〃So it is； and this is one way of building。 It is only making an
outside by pulling out an inside； instead of making an inside by
setting up an outside。〃
Harry thought for a while； and then said joyfully：
〃I see it； sir！ I see it。 The inside is the chief thingnot the
outside。〃
〃Yes； Harry； and not in architecture only。 Never forget that。〃
They lay for some time in silence； listening to the rain。 At length
Harry spoke：
〃I have been thinking of what you told me yesterday； Mr。 Sutherland；
about the rain going to look for the seeds that were thirsty for it。
And now I feel just as if I were a seed； lying in its little hole
in the earth； and hearing the rain…drops pattering down all about
it； waitingoh； so thirsty！for some kind drop to find me out； and
give me itself to drink。 I wonder what kind of flower I should grow
up；〃 added he； laughing。
〃There is more truth than you think； in your pretty fancy； Harry；〃
rejoined Hugh； and was silentself…rebuked； for the memory of David
came back upon him； recalled by the words of the boy； of David； whom
he loved and honoured with the best powers of his nature； and whom
yet he had neglected and seemed to forget； nay； whom he had
partially forgottenhe could not deny。 The old man； whose thoughts
were just those of a wise child； had said to him once：
〃We ken no more； Maister Sutherlan'； what we're growin' till； than
that neep…seed there kens what a neep is； though a neep it will be。
The only odds is； that we ken that we dinna ken； and the neep…seed
kens nothing at all aboot it。 But ae thing； Maister Sutherlan'； we
may be sure o'： that； whatever it be； it will be worth God's makin'
an' our growin'。〃
A solemn stillness fell upon Hugh's spirit； as he recalled these
words； out of which stillness； I presume； grew the little parable
which follows； though Hugh； after he had learned far more about the
things therein hinted at； could never understand how it was； that he
could have put so much more into it； than he seemed to have
understood at that period of his history。
For Harry said：
〃Wouldn't this be a nice place for a story； Mr。 Sutherland？ Do you
ever tell stories； sir？〃
〃I was just thinking of one； Harry； but it is as much yours as mine；
for you sowed the seed of the story in my mind。〃
〃Do you mean a story that never was in a booka story out of your
own head？ Oh！ that will be grand！〃
〃Wait till we see what it will be； Harry； for I can't tell you how
it will turn out。〃
After a little further pause； Hugh began：
〃Long； long ago； two seeds lay beside each other in the earth；
waiting。 It was cold； and rather wearisome； and； to beguile the
time； the one found means to speak to the other。
〃'What are you going to be？' said the one。
〃'I don't know；' answered the other。
〃'For me；' rejoined the first； 'I mean to be a rose。 There is
nothing like a splendid rose。 Everybody will love me then！'
〃'It's all right；' whispered the second； and that was all he could
say； for somehow when he had said that； he felt as if all the words
in the world were used up。 So they were silent again for a day or
two。
〃'Oh； dear！' cried the first； 'I have had some water。 I never knew
till it was inside me。 I'm growing！ I'm growing！ Good…bye！'
〃'Good…bye！' repeated the other； and lay still； and waited more than
ever。
〃The first grew and grew； pushing itself straight up； till at last
it felt that it was in the open air； for it could breathe。 And what
a delicious breath that was！ It was rather cold； but so refreshing。
The flower could see nothing； for it was not quite a flower yet；
only a plant； and they never see till their eyes come； that is； till
they open their blossomsthen they are flowers quite。 So it grew
and grew； and kept its head up very steadily； meaning to see the sky
the first thing； and leave the earth quite behind as well as beneath
it。 But somehow or other； though why it could not tell； it felt
very much inclined to cry。 At length it opened its eye。 It was
morning； and the sky was over its head； but； alas！ itself was no
roseonly a tiny white flower。 It felt yet more inclined to hang
down its head and to cry； but it still resisted； and tried hard to
open its eye wide； and to hold its head upright； and to look full at
the sky。
〃'I will be a star of Bethlehem at least！' said the flower to
itself。
〃But its head felt very heavy； and a cold wind rushed over it； and
bowed it down towards the earth。 And the flower saw that the time
of the singing of birds was not come； that the snow covered the
