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Statues of
Priapus were carved out of its wood in allusion, possibly, to its
reckless fertility or for some analogous reason; it was also held to be
sacred, I know not why, to Mercury--"
Denis, during this little speech, had begun to look more troubled than
ever. The other continued:
"There is something in the very twistings of that smooth trunk and
those heavy-laden branches that suggests fruitfulness, How voluptuously
they writhe! A kindly growth, lover of men, their dwellings and ordered
ways. That is why we foster it. We are all utilitarians here, Mr.
Denis; we think of the main purposes of life. Besides food, it gives us
welcome shade at this season; the leaves fall off in winter and allow
the sunlight to percolate into our rooms. You will not find evergreen
trees planted near our windows. We know the value of sunshine; where
the sun enters, we say, the physician does not enter. In England the
light is feebler and yet they made this mistake, during the Georgian
period of architecture.


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