he　regards　his　own　breast　and　dreams　of　happier　days。　　When　the
  others　walk　into　the　country　twenty…three　of　them　keep　together；
  and　Burd　Alane　（as　I　have　named　him　from　the　old　ballad）　walks　by
  himself。　　The　lack　of　harmony　is　so　evident　here；　and　the　slight　so
  intentional　and　direct；　that　it　almost　moves　me　to　tears。　　The
  others　walk　soberly；　always　in　couples；　but　even　Burd　Alane's
  rightful　spouse　is　on　the　side　of　the　majority；　and　avoids　her
  consort。
  What　is　the　nature　of　his　offence？　　There　can　be　no　connubial
  jealousies；　I　judge；　as　geese　are　strictly　monogamous；　and　having
  chosen　a　partner　of　their　joys　and　sorrows　they　cleave　to　each
  other　until　death　or　some　other　inexorable　circumstance　does　them
  part。　　If　they　are　ever　mistaken　in　their　choice；　and　think　they
  might　have　done　better；　the　world　is　none　the　wiser。　　Burd　Alane
  looks　in　good　condition；　but　Phoebe　thinks　he　is　not　quite　himself；
  and　that　some　day　when　he　is　in　greater　strength　he　will　turn　on
  his　foes　and　rend　them；　regaining　thus　his　lost　prestige；　for
  formerly　he　was　king　of　the　flock。
  *　*　*
  Phoebe　has　not　a　vestige　of　sentiment。　　She　just　asked　me　if　I
  would　have　a　duckling　or　a　gosling　for　dinner；　that　there　were　two
  quite　readythe　brown　and　yellow　duckling；　that　is　the　last　to
  leave　the　water　at　night；　and　the　white　gosling　that　never　knows
  his　own　'ouse。　　Which　would　I　'ave；　and　would　I　'ave　it　with　sage
  and　onion？
  Now；　had　I　found　a　duckling　on　the　table　at　dinner　I　should　have
  eaten　it　without　thinking　at　all；　or　with　the　thought　that　it　had
  come　from　Barbury　Green。　　But　eat　a　duckling　that　I　have　stoned　out
  of　the　pond；　pursued　up　the　bank；　chased　behind　the　wire　netting；
  caught；　screaming；　in　a　corner；　and　carried　struggling　to　his　bed？
  Feed　upon　an　idiot　gosling　that　I　have　found　in　nine　different
  coops　on　nine　successive　nightsin　with　the　newly…hatched　chicks；
  the　half…grown　pullets；　the　setting　hen；　the　〃invaleed　goose；〃　the
  drake　with　the　gapes；　the　old　ducks　in　the　pen？Eat　a　gosling　that
  I　have　caught　and　put　in　with　his　brothers　and　sisters　（whom　he
  never　recognises）　so　frequently　and　regularly　that　I　am　familiar
  with　every　joint　in　his　body？
  In　the　first　place；　with　my　own　small　bump　of　locality　and　lack　of
  geography；　I　would　never　willingly　consume　a　creature　who　might；　by
  some　strange　process　of　assimilation；　make　me　worse　in　this
  respect；　in　the　second　place；　I　should　have　to　be　ravenous　indeed
  to　sit　down　deliberately　and　make　a　meal　of　an　intimate　friend；　no
  matter　if　I　had　not　a　high　opinion　of　his　intelligence。　　I　should
  as　soon　think　of　eating　the　Square　Baby；　stuffed　with　sage　and
  onion　and　garnished　with　green　apple…sauce；　as　the　yellow　duckling
  or　the　idiot　gosling。
  Mrs。　Heaven　has　just　called　me　into　her　sitting…room；　ostensibly　to
  ask　me　to　order　breakfast；　but　really　for　the　pleasure　of
  conversation。　　Why　she　should　inquire　whether　I　would　relish　some
  gammon　of　bacon　with　eggs；　when　she　knows　that　there　has　not　been；
  is　not　now；　and　never　will　be；　anything　but　gammon　of　bacon　with
