e who have hearing do not hear what the
nightingales say: but the deaf and dumb hear it!

BENJAMIN. Tell me some more stories.

ELEONORA. Yes, if you are good.

BENJAMIN. How good?

ELEONORA. If you will never be exacting about words with me, never say
that I said so and so, or so and so. Shall I tell you more about birds?
There is a wicked bird that is called a rat-hawk: as you may know by its
name, it lives on rats. But as it is an evil bird it has hard work to
catch the rats. Because it can say only one single word, and that a
noise such as a cat makes when it says "miau." Now when the rat-hawk
says "miau" the rats run and hide themselves--for the rat-hawk doesn't
understand what it is saying so it is often without food, for it is a
wicked bird! Would you like to hear more? Or shall I tell you something
about flowers? Do you know when I was ill I was made to take henbane,
which is a drug that has the power to make one's eyes magnify like a
microscope. Well, now I see farther than others, and I can see the stars
in the daylight!

BENJAMIN. But the stars are not up there then, are they?

ELEONORA. How funny you are! The stars are always up there--and now,
as I sit facing the west, I can see Cassiopea like a W up there in the
middle of the Milky Way. Can you see it?

BENJAMIN. No, indeed I can't see it.

ELEONORA. Let me call your attention to this, that some can see that
which others do not do not be too sure of your own eyes therefore! Now
I'm going to tell you about that flower standing on the table: it is an
Easter lily whose home is in Switzerland; it has a calyx which drinks
sunlight, therefore it is yellow and can soothe pain. When I was passing
a florist's, just now, I saw it and wanted to make a present of it to
brother Elis. When I tried to go into the shop I found the door was
locked--because it is confirmation day. But I must have the flower--I
took out my keys and tried them--can you believe it, my door key worked!
I went in. You know that flowers speak silently! Every fragrance uttered
a multitude of thoughts, and those thoughts reached me: and with my
magnifying eyes I looked into the flowers' workrooms, which no one else
has ever seen. And they told me about their sorrows which the careless
florist causes them--mark you, I did not say cruel, for he is only
thoughtless. Then I put a coin on the desk with my card, took the Easter
lily and went out.

BENJAMIN. How thoughtless! Think if the flower