"Thank you, no," I answered, "I did not come here to buy. I know
nothing about orchids," I added by way of explanation, "except a few I
have seen growing in Africa, and this one," and I tapped the tin case
which I held under my arm.
"Indeed," he said. "I should like to hear about the African orchids.
What is it you have in the case, a plant or flowers?"
"One flower only. It is not mine. A friend in Africa asked me to--
well, that is a long story which might not interest you."
"I'm not sure. I suppose it must be a Cymbidium scape from the size."
I shook my head. "That's not the name my friend mentioned. He called
it a Cypripedium."
The young man began to grow curious. "One Cypripedium in all that
large case? It must be a big flower."
"Yes, my friend said it is the biggest ever found. It measures twenty-
four inches across the wings, petals I think he called them, and about
a foot across the back part."
"Twenty-four inches across the petals and a foot across the dorsal
sepal!" said the young man in a kind of gasp, "and a Cypripedium! Sir,
surely you are joking?"
"Sir," I answered indignantly, "I am doing nothing of the sort.
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