  eggs；　is　more　than　I　can　explain。
  〃Would　you　like　to　see　my　flowers；　miss？〃　she　asks；　folding　her
  plump　hands　over　her　white　apron。　　〃They　are　looking　beautiful　this
  morning。　　I　am　so　fond　of　potted　plants；　of　plants　in　pots。　　Look
  at　these　geraniums！　　Now；　I　consider　that　pink　one　a　perfect　bloom；
  yes；　a　perfect　bloom。　　This　is　a　fine　red　one；　is　it　not；　miss？
  Especially　fine；　don't　you　think？　　The　trouble　with　the　red　variety
  is　that　they're　apt　to　get　〃bobby〃　and　have　to　be　washed　regularly；
  quite　bobby　they　do　get　indeed；　I　assure　you。　　That　white　one　has
  just　gone　out　of　blossom；　and　it　was　really　wonderful。　　You　could
  'ardly　have　told　it　from　a　paper　flower；　miss；　not　from　a　white
  paper　flower。　　My　plants　are　my　children　nowadays；　since　Albert
  Edward　is　my　only　care。　　I　have　been　the　mother　of　eleven　children；
  miss；　all　of　them　living；　so　far　as　I　know；　I　know　nothing　to　the
  contrary。　　I　'ope　you　are　not　wearying　of　this　solitary　place；
  miss？　　It　will　grow　upon　you；　I　am　sure；　as　it　did　upon　Mrs。
  Pollock；　with　all　her　peculiar　fancies；　and　as　it　'as　grown　upon
  us。We　formerly　had　a　butcher's　shop　in　Buffington；　and　it　was
  naturally　a　great　responsibility。　　Mr。　Heaven's　nerves　are　not
  strong；　and　at　last　he　wanted　a　life　of　more　quietude；　more
  quietude　was　what　he　craved。　　The　life　of　a　retail　butcher　is　a
  most　exciting　and　wearying　one。　　Nobody　satisfied　with　their　meat；
  as　if　it　mattered　in　a　world　of　change！　　Everybody　complaining　of
  too　much　bone　or　too　little　fat；　nobody　wishing　tough　chops　or
  cutlets；　but　always　seeking　after　fine　joints；　when　it's　against
  reason　and　nature　that　all　joints　should　be　juicy　and　all　cutlets
  tender；　always　complaining　if　livers　are　not　sent　with　every　fowl；
  always　asking　you　to　remember　the　trimmin's；　always　wanting　their
  beef　well　'ung；　and　then　if　you　'ang　it　a　minute　too　long；　it's
  left　on　your　'ands！　　I　often　used　to　say　to　Mr。　Heaven；　yes　many's
  the　time　I've　said　it；　that　if　people　would　think　more　of　the　great
  'ereafter　and　less　about　their　own　little　stomachs；　it　would　be　a
  deal　better　for　them；　yes；　a　deal　better；　and　make　it　much　more
  comfortable　for　the　butchers！〃
  *　*　*
  Burd　Alane　has　had　a　good　quarter　of　an　hour　to…day。
  His　spouse　took　a　brief　promenade　with　him。　　To　be　sure；　it　was
  during　an　absence　of　the　flock　on　the　other　side　of　the　hedge　so
  that　the　moral　effect　of　her　spasm　of　wifely　loyalty　was　quite　lost
  upon　them。　　I　strongly　suspect　that　she　would　not　have　granted
  anything　but　a　secret　interview。　　What　a　petty；　weak；　ignoble
  character！　　I　really　don't　like　to　think　so　badly　of　any　fellow…
  creature　as　I　am　forced　to　think　of　that　politic；　time…serving；
  pusillanimous　goose。　　I　believe　she　laid　the　egg　that　produced　the
  idiot　gosling！
  CHAPTER　IX
  Here　follows　the　true　story　of　Sir　Muscovy　Drake；　the　Lady　Blanche；
  and　Miss　Malardina　Crippletoes。
  Phoebe's　flock　consisted　at　first　mostly　of　Brown　Mallards；　but　a
  friend　gave　her　a　sitting　of　eggs　warranted　to　produce　a　most
  beautiful　variety　of　white　ducks。　　They　were　hatched　in　due　time；
