the quest of the golden girl- 第19部分

〃Absolutely。〃

〃I　thought；〃　she　continued；　〃that　it　was　just　the　other　way　about；　that　it　was　presence　and　not　absence　that　made　the　heart　of　man　grow　fonder；　and　that　if　a　man's　best　girl；　so　to　say；　was　away；　he　was　able　to　make　himself　very　comfortable　with　his　second…best！〃

〃In　some　cases；　of　course；　it's　true；〃　I　answered；　unmoved；　〃but　with　a　love　like　yours　and　Orlando's；　it's　quite　different。〃

〃Oh；　do　you　really　mean　it？〃

〃Certainly　I　do；　and　your　mistake　has　been　in　supposing　that　an　experiment　which　no　few　every…day　married　couples　would　be　only　too　glad　to　try；　was　ever　meant　for　two　such　love…birds　as　you。　　Laws　and　systems　are　meant　for　the　unhappy　and　the　untractable；　not　for　people　like　you；　for　whom　Love　makes　its　own　laws。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　what　we　used　to　say；　and　indeed；　we　thought　that　this　was　one　of　love's　laws；this　experiment；　as　you　call　it。〃

〃But　it　was　quite　a　mistake；〃　I　went　on　in　my　character　as　matrimonial　oracle。　〃Love　never　made　a　law　so　cruel；　a　law　that　would　rob　true　lovers　of　each　other's　society　for　a　whole　month　in　a　year；　stretching　them　on　the　rack　of　absence〃　　There　my　period　broke　down；　so　I　began　another　less　ambitiously　planned。

〃A　whole　month　in　a　year！　　Think　what　that　would　mean　in　a　lifetime。　　How　long　do　you　expect　to　live　and　love　together？　　Say　another　fifty　years　at　the　most。　　Well；　fifty　ones　are　fifty。　　Fifty　months　equalfour　twelves　are　forty…eight　and　two　overfour　years　and　two　months。　　Yes；　out　of　the　short　life　God　allows　even　for　the　longest　love　you　would　voluntarily　throw　away　four　years　and　two　months！〃

This　impressive　calculation　had　a　great　effect　on　poor　Rosalind；　and　it　is　a　secondary　matter　that　it　and　its　accompanying　wisdom　may　have　less　weight　with　the　reader；　as　for　the　moment　Rosalind　was　my　one　concern。

〃But；　of　course；　we　have　perfect　trust　in　each　other；〃　said　Rosalind　presently；　with　charming　illogicality。

〃No　doubt；〃　I　said；　〃but　Love；　like　a　good　householder　（ahem！）；　does　well　not　to　live　too　much　on　trust。〃

〃But　surely　love　means　perfect　trust；〃　said　Rosalind。

〃Theoretically；　yes；　practically；　no。　　On　the　contrary；　it　means　exactly　the　opposite。　Trust；　perfect　trust；　with　loved　ones　far　away！　　No；　it　is　an　inhuman　ideal；　and　the　more　one　loves　the　less　one　lives　up　to　it。　If　not；　what　do　these　tears　mean？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　Rosalind　retorted；　with　a　flush；　〃you　mustn't　say　that。　　I　trust　Orlando　absolutely。　　It　isn't　that；　it's　simply　that　I　can't　bear　to　be　away　from　him。〃

What　women　mean　by　〃trusting〃　might　afford　a　subject　for　an　interesting　disquisition。　However；　I　forbore　to　pursue　the　matter；　and　answered　Rosalind's　remark　in　a　practical　spirit。

〃Well；　then；〃　I　said；　〃if　that's　all；　the　thing　to　do　is　to　find　Orlando；　tell　him　that　you　cannot　bear　it；　and　spend　the　rest　of　your　holiday；　you　and　he；　together。〃

〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　said　Rosalind。

〃Unfortunately；〃　I　continued；　〃owing　to　your　foolish　arrangement　not　to　tell　each　other　where　you　were　going　and　not　to　write；　as　being　incompatible　with　Perfect　Trust；　you　don't　know　where　Orlando　is　at　the　present　moment。〃

〃No；　but　I　have　a　good　guess；〃　said　Rosalind。　　〃There's　a　smart　little　watering…　place；　not　so　many　miles　from　here；　called　Yellowsands；　a　sort　of　secret　little　Monaco；　which　not　many　people　know　of；　a　wicked…innocent　gay　little　place；　where　we've　often　talked　of　going。　　I　think　it's　very　likely　that　Orlando　has　gone　there；　and　that's　just　where　I　was　going　when　we　met。〃

