"Don't waste your breath trying to make Grizzel change her mind,"
Prudence interposed. "Papa says you might as well explain to a
pigling which way you want it to go. Let's help with her chain and
get it finished. I'm tired of it." She threw a handful of yellow
bloom into Mollie's lap as she spoke, and began herself to link some
stalks together in a somewhat dreamy and lazy fashion. Mollie
followed her example more briskly.

"It's a pity, you know," she said to Grizzel, "to leave the poor
little flowers withering all round the garden when they might have
gone on growing for days. They will soon be faded and forgotten."

"I'd rather fade in the longest chain in the world than be one of a
million dandelions growing on their roots," Grizzel said, pulling a
fresh handful and shifting her chain to make room for them.

Mollie shook her head but did not argue any more. She dropped her
chain and looked round the garden. Although the sun was so warm and
bright the flowers were those which grow in springtime in England.
Daffodils, narcissus, freesias, and violets grew thickly in the
borders and under the trees, which seemed to be mostly fruit-trees,
though Mollie did not recognize them all. Peach and apricot were in
bloom; fig trees and mulberry trees spread out their broad leaves;
and an immense vividly scarlet geranium dazzled even Mollie's modern
eyes. It was a funny mixture of seasons, she thought.

Suddenly Prudence jumped to her feet, letting all her dandelions
drop unheeded. "There's Hugh!" she exclaimed; "he is calling us. The
house must be finished. Come on, Grizzel, leave your old chain--come