whole land； and that there was not a single flower in sight but
itself。 And it half…closed its leaves in terror and the dismay of
loneliness。 But that instant it remembered what the other flower
used to say； and it said to itself： 'It's all right； I will be what
I can。' And thereon it yielded to the wind； drooped its head to the
earth； and looked no more on the sky； but on the snow。 And
straightway the wind stopped； and the cold died away； and the snow
sparkled like pearls and diamonds； and the flower knew that it was
the holding of its head up that had hurt it so； for that its body
came of the snow； and that its name was Snow…drop。 And so it said
once more； 'It's all right！' and waited in perfect peace。 All the
rest it needed was to hang its head after its nature。〃
〃And what became of the other？〃 asked Harry。
〃I haven't done with this one yet；〃 answered Hugh。 〃I only told you
it was waiting。 One day a pale； sad…looking girl； with thin face；
large eyes； and long white hands； came； hanging her head like the
snowdrop； along the snow where the flower grew。 She spied it；
smiled joyously； and saying； 'Ah！ my little sister； are you come？'
stooped and plucked the snowdrop。 It trembled and died in her hand；
which was a heavenly death for a snowdrop； for had it not cast a
gleam of summer； pale as it had been itself； upon the heart of a
sick girl？〃
〃And the other？〃 repeated Harry。
〃The other had a long time to wait； but it did grow one of the
loveliest roses ever seen。 And at last it had the highest honour
ever granted to a flower： two lovers smelled it together； and were
content with it。〃
Harry was silent； and so was Hugh； for he could not understand
himself quite。 He felt； all the time he was speaking； is if he were
listening to David； instead of talking himself。 The fact was； he
was only expanding； in an imaginative soil； the living seed which
David had cast into it。 There seemed to himself to be more in his
parable than he had any right to invent。 But is it not so with all
stories that are rightly rooted in the human？
〃What a delightful story； Mr。 Sutherland！〃 said Harry； at last。
〃Euphra tells me stories sometimes； but I don't think I ever heard
one I liked so much。 I wish we were meant to grow into something；
like the flower…seeds。〃
〃So we are； Harry。〃
〃Are we indeed？ How delightful it would be to think that I am only
a seed； Mr。 Sutherland！ Do you think I might think so？〃
〃Yes； I do。〃
〃Then； please； let me begin to learn something directly。 I haven't
had anything disagreeable to do since you came； and I don't feel as
if that was right。〃
Poor Harry； like so many thousands of good people； had not yet
learned that God is not a hard task…master。
〃I don't intend that you should have anything disagreeable to do； if
I can help it。 We must do such things when they come to us； but we
must not make them for ourselves； or for each other。〃
〃Then I'm not to learn any more Latin； am I？〃 said Harry； in a
doubtful kind of tone； as if there were after all a little pleasure
in doing what he did not like。
〃Is Latin so disagreeable； Harry？〃
〃Yes； it is rule after rule； that has nothing in it I care for。 How
can anybody care for Latin？ But I am quite ready to begin； if I am
only a seedreally； you know。〃
〃Not yet； Harry。 Indeed； we shall not begin againI won't let
youtill you ask me with your whole heart； to let you learn Latin。〃
〃I am afraid that will be a long time； and Euphra will not like it。〃
〃I will talk to her about it。 But perhaps it will not be so long as
you think。 Now； don't mention Latin to me again； till you are ready
to ask me； heartily； to teach you。 And don't give yourself any
trouble about it either。 You never can make yourself like
anything。〃
Harry was silent。 They returned to the house； through the pouring
rain； Harry； as usual； mounted on his big brother。
As they crossed the hall； Mr。 Arnold came in。 He looked surprised
and annoyed。 Hugh set Harry down； who ran upstairs to get dressed
for dinner； while he himself half…stopped； and turned towards Mr。
Arnold。 But Mr。 Arnold did not speak； and so Hugh followed Harry。
Hugh spent all that evening； after Harry had gone to bed； in
correcting his impressions of some of the chief stories of early
Roman history； of which stories he intended commencing a little
course to Harry the next day。
Meantime there was very little intercourse between Hugh and Euphra；
whose surname； somehow or other； Hugh had never inquired after。 He
disliked asking questions about people to an uncommon degree； and so
preferred waiting for a nat