the quest of the golden girl- 第5部分

A　little　way　past　the　inn　we　came　upon　a　notice…board　whereon　the　lord　of　the　manor　warned　all　wayfarers　against　trespassing　on　the　common　by　making　encampments；　lighting　fires　or　cutting　firewood　thereon；　and　to　this　fortunate　circumstance　I　owe　the　most　interesting　story　my　companion　had　to　tell。

We　had　mentioned　the　lord　of　the　manor　as　we　crossed　the　common；　and　the　notice…　board　brought　him　once　more　to　the　old　man's　mind。

〃Poor　gentleman！〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　board　as　though　it　was　the　lord　of　the　manor　himself　standing　there；　〃I　shouldn't　like　to　have　had　the　trouble　he's　had　on　my　shoulders。〃

〃Indeed？〃　I　said　interrogatively。

〃Well；　you　see；　sir；〃　he　continued；　instinctively　lowering　his　voice　to　a　confidential　impressiveness；　〃he　married　an　actress；　a　noble　lady　too　she　was；　a　fine　dashing　merry　lady　as　ever　you　saw。　　All　went　well　for　a　time；　and　then　it　suddenly　got　whispered　about　that　she　and　the　village　schoolmaster　were　meeting　each　other　at　nights；　in　the　meadow…bottom　at　the　end　of　her　own　park。　　It　lies　over　that　way；I　could　take　you　to　the　very　place。　　The　schoolmaster　was　a　noble…looking　young　man　too；　a　devil…me…care　blade　of　a　fellow；　with　a　turn　for　poetry；　they　said；　and　a　merry　man　too；　and　much　in　request　for　a　song　at　The　Moonrakers　of　an　evening。　Many　's　the　night　I've　heard　the　windows　rattling　with　the　good　company　gathered　round　him。　　Yes；　he　was　a　noble…looking　man；　a　noble…looking　man；〃　he　repeated　wistfully；　and　with　an　evident　sympathy　for　the　lovers　which；　I　need　hardly　say；　won　my　heart。

〃But　how；　I　wonder；　did　they　come　to　know　each　other？〃　I　interrupted；　anxious　to　learn　all　I　could；　even　if　I　had　to　ask　stupid　questions　to　learn　it。

〃Well；　of　course；　no　one　can　say　how　these　things　come　about。　　She　was　the　lady　of　the　manor　and　the　patroness　of　his　school；　and　then；　as　I　say；　he　was　a　very　noble…looking　man；　and　probably　took　her　fancy；　and；　sir；　whenever　some　women　set　their　hearts　on　a　man　there's　no　stopping　them。　Have　him　they　will；　whatever　happens。　They　can't　help　it；　poor　things！　　It's　just　a　freak　of　nature。〃

〃Well；　and　how　was　it　found　out？〃　I　again　jogged　him。

〃One　of　Sir　William's　keepers　played　the　spy　on　them。　　He　spread　it　all　over　the　place　how　he　had　seen　them　on　moonlight　nights　sitting　together　in　the　dingle；　drinking　champagne；　and　laughing　and　talking　as　merry　as　you　please；　and；　of　course；　it　came　in　time　to　Sir　William〃

〃You　see　that　green　lane　there；〃　he　broke　off；　pointing　to　a　romantic　path　winding　along　the　heath　side；　〃it　was　along　there　he　used　to　go　of　a　night　to　meet　her　after　every　one　was　in　bed；　and　when　it　all　came　out　there　was　a　regular　cartload　of　bottles　found　there。　　The　squire　had　them　all　broken　up；　but　the　pieces　are　there　to　this　day。

〃Yes；〃　he　again　proceeded；　〃it　hit　Sir　William　very　hard。　　He's　never　been　the　same　man　since。〃

I　am　afraid　that　my　sympathies　were　less　with　Sir　William　than　better　regulated　sympathies　would　have　been。　　I　confess　that　my　imagination　was　more　occupied　with　that　picture　of　the　two　lovers　making　merry　together　in　the　moonlit　dingle。

Is　it　not；　indeed；　a　fascinating　little　story；　with　its　piquant　contrasts　and　its　wild　love…at…all…costs？　　And　how　many　such　stories　are　hidden　about　the　country；　lying　carelessly　in　rustic　memories；　if　one　only　knew　where　to　find　them！

At　this　point　my　companion　left　me；　and　Iwell；　I　confess　that　I　retraced　my　steps　to　the　common　and　rambled　up　that　green　lane；　along　which　the　romantic　schoolmaster　used　to　steal　in　the　moonlight　to　the　warm　arms　of　his　love。　　How　eagerly　he　had　trodden　the　very　turf　I　was　treading；we　never　know　at　what　moment　we　are　treading　sacred　earth！　　But　for　that　old　man；　I　had　passed　along　this　path　without　a　thrill。　　Had　I　not　but　an　hour　ago　stood　upon　this　very　common；　vainly；　so　it　seemed；　invoking　the　spirits　of　passion　and　romance；　and　the　grim　old　common　had　never　made　a　sign。　　And　now　I　stood　in　the　very　dingle　where　they　had　so　often　and　so　wildly　met；　and　it　was　all　gone；　quite　gone　away　for　ever。　　The　hours　that　had　seemed　so　real；　the　kisses　that　had　seemed　like　to　last　for　ever；　the　vows；　the　tears；　all　now　as　if　they　had　never　been；　gone　on　the　four　winds；　lost　in　the　abysses　of　time　and　space。

