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The Confessions
Sardinia, who happened to be passing by; but that of the tors of this watering, confirmed each other in the very natu-
walnut tree on the terrace is more amusing to me, since here ral idea that it was nobler to plant trees on the terrace than
I was an actor, whereas, in the abovementioned scene I was colors on a breach, and this glory we were resolved to pro-
only a spectator; and I must confess I see nothing that should cure without dividing it with any one.
occasion risibility in an accident, which, however laughable In pursuance of this resolution, we cut a slip off a willow,
in itself, alarmed me for a person I loved as a mother, or and planted it on the terrace, at about eight or ten feet dis-
perhaps something more.
tance from the august walnut tree. We did not forget to make
Ye curious readers, whose expectations are already on the a hollow round it, but the difficulty was how to procure a
stretch for the noble history of the terrace, listen to the trag- supply of water, which was brought from a considerable disedy,
and abstain from trembling, if you can, at the horrible tance, and we not permitted to fetch it: but water was abso-
catastrophe!
lutely necessary for our willow, and we made use of every
At the outside of the courtyard door, on the left hand, was stratagem to obtain it.
a terrace; here they often sat after dinner; but it was subject For a few days everything succeeded so well that it began
to one inconvenience, being too much exposed to the rays of to bud, and throw out small leaves, which we hourly mea-
the sun; to obviate this defect, Mr. Lambercier had a walnut sured convinced (tho’ now scarce a foot from the ground) it
tree set there, the planting of which was attended with great would soon afford us a refreshing shade. This unfortunate
solemnity. The two boarders were godfathers, and while the willow, by engrossing our whole time, rendered us incapable
earth was replacing round the root, each held the tree with of application to any other study, and the cause of our inat-
one hand, singing songs of triumph. In order to water it tention not being known, we were kept closer than before.
with more effect, they formed a kind of luson around its The fatal moment approached when water must fail, and we
foot: myself and cousin, who were every day ardent specta- were already afflicted with the idea that our tree must perish
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