"My dear Jane, how you talk! That's what I never did in my life.
Go to a ball without a bouquet!—I can't think of such a thing!"
"We can untie them, and make up one ourselves, taking the prettiest flowers from each."
"That won't do, either; for it's only the gardeners that can do up these things decently. I wouldn't, for the world, carry one that looked as if I had made it up myself."
"Well," said Jane, in despair, "I really don't know what else to advise."
"I do believe the young gentlemen have leagued together to provoke me! And this is not all, there are three more in water up-stairs."
"You might take the first that came; perhaps that would be the best plan."
"Would you have me take this ridiculous-looking thing, with only one camellia in it! No, indeed;" and for a moment the two young ladies sat down by the centre-table, looking despondingly at each other and at the flowers.
"If I could only take the one I like best, it would be the easiest thing in the world; but, you know, all the other gentlemen would be offended then."
"Which do you like best?" asked Jane.
"Why this one, with the white camellias; it came from Theodore
St. Leger; he told me he would send one with white flowers only."
Adeline's colour rose a little as she spoke, and as that was not
a common occurrence with her, it looked suspicious.