fields, and found some
that made her scream with delight. Never had
she met with such exquisite flowers before
violets so large and fragrant roses, with so rich
and delicate a blush such superb hyacinths
and such aromatic pinks and many others,
some of which seemed to be of new shapes and
colors. Two or three times, moreover, she could
not help thinking that a tuft of most splendid
flowers had suddenly sprouted out of the earth
before her very eyes, as if on purpose to tempt
her a few steps farther. Proserpina's apron was
soon filled and brimming over with delightful
blossoms. She was on the point of turning
back in order to rejoin the sea nymphs, and
sit with them on the moist sands, all twining
wreaths together. But, a little farther on, what
should she behold? It was a large shrub, com-
pletely covered with the most magnificent flow-
ers in the world.

"The darlings!" cried Proserpina; and then

[[217]]

p216 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p217w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p218

v?