"Yes," I said, "I do. Fact is, I haven't any, and the gardens are all shut now."
"Any what?" she said, letting the sleeve slip back into its place.
"Garlands, Silvia."
She smiled for an instant. Then:
"How dare you come up like this?"
"I wanted to see what Silvia was like."
She stifled a little yawn.
"You heard me say she was holy, fair and wise."
"And excelling, I know. But the second verse asks,
"Is she kind as she is fair?"