42 Lily and Water-Lily.

 

They did not speak, they only looked at one
another.

“Well,” said Ruby at last, “it would only have
lived till the evening. The hares told me that
butterflies only live one day.”

Pearl did not say anything, but she wondered
whether the butterfly would have been any the more
content to die before it need, because it could only
have lived one day in any case.

“It isn’t as if we had killed an oak, that can live
a thousand years, or even an animal that lives until
the winter,” continued Ruby. “All the things would
die just the same some time, even if we had nothing
to do with it.”

“Of course,” said Pearl, brightening a little.
“Mother Earth kills them all when she likes, so why
shouldn’t we kill just a few when we like? Lots of
other things do. Why, even the mouse kills plants,
and I’m sure it’s a very kind little creature.” fe

This reflection seemed to afford Ruby some scant
consolation too, for he remembered that he had