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"But but you mustn't you you mustn't talk like THAT about it," I stammered." Th-that's not the way to talk about a flame-flower." "Why, what's wrong?" "You're just going to plant it! Before you play tennis! It isn't a a BUTTERCUP! You can't do it like that." "Oh, but do give us any hints we shall be only too grateful." "Hints! Just going to plant it!" I repeated, getting more and more indignant.
You have to be a very superior family indeed to have a flame-flower growing in your garden." They laughed. They thought I was joking. "Well, we're going to plant it now, anyhow," said Miss Atherley. "Come along and help us." We went out, six of us, Mrs Atherley carrying the precious thing; and we gathered round an old tree trunk in front of the house.
Caius walked upon the red road bordered by fir hedges and weeds, amongst which blue and yellow asters were beginning to blow, and the ashen seeds of the flame-flower were seen, for its flame was blown out.
"It would look rather pretty here," said Mrs Atherley. "Don't you think?" I gave a great groan. "You you you're all wrong again," I said in despair. "You don't put a flame-flower in a place where you think it will look pretty; you try in all humility to find a favoured spot where it will be pleased to grow. There may be such a spot in your garden or there may not.
One day they led me to an old apple tree and showed me, fenced in at its foot, two twigs and a hint of leaf. "The flame-flower!" they said, with awe in their voices. I was very young; I said that I didn't think much of it. It was from that moment that my education began.... Everybody who came to see us had to be shown the flame-flower.
Besides, we must just plant our flame-flower first." I dropped my knife and fork and gazed at her open-mouthed. "Plant your WHAT?" I managed to say at last. "Flame-flower. Do you know it? John brought one down last night it looks so pretty growing up anything." "It won't take a moment," said Miss Atherley, "and then I'll beat you."
"And there's my eleven crocuses in the front all a-singing together like anything on three bob a week!" Our Flame-flower, the Family Flame-flower, is now plainly established in the north-east corner of the pergola, and flourishes exceedingly. There, or thereabouts, it will remain through the generations to come a cascade of glory to the eye, a fountain of pride to the soul.
Visitors were conducted to the apple tree in solemn procession, and presented. They peered over the fence and said, "A-ah!" just as if they knew all about it. Perhaps some of them did. Perhaps some of them had tried to grow it in their own gardens. As November came on and the air grew cold, the question whether the flame-flower should winter abroad became insistent.
For, though I like the Atherleys very much, though I think them all extremely jolly ... yet I doubt, you know, if they are QUITE the family to have a flame-flower growing in their garden. "KNOW thyself," said the old Greek motto. For the most part he told me nothing new.
"Our fathers' fathers," the unborn will say of us, "performed this thing; they toiled and suffered that we might front the world with confidence a family secure in the knowledge that it has been tried by fire and not found wanting...." The Atherley's flame-flower, I am glad to inform you, is dead. We started the work five years ago. I was young and ignorant then I did not understand.
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