  but　proved　hard　to　raise；　till　at　length　there　was　only　one
  survivor；　of　such　uncommon　grace　and　beauty　that　we　called　her　the
  Lady　Blanche。　　Presently　a　neighbour　sold　Phoebe　his　favourite
  Muscovy　drake；　and　these　two　splendid　creatures　by　〃natural
  selection〃　disdained　to　notice　the　rest　of　the　flock；　but　forming　a
  close　friendship；　wandered　in　the　pleasant　paths　of　duckdom
  together；　swimming　and　eating　quite　apart　from　the　others。
  In　the　brown　flock　there　was　one　unfortunate；　misshapen　from　the
  egg；　quite　lame；　and　with　no　smoothness　of　plumage；　but　on　that
  very　account；　apparently；　or　because　she　was　too　weak　to　resist
  them；　the　others　treated　her　cruelly；　biting　her　and　pushing　her
  away　from　the　food。
  One　day　it　happened　that　the　two　ducksSir　Muscovy　and　Lady
  Blanchehad　come　up　from　the　water　before　the　others；　and　having
  taken　their　repast　were　sitting　together　under　the　shade　of　a
  flowering　currant…bush；　when　they　chanced　to　see　poor　Miss
  Crippletoes　very　badly　used　and　crowded　away　from　the　dish。　　Sir
  Muscovy　rose　to　his　feet；　a　few　rapid　words　seemed　to　pass　between
  him　and　his　mate；　and　then　he　fell　upon　the　other　drake　and　the
  heartless　minions　who　had　persecuted　the　helpless　one；　drove　them
  far　away　out　of　sight；　and；　returning；　went　to　the　corner　where　the
  victim　was　cowering；　her　face　to　the　wall。　　He　seemed　to　whisper　to
  her；　or　in　some　way　to　convey　to　her　a　sense　of　protection；　for
  after　a　few　moments　she　tremblingly　went　with　him　to　the　dish；　and
  hurriedly　ate　her　dinner　while　he　stood　by；　repulsing　the　advances
  of　the　few　brown　ducks　who　remained　near　and　seemed　inclined　to
  attack　her。
  When　she　had　eaten　enough　Lady　Blanche　joined　them；　and　they　went
  down　the　hill　together　to　their　favourite　swimming…place。　　After
  that　Miss　Crippletoes　always　followed　a　little　behind　her
  protectors；　and　thus　shielded　and　fed　she　grew　stronger　and　well…
  feathered；　though　she　was　always　smaller　than　she　should　have　been
  and　had　a　lowly　manner；　keeping　a　few　steps　in　the　rear　of　her
  superiors　and　sitting　at　some　distance　from　their　noon　resting…
  place。
  Phoebe　noticed　after　a　while　that　Lady　Blanche　was　seldom　to　be
  seen；　and　Sir　Muscovy　and　Miss　Crippletoes　often　came　to　their
  meals　without　her。　　The　would…be　mother　refused　to　inhabit　the
  house　Phoebe　had　given　her；　and　for　a　long　time　the　place　she　had
  chosen　for　her　sitting　could　not　be　found。　　At　length　the　Square
  Baby　discovered　her　in　a　most　ideal　spot。　　A　large　boulder　had
  dropped　years　ago　into　the　brook　that　fills　our　duck…pond；　dropped
  and　split　in　halves　with　the　two　smooth　walls　leaning　away　from
  each　other。　　A　grassy　bank　towered　behind；　and　on　either　side　of
  the　opening；　tall　bushes　made　a　miniature　forest　where　the　romantic
  mother　could　brood　her　treasures　while　her　two　guardians　enjoyed
  the　water　close　by　her　retreat。
  All　this　happened　before　my　coming　to　Thornycroft　Farm；　but　it　was
  I　who　named　the　hero　and　heroines　of　the　romance　when　Phoebe　had
  told　me　all　the　particulars。　　Yesterday　morning　I　was　sitting　by　my