*
"She's really quite remarkable," Dr. Lakin said to James later that sameevening, after the planting ceremonies were over and the rest of theparty had gone into the cottage for fresh coffee and more sandwiches andcookies and penuche. "Quite remarkable. You're a lucky man, Haut."
"Thank you, sir," James replied abstractedly. "I'm sure Phyllis will bepleased to--"
"_Phyllis!_ Oh, Mrs. Haut is a very remarkable woman, of course. Ahandsome, strong girl; she'll make a splendid mother, I'm sure. But Iwas referring to Miss Magnolia. She's a credit to you, my boy. If for noother reason, your name will go down in the history of our colony asthat of the guide and mentor of Miss Magnolia. That's quite a tree youhave there."
James looked at the dark form of the tree--for the lights had beenturned out--silhouetted against the three pale moons and the violetnight. "Yes, she is," he said.
"You're fortunate to be her neighbor ... and her friend."
"Yes, I am."
"Well, I expect I'd better join the rest. Are you coming on in, Jim?"
"In a little while, sir. I thought I'd--I wanted to have a word withMagnolia. I won't be long."
"Of course, of course. I'm delighted to see that there is such anexcellent relationship between you.... Good night, Miss Magnolia!" hecalled.
"Good night, Dr. Lakin," the tree replied, politely enough, but it wasobvious that she was preoccupied with her new charge, who stood as closeto her as it was possible to plant him and yet allow room for him togrow.
* * * * *
The door closed. James walked across the lawn until he was quite nearMagnolia. "Maggie," he whispered, reaching out to touch hertrunk--smooth it was, and hard, but he could feel the vibrant lifepulsing inside it. Certainly she was not a plant, not _just_ a plant,even though she was a tree. She was a native of Elysium, neither animalnor vegetable, unique unto the planet, unique unto herself. "Maggie."
"Yes, Jim. Don't you think his silhouette is so graceful there in themoonlight? He isn't really puny--just frail."
"Maggie, you're not serious about this holly?"
"What do you mean?" And still he didn't have her full attention. Wouldhe ever have it again?
"Serious about raising him to be your--your--"
"Why not, Jim?"
"It's impossible."
"Is it? It certainly is far more possible with him, isn't it? That muchI understood from your zoology books."
"I suppose so."
"Besides, I have nothing to lose, have I?"
"But even if it were possible, wouldn't it be humiliating for you? Thecreature's mindless!"
Magnolia's leaves rustled in the darkness. She was laughing--a littlebitterly. "Your Phyllis isn't your intellectual equal, Jim, and yet yousay you love her and I suppose you do. Am I not entitled to my folliesalso?"
But she couldn't compare Phyllis to a holly plant! It was unreasonable.
"He may die, of course," Magnolia said. "I've got to be prepared forthat. The soil is different, the air is different, the sun is different.But the chances are, if he survives, he'll turn blue. And if he turnsblue, who knows what other changes might be brought about? Maybe theplants on your Earth aren't inherently mindless, Jim. Maybe they justdidn't have a chance. 'Know ye the land where the cypress and myrtleare emblems of deeds that are done in their clime...?' That land isn'tEarth, Jim, so it might just possibly be Elysium."
* * * * *
Again he didn't say anything. What he wanted to say, he had no right tosay, so he kept silent.
"It'll be a chance for me, too, Jim. At least we're both plants, he andI. That gives us a headstart."
"Yes, I suppose it does."
"Intellect doesn't count for much in the propagation of the species.Life goes on without regard for reason, and that's mainly what we'rehere for, to make sure that life goes on--if we're here for anything atall. Thanks to your kind, Jim, life will continue on this planet; itwill certainly be your kind of life--and I hope it can be ours as well."
"Yes," he said. "I hope so, too."
And he did, but he wished it didn't have to continue in quite that way.Perhaps it was a trick of the three moons, but the holly plant's leavesseemed to have changed color.. They were no longer green, but almostblue--powder blue.
"You'd best be getting on to your party, Jim," Magnolia said. "Youwouldn't want to be remiss in your duties as host. And please close thedoor gently when you go inside. The little holly plant's asleep."
As he closed the door carefully behind him, he heard a burst of laughtercoming from the kitchen, where the guests apparently hadassembled--raucous animal laughter--and, rising shrill and noisy aboveit, Phyllis's company laugh.
--EVELYN E. SMITH
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