been laggards."

With these words he set Joyce in the swing and himself upon the
branch beside it as before. And the other milkmaids climbed into
their perches, rustling the fruit down from the shaken boughs; and
he made of Joyce's lap a basket for the harvest. And he and each of
the maids chose an apple as though supper had not been.

"We are listening," said Joscelyn from above.

"Not all of you," said Martin. And he looked up at Joscelyn alert on
her branch, and down at Gillian prone on the steps.

"You are here for no other purpose," said Joscelyn, "than to make
them listen that will not. I would not have you think we desire to
listen."

"I think nothing but that you are the prey of circumstances," said
Martin, "constrained like flowers to bear witness to that which is
against all nature."

"What do you mean by that?" said Joscelyn. "Flowers are nature
itself."

"So men have agreed," replied Martin, "yet who but men have
compelled them repeatedly to assert such unnaturalnesses as that
foxes wear gloves and cuckoos shoes? Out on the pretty fibbers!"

"Please do not be angry with the flowers," said Joan.