Assuming as wooden an
expression as I could, I replied, "Yes, I have often observed the
flower you speak of; it is fragrant, and to my mind surpasses in beauty
the scarlet and purple varieties. But you must know, my friend, that
I am a botanist--that is, a student of plants--and they are all equally
interesting to me."
This astonished him; and, pleased with the interest he appeared to
take in the subject, I explained, in simple language, the principles
on which a classification of plants is founded, telling him about that
_lingua franca_ by means of which all the botanists in the world
of all nations are able to converse together about plants. From this
somewhat dry subject I launched into the more fascinating one of the
physiology of plants. "Now, look at this," I continued, and with my
penknife I carefully dissected the flower in my hand, for it was evident
that I could not now give it to Margarita without exposing myself to
remarks. I then proceeded to explain to him the beautiful complex
structure by means of which this campanula fertilises itself.
He listened in wonder, exhausting all the Spanish and Oriental
equivalents of such expressions as "Dear me!" "How extraordinary!"
"Lawks a mussy!" "You don't say so!" I finished my lecture, satisfied
that my superior intellect had baffled the rude creature; then,
tossingaway the fragments of the flower I had sacrificed, I restored the
penknife to my pocket.
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