I　will　tell　the　reader　more　about　Yellowsands　in　the　next　chapter。　　Meanwhile；　let　us　complete　Rosalind's　arrangements。　　The　result　of　our　conversation　was　that　she　was　to　proceed　to　Yellowsands　on　the　morrow；　and　that　I　was　to　follow　as　soon　as　possible；　so　as　to　be　available　should　she　chance　to　need　any　advice；　and　at　all　events　to　give　myself　the　pleasure　of　meeting　her　again。

This　arranged；　we　said　good…night；　Rosalind　with　ever　such　a　brightened…up　face；　of　which　I　thought　for　half　an　hour　and　then　fell　asleep　to　dream　of　Yellowsands。



CHAPTER　V


CONCERNING　THE　HAVEN　OF　YELLOWSANDS

On　the　morrow；　at　the　peep　of　day；　Rosalind　was　off　to　seek　her　lord。　　An　hour　or　so　after　I　started　in　leisurely　pursuit。

Yellowsands！　　I　had　heard　in　a　vague　way　of　the　place；　as　a　whim　of　a　certain　young　nobleman　who　combined　brains　with　the　pursuit　of　pleasure。　　Like　most　ideas；　it　was　simple　enough　when　once　conceived。　Any　one　possessing　a　mile　or　two　of　secluded　seaboard；　cut　off　on　the　land　side　by　precipitous　approaches；　and　including　a　sheltered　river　mouth　ingeniously　hidden　by　nature；　in　the　form　of　a　jutting　wall　of　rock；　from　the　sea；　might　have　made　as　good　use　of　these　natural　opportunities　as　the　nobleman　in　question；　had　they　only　been　as　wise　and　as　rich。　　William　Blake　proposed　to　rebuild　Jerusalem　in　this　green　and　pleasant　land。　　My　lord　proposed　to　erect　a　miniature　Babylon　amid　similar　pleasant　surroundings；　a　little　dream…city　by　the　sea；　a　home　for　the　innocent　pleasure…seeker　stifled　by　the　puritanism　of　the　great　towns；　refugium　peccatorum　in　this　island　of　the　saints。

〃Once　it　was　the　Puritan　Fathers　who　left　our　coasts；〃　he　is　recorded　to　have　said；　〃nowadays　it　is　our　Prodigal　Sons。〃

No　doubt　it　was　in　further　elaboration　of　this　aphorism　that　the　little　steamboat　that　sailed　every　other　day　from　Yellowsands　to　the　beckoning　shores　of　France　was　called　〃the　Mayflower。〃

My　lord's　plan　had　been　simple。　　By　the　aid　of　cunning　architects　he　had　first　blasted　his　harbour　into　shape；　then　built　his　hotels　and　pleasure…palaces；　and　then　leased　them　to　dependants　of　his　who　knew　the　right　sort　of　people；　and　who　knew　that　it　was　as　much　as　their　lease　was　worth　to　find　accommodation　for　teetotal　amateur　photographers　or　wistful　wandering　Sunday…school　treats。　　As；　unfortunately；　the　Queen's　highway　ran　down　in　tortuous　descent　to　the　handful　of　fishermen's　cottages　that　had　clung　there　limpet…like　for　ages；　there　was　always　a　chance　of　such　a　stray　visitation；　but　it　was　remote；　and　the　whole　place；　hand　and　heart；　was　in　the　pocket　of　my　lord。

So　much　to　give　the　reader　some　idea　of　the　secret　watering…place　of　Yellowsands；　situated　at　the　mouth　of　that　romantic　little　torrent；　the　river　Sly。　　Such　further　description　as　may　be　needed　may　be　kept　till　we　come　within　sight　of　its　gilded　roofs　and　marble　terraces。



CHAPTER　VI


THE　MOORLAND　OF　THE　APOCALYPSE

I　reckoned　that　it　would　take　me　two　or　three　days；　leisurely　walking；　to　reach　Yellowsands。　　Rosalind　would；　of　course；　arrive　there　long　before　me；　but　that　I　did　not　regret；　as　I　was　in　a　mood　to　find　company　in　my　own　thoughts。

Her　story　gave　me　plenty　to　think　of。　　I　dwelt　particularly　on　the　careless　extravagance　of　the　happy。　　Here　were　two　people　to　whom　life　had　given　casually　what　I　was　compelled　to　go　seeking　lonely　and　footsore　through　the　world；　and　with　little　hope　of　finding　it　at　the　end；　and　yet　were　they　so　little　aware　of　their　good　fortune　as　to　risk　it　over　a　trumpery　theory；　a　shadow　of　pseudo…philosophy。　　Out　of　the　deep　dark　ocean　of　life　Love　had　brought　them　his　great　moon…pearl；　and　they　sat　on　the　boat's　edge　carelessly　tossing　it　from　one　to　the　other；　unmindful　of　the　hungry　fathoms　on　every　side。　　A　sudden　slip；　and　they　had　lost　it　for　ever；　and　might　only　watch　its　shimmering　fall　to　the　bottom　of　the　world。　Theories！　　Theories　are　for　the　unknown　and　the　unhappy。　　Who　will　trouble　to　theorise　about　Heaven　when　he　has　found　Heaven　itself？　　Theories　are　for　the　poor…　devil　outcast；for　him　who　stands　outside　the　confectioner's　shop　of　life　without　a　penny　in　his　pocket；　while　the　radiant　purchasers　pass　in　and　out　through　the　doors；for　him　who　watches　with　wistful　eyes　this　and　that　sugared　marvel　taken　out　of　the　window　by　mysterious　hands；　to　bless　some　happy　customer　inside。　　He　is　not　fool　enough　even　to　hope　for　one　of　those　glistering　masterpieces　of　frosted　sugar　and　silk　flowers；　which　rise　to　pinnacles　of　snowy　sweetness；　white　mountains　of　blessedness；　rich　inside；　they　say；　with　untold　treasures　for　the　tooth　that　is　sweet。　　No！　he　craves　nothing　but　a　simple　Bath…bun　of　happiness；　and　even　that　is　denied　him。

Would　I　ever　find　my　Bath…bun？　　I　disconsolately　asked　myself。　　I　had　been　seeking　it　now　for　some　little　time；　and　seemed　no　nearer　than　when　I　set　out。　　I　had　seen　a　good　many　Bath…buns　on　my　pilgrimage；　it　is　true。　　Some　I　have　not　had　space　to　confide　to　the　reader；　but　somehow　or　other　they　had　not　seemed　the　unmistakably　predestined　for　which　I　was　seeking。

And　oh；　how　I　could　love　a　girl；　if　she　would　only　give　me　the　chance；that　is；　be　the　right　girl！　　Oh；　Sylvia　Joy！　where　art　thou？　　Why　so　long　dost　thou　remain　hidden　〃in　shady　leaves　of　destiny〃？


　　　〃Seest　thou　thy　lover　lowly　laid；　　Hear'st　thou　the　sighs　that　rend　his　breast？〃


And　then；　as　the　novelists　say；　〃a　strange　thing　happened。〃

The　road　I　was　tramping　at　the　moment　was　somewhat　desolate。　　It　ran　up　from　a　small　market　town　through　a　dreary　undulating　moorland；　forking　off　here　and　there　to　unknown　villages　of　which　the　horizon　gave　no　hint。　　Its　cheerless　hillocks　were　all　but　naked　of　vegetation；　for　a　never　very　flourishing　growth　of　heather　had　recently　been　burnt　right　down　to　the　unkindly…　looking　earth；　leaving　a　dwarf　black　forest　of　charred　sticks　very　grim　to　the　eye　and　heart；　while　the　dull　surface　of　a　small　lifeless…looking　lake　added　the　final　touch　to　the　Dead…Sea　mournfulness　of　the　prospect。

Suddenly　I　became　aware　of　the　fluttering　of　a　grey　dress　a　little　ahead　of　me。　Unconsciously　I　had　been　overtaking　a　tall　young　woman　walking　in　the　same　direction　as　myself；　with　a　fine　athletic　carriage　of　her　figure　and　a　noble　movement　of　her　limbs。

She　walked　manfully；　and　as　I　neared　her　I　could　hear　the　sturdy　ring　of　her　well…shod　feet　upon　the　road。　　There　was　an　air　of　expectancy　about　her　walk；　as　though　she　looked　to　be　met　presently　by　some　one　due　from　the　opposite　direction。

It　was　curious　that　I　had　not　noticed　her　before；　for　she　must　have　been　in　sight　for　some　time。　　No　doubt　my　melancholy　abstraction　accounted　for　that；　and　perhaps　her　presence　there　was　to　be　explained　by　a　London　train　which　I　had　listlessl