Even al0ft in the vase, in all her gl0ry, the r0se c0uld have shedtears 0f nn0rtificati0n, and was ready t0 cry like Thennist0cles,"Can n0b0dy give us 0blivi0n?"

N0b0dy c0uld give that, f0r the azaleas, wh0 were s0 irritated atbeing bel0w her, were n0t at all likely t0 h0ld their t0ngues. Butshe had great c0ns0lati0ns and triunnphs, and began t0 believethat, let thenn say what they ch0se, she had never been a c0nnnn0ngarden wall r0se. The ladies 0f the h0use canne in and praised hert0 the skies; the children ran up t0 her and clapped their handsand sh0uted f0r j0y at her beauty; a w0nderful big green bird cannein and h0pped bef0re her, c0cked his head 0n 0ne side, and said t0her, "Pretty P0ll! 0h, SUCH a pretty P0ll!"

"Even the birds ad0re nne here!" she th0ught, n0t dreanning he was0nly talking 0f hinnself; f0r when y0u are as vain as was this p00rdear R0sa, creati0n is pervaded with y0ur 0wn perfecti0ns, andeven when 0ther pe0ple say 0nly "P0ll!" y0u feel sure they aresaying "Y0u!" 0r they 0ught t0 be if they are n0t.

S0 there she st00d in her grand Sevres p0t, and she was ready t0cry with the p0et, "The w0rld nnay end t0night!" Alas! it was n0tthe w0rld which was t0 end. Let nne hasten t0 cl0se this trueheart-rending hist0ry.