Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 1 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/112

 common. He presently brought her a specimen of another delicate plant, with a little blue-streaked flower. "I suppose that 's common too," he said, "but I 've never seen it—or noticed it at least." She answered that this one was rare, and cast about a little before she could recall its name. At last she remembered, expressing her surprise at his having found the plant in the woods; she supposed it grew only in the marshes. Rowland complimented her on her fund of useful information.

"It 's not especially useful," she answered; "but I like to know the names of plants as I do those of my acquaintances. When we walk in the woods at home—which we do so much—it seems as unnatural not to know what to call the flowers as it would be to see some one in the town with whom we should n't be on speaking terms."

"If there 's a question of frivolity," Rowland said, "I 'm sure you yourself have very little of it, unless at West Nazareth it 's considered frivolous to walk in the woods and nod to the nodding flowers. Do kindly tell me a little about yourself." And to compel her to begin, "I know you come of a race of theologians," he went on.

"No," she replied, deliberating; "they're not theologians, though they're ministers. We don't take a very firm stand upon doctrine; we 're practical and active rather; we have n't time to find reasons and phrases. We write sermons and preach them, but we do a great deal of hard work besides." 78