He had a plate of
strawberries on his lap, with a napkin under them to preserve the purity of his white dressing-gown.
"The man at the telegraph," said he, "must either engage a gardener or devote himself passionately to agriculture." Suddenly he struck against something crouching behind a wheelbarrow filled with leaves; the something rose, uttering an exclamation of astonishment, and Monte Cristo found himself facing a man about fifty years old, who was plucking
strawberries, which he was placing upon grape leaves.
In May and June come pinks of all sorts, specially the blushpink; roses of all kinds, except the musk, which comes later; honeysuckles;
strawberries; bugloss; columbine; the French marigold, flos Africanus; cherry-tree in fruit; ribes; figs in fruit; rasps; vineflowers; lavender in flowers; the sweet satyrian, with the white flower; herba muscaria; lilium convallium; the apple-tree in blossom.
They lost no time in picking the biggest
strawberries and ripest oranges and soon had feasted to their hearts' content.
He had a paper-bag under each arm and a pottle of
strawberries in one hand, and was out of breath.
Rebecca was capable of certain set tasks, such as keeping the small children from killing themselves and one another, feeding the poultry, picking up chips, hulling
strawberries, wiping dishes; but she was thought irresponsible, and Aurelia, needing somebody to lean on (having never enjoyed that luxury with the gifted Lorenzo), leaned on Hannah.
When she could consume no more of the
strawberries he filled her little basket with them; and then the two passed round to the rose trees, whence he gathered blossoms and gave her to put in her bosom.
Here I ventured to interpose, and to offer her a plate of
strawberries and cream.
I'll have blancmange and
strawberries for dessert, and coffee too, if you want to be elegant."
Fresh American fruits of all sorts, including
strawberries, which are not to be doled out as if they were jewelry, but in a more liberal way.
"That's it, that's it!" exclaimed the count, and gaily seizing his son by both hands, he cried, "Now I've got you, so take the sleigh and pair at once, and go to Bezukhob's, and tell him 'Count Ilya has sent you to ask for
strawberries and fresh pineapples.' We can't get them from anyone else.
Come, and eat my
strawberries. They are ripening fast."