THE joy of the three gardeners was great, as they saw the old man departing, and felt they were now free to do as they pleased.
"I have long thought that these cans were not fitted for such a young plant," said one, as he threw his away," what we want are fine syringes which we can fill with some good mixture, and direct in a gentle stream just where we wish." "It is a great mistake," added another, "to allow these weeds to be here. They are an injury to the plant, and we must clear every one of them away." "First of all, let us put up the house," said the third, "and then we'll soon manage the rest." So, after a great deal of talk, they decided upon its shape and size. It was to be very narrow, but very lofty so as to allow plenty of room for the plant to grow in height, but not in breadth. How and where they got their materials, I cannot tell, but so great was their diligence that in a few weeks the framework was up, and in another the glass was in. They then put in a patent self-regulating stove, warranted to maintain the same temperature in winter and summer.
During all this time the plant got worse and worse, and at last it was nearly dead for want of water, for the gardeners were too busy now to think of running down to the river.
I must say, however, that when the house was finished and painted, it looked very well, and even the prince would occasionally come and admire it. Indeed, all the time they were building it, he had not displayed at all the same animosity as formerly, when he used often to hinder their fetching water and overturn their cans.
Having now got everything ready, our friends were greatly delighted the first wintry day to find how snug and warm the house felt. Indeed, I may say, although no doubt the plant was the first object, that the thought did just cross their minds how much more comfortable they would be at their work now, than when they had to fetch water in the bitter cold weather the last winter.
Turning their attention at last to the plant, they saw at once what it wanted, and thinking the idea of a syringe very good, they provided themselves with one apiece, and then mixing a small quantity of river water with a large proportion of an artificial stimulant some one had recommended (it is said it was one of the prince's agents), they watered the plant with a soft and steady stream.
The effect was most gratifying. In a few days the genial warmth and plentiful moisture soon made the plant revive, and apparently everything succeeded as they expected.
One thing remained to be done, several weeds had of course been included in the space covered by the house. Every vestige of these was cleared away and the place made tidy and respectable. Beneath the soil, however, all the old roots remained, waiting for a favorable opportunity to sprout again.
Spring is the growing time for plants, but now that it was always spring in the glass-house the plant was always growing. Shoot succeeded shoot, and leaf followed leaf, until it made a grand show. Owing to the construction of the house, it was greatly drawn up, and the stalk, or rather trunk, of the young tree, for it was already covered with green bark, was very long and slender. The great show of leaves at the top seemed rather heavy for it, but still all went well. Indeed, here and there was some indication of coming fruit. The comfort too, of the house to the poor gardeners was so great that they sincerely hoped it would be allowed to remain. At last winter was over and spring came. The plant was a show. It had nearly reached the top of the house, and everything seemed to testify to the superiority of the new way over the old.
The three friends now anxiously awaited the visit of the king, quite confident of his approval. If ever a doubt did cross their minds as to what he would say, it was only at such times as the old gardener (who had left them, they said, because he could not have all his own way) paid them a visit. He generally said nothing but looked carefully at the plant and went away shaking his head.
One day the king came. He had not been expected, and one of the gardeners had just given the house a fresh coat of paint, in consequence of which the leaves of the plant had turned rather yellow; so they were all very busy with their syringes trying to make it look all right.
"Where are your cans?" was the first word he said, on which there was a great deal of fumbling and searching, and at last they were produced, and the one who had proposed the glass-house being spokesman of the three, explained that they found the syringes very much more effective. "Effective for what," said the king, his brow clouding over. "For the growth of the plant, my lord," answered the gardener, "you see how high and handsome it is. Those bits of yellow," he added, seeing the king looking at the yellow leaves, "are nothing, they are only caused by the smell of the fresh paint we put on the house." "Who erected this house?" said the king. "I did, my lord," replied the builder. "By whose orders?" "We did it for the good of the plant, my lord. It was very feeble, and you see, now, how it has grown."
"Your only excuse," sternly replied the king, "is that your real desire was to benefit the plant. You have disobeyed my orders, and imagined that you could improve upon them. You have adulterated the pure water of the river. You have erected this miserable glass-house, and by its means have nearly destroyed the plant. Far better that some of its leaves should wither than the whole plant is should be as it is. It has not grown, it has been drawn up. As you have, therefore, betrayed your trust, it is taken from you and given to another." The king then commanded that the house should be utterly destroyed, and every vestige of it and all the new tools burnt. He then left the plant in sole charge of the old gardener, with strict orders to put no further shelter about the plant, summer or winter, and to use nothing but the pure water of the river.
Such was the end of the gardeners' plan, and as the old gardener looked on the charred remains of the once boasted glass-house, and the sickly appearance of the tall young tree, he thought of some words that he had once read: "The fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss."