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The Seeds of Love.
51

her, Queen Blanchelys’ heart beat high, for close by her was Love dressed as a mourner. She waited till the service was over, and the woman and the priest had turned away, and then she sprang forward and caught Love by the cloak, and sank at his feet.

“Help me, sweet Love!” she cried, and then began to weep.

“Poor Queen Blanchelys!” said Love, “your rose-tree is dead, then.” His face looked sad, and his cheeks were pale and thin.

“My tree is dead,” sobbed Queen Blanchelys, “and the King loves me no more. Ah, tell me who has killed my tree?”

“Your cousin Zaire has killed it,” said Love. “She asked Envy to help her, and Envy has given her a viper, which she laid at the tree’s roots, and it has spat its deadly venom on to the red heart which is in the centre of the trunk and killed it.”

“Tell me, then, how to make it live again,” gasped the Queen.

“ There is only one thing in the world that can do that!” said Love.

“And what is that ?” asked the Queen.

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