had a daughter like that!--with the advantages and bringing up she
could have given her, what would she not have been! And the next
thought was, she was glad that her son was in Russia. Dolly had opened
the window and sat quietly down. She knew her mother would not wish to
be called. Once, months ago, Dolly had a little hoped for this visit,
and thought it might bring her a pleasant friend, or social
acquaintance at least; now that so long time had passed since Lady
Brierley's return, with no sign of kindness from the great house, she
had given up any such expectation; and so cared nothing about the
visit. Dolly's mind was stayed elsewhere; she did not need Lady
Brierley; and it was in part the beautiful, disengaged grace of her
manner which drew the lady's curiosity.

"I did not know Brierley Cottage was such a pretty place," she began.

"It is quite comfortable," said Dolly. "Now in summer, when the flowers
are out, I think it is very pretty."

"You are fond of flowers. I found you pruning your rose-bushes, were
you not?"

"Yes," said Dolly. "The old man who used to attend to it has left me in
the lurch since we went away. If I did not trim them, they would go
untrimmed. They do go untrimmed, as it is."

"Is there no skill required?"

"Oh yes," said Dolly, her face wrinkling all up with fun; "but I have
enough for that. I have learned so much. And pruning is very pretty
work. This is not just the time for it."

"How can it be pretty? I do not understand."

"No, I suppose not," said Dolly. "But I think it is pretty to cut out
the dead wood which is unsightly, and cut away the old wood which can
be spared, leaving the best shoots for blossoming the next year. And
then the trimming in of overgrown bushes, so as to have neat, compact,
graceful shrubs, instead of wild, awkward-growing things--it is
constant pleasure, for every touch tells; and the rose-bushes, I
believe seem almost like intelligent creatures to me."

"But you would not deal with intelligent creatures so?"

"The Lord does," said Dolly quietly.

"What do you mean?" said the lady sharply. "I do not understand your
meaning."

"I did not mean that all people were rose-bushes," said Dolly, with
again an exquisite gleam of amusement in her face.

"But will you not be so good as to explain? What _can_ you mean, by
your former remark?"

"It is not a very deep meaning," said Dolly with a little sigh. "You
know, Lady Brierley, the Bible likens the L