their time was already very short, as they intended to climb the hill,
but they had wished to greet her on their way up and to see her
well-ordered garden.

"How attractively it is laid out, Mrs. Apollonie!" Uncle Philip
exclaimed. "This small space is as lovely as the large castle-garden
used to be. Your roses and mignonette, the cabbage, beans and beets, the
little fountain in the corner are so charming! Your bench under the
apple-tree looks most inviting."

"Oh, Mr. Falcon, you are still as fond of joking as ever," Apollonie
returned. "So you think that my rose-beds are as fine as those up there
used to be? Indeed, who has ever seen the like of them or of my wonderful
vegetable garden in the castle-grounds? There has never been such an
abundance of cauliflower and peas, such rows of bean-poles, such
salad-beds. What a delight their care was to me. Such a garden will
never be seen again. I have to sigh every time when I think that
anything so beautiful should be forever lost."

"But that can't be helped," Uncle Philip answered. "There is one great
advantage you have here. Nobody can possibly disturb your Sunday peace.
You need not throw up your hands and exclaim: 'Falcon is the worst of
all.'"

"Oh, Mr. Falcon, so you still remember," Apollonie exclaimed. "Yes, I
must admit that the three young gentlemen have trampled down many a young
plant of mine. Still I should not mind such a thing if I only had the
care of the garden back again, but it doesn't even exist any more. Mr.
Trius's only harvest is hay and apples, and that is all he wants
apparently, because he has thrown everything else out. Please do not