"I had to talk to him, miss. He has been misbehaving himself while I have been away. Five of those _France_ roses that you are so fond of are missing, and China plants put in their places." "My beautiful _La France_ roses gone!" cried Eola, with regret. "I suppose he let them die by neglecting to water and has put others in the pots thinking we should not discover the loss." "Not he! the spalpeen! He has changed them--sold the good ones and stolen some common plants to fill up with." "What did he say for himself when you accused him of it?" "That's just what I didn't do miss; I took care not to make any accusation. As William--that was my second--used to say, 'Think all you like but keep your thoughts to yourself if you want to get even with a bad man.' I kept my thoughts to myself; and when the gardener had the impudence to tell me that the weather had turned the roses from pink to red, I said that if he didn't nurse them back to their right colour you would fine him. They will all return," she continued confidently; "You will have your dozen favourites in a few weeks' time." Eola was accustomed to Mrs. Hulver's methods of ruling the establishment, and knew better than to interfere, although she did not approve of mulcting her servants of their pay. "Supposing he has sold them; what will you do then?" "He'll steal them back or buy them back for a small sum. Trust him for finding out a way to save himself from a big fine such as we shall insist on! As William--that was my first--used to say (he was country-born and knew the native): 'Give them a chance of straightening things, and they'll do it as soon as they know that you've found them out; and they will respect you all the more for obliging them to be honest.'" "If the gardener is dishonest perhaps it would be better to dismiss him and get another." "Gardeners in these parts go with the houses; and like husbands you've got to put up with them. Besides, it is my experience that you may change and change, whether it's a servant or a husband, and find yourself no better off and no worse off in the end, provided you don't have extraordinary bad luck. They're as like in their separate ways, both servants and husbands, as the cocoanut trees. The only difference you can see in the cocoanut trees is the way they stand. One will lean to one side and another to the other side, and no two will lean just alike. As William--that was my third--(he was born in Ireland) used to say: 'Maria, me dear! God made us men as we are; and if it weren't for the trials that we bring ye, ye'd just grow yer wings and fly away; and then, bedad! where should we poor men be widout ye?' He had a nice pleasant way with him, but it was balanced by his fondness for drink; for _that_ was the way he leaned."