"This is not my kingdom, Princess, but yours when you will come home to it, yours and Polly’s. It is only you people who work for others who deserve enchanted islands. I am delighted to hear about my new garden and my gardeners. We must send for all the flowers we can think of, as April is the perfect month for planting. Do you know I always have wanted a blue garden, I suppose because I have loved blue more than any color all my life and wondered why there were so few blue flowers. Suppose we plant only blue flowers here by the blue lagoon.
"You stay here, dear, I must go and see about luncheon. Bring Polly back with you. I don’t want her to go off alone to explore our island and am afraid she has it in mind. One always has the feeling that she will slip away from one somehow."
"No such good fortune, Betty! Bettina, while I think of it, mother has agreed to let me have Juliet Temple here with me, although I am afraid you girls do not want her. I wish you would not be so prejudiced and unfair. She will not be troublesome or intrude on you I am sure, but you will try and see that she has an agreeable time."
"Naturally, Tante, I am not apt to be rude to a guest and will do what I can. Your Camp Fire girls hoped you would be willing to allow us to be with you and do whatever you wished to have done for the little time you are here. If you cannot get on without Juliet Temple, we shall of course be friendly to her. She has been unfriendly, we never have."
"You are cross already, Bettina. Will you speak to Sally? Obviously Sally does not like Juliet, and Sally has a habit of frankness. Tell her I shall be hurt and displeased if she is not especially kind. Now let us talk of something else. Ask Elce and your little lame girl to come and sit by us.
"Elce, if you will sing for me some day all alone here by the blue lagoon, I’ll recite a poem to you about these old trees:
"When by the spring’s enchanting blue, You trace your slender leaves and few, Then do I wish myself re-born To lands of hope, to lands of morn.
"And when your wear your rich attire, Your autumn garments touched with fire, I want again that ardent soul That dared the race and dreamed the goal.
"But, oh, when leafless dark and high, You rise against this winter’s sky, I hear God’s word: "Stand still and see How fair is mine austerity.