And　to　think　of　all　the　thousands　and　thousands　of　lovers　who　had　loved　no　less　wildly　and　tenderly；　made　sweet　these　lanes　with　their　vows；　made　green　these　meadows　with　their　feet；　and　they；　too；　all　gone；　their　bright　eyes　fallen　to　dust；　their　sweet　voices　for　ever　put　to　silence。

To　which　I　would　add；　for　the　benefit　of　the　profane；　that　I　sought　in　vain　for　those　broken　bottles。



CHAPTER　XII


THE　TRUTH　ABOUT　THE　GIPSIES

I　felt　lonely　after　losing　my　companion；　and　I　met　nobody　to　take　his　place。　　In　fact；　for　a　couple　of　hours　I　met　nothing　worth　mentioning；　male　or　female；　with　the　exception　of　a　gipsy　caravan；　which　I　suppose　was　both；　but　it　was　a　poor　show。　Borrow　would　have　blushed　for　it。　　In　fact；　it　is　my　humble　opinion　that　the　gipsies　have　been　overdone；　just　as　the　Alps　have　been　over…climbed。　　I　have　no　great　desire　to　see　Switzerland；　for　I　am　sure　the　Alps　must　be　greasy　with　being　climbed。

Besides；　the　Alps　and　the　gipsies；　in　common　with　waterfalls　and　ruined　castles；　belong　to　the　ready…made　operatic　poetry　of　the　world；　from　which　the　last　thrill　has　long　since　departed。　　They　are；　so　to　say；　public　poetry；　the　public　property　of　the　emotions；　and　no　longer　touch　the　private　heart　or　stir　the　private　imagination。　　Our　fathers　felt　so　much　about　them　that　there　is　nothing　left　for　us　to　feel。　　They　are　as　a　rose　whose　fragrance　has　been　exhausted　by　greedy　and　indiscriminate　smelling。　　I　would　rather　find　a　little　Surrey　common　for　myself　and　idle　about　it　a　summer　day；　with　the　other　geese　and　donkeys；　than　climb　the　tallest　Alp。

Most　gipsies　are　merely　tenth…rate　provincial　companies；　travelling　with　and　villainously　travestying　Borrow's　great　pieces　of　〃Lavengro〃　and　〃Romany　Rye。〃　　Dirty；　ill…looking；　scowling　men；　dirty；　slovenly；　and　wickedly　ugly　women；　children　to　match；　snarling；　filthy　little　curs；　with　a　ready　beggar's　whine　on　occasion。　　A　gipsy　encampment　to…day　is　little　more　than　a　moving　slum；　a　scab　of　squalor　on　the　fair　face　of　the　countryside。

But　there　was　one　little　trifle　of　an　incident　that　touched　me　as　I　passed　this　particular　caravan。　　Evidently　one　of　the　vans　had　come　to　grief；　and　several　men　of　the　party　were　making　a　great　show　of　repairing　it。　　After　I　had　run　the　gauntlet　of　the　begging　children；　and　was　just　out　of　ear…　shot　of　the　group；　I　turned　round　to　survey　it　from　a　distance。　　It　was　encamped　on　a　slight　rise　of　the　undulating　road；　and　from　where　I　stood　tents　and　vans　and　men　were　clearly　silhouetted　against　the　sky。　　The　road　ran　through　and　a　little　higher　than　the　encampment；　which　occupied　both　sides　of　it。　　Presently　the　figure　of　a　young　man　separated　itself　from　the　rest；　stept　up　on　to　the　smooth　road；　and　standing　in　the　middle　of　it；　in　an　absorbed　attitude；　began　to　make　a　movement　with　his　hands　as　though　winding　string　round　a　top。　　That　in　fact　was　his　occupation；　and　for　the　next　five　minutes　he　kept　thus　winding　the　cord；　flinging　the　top　to　the　ground；　and　intently　bending　down　to　catch　it　on　his　hand；　none　of　the　others；　not　even　the　children；　taking　the　slightest　notice　of　him；he　entirely　alone　there　with　his　poor　little　pleasure。　　There　seemed　to　me　pathos　in　his　loneliness。　　Had　some　one　spun　the　top　with　him；　it　would　have　vanished；　and　presently；　no　doubt　at　the　bidding　of　an　oath　I　could　not　hear；　he　hurriedly　thrust　the　top　into　his　pocket；　and　once　more　joined　the　straining　group　of　men。　　The　snatched　pleasure　must　be　put　by　at　the　call　of　reality；　the　world　and　its　work　must　rush　in　upon　his　dream。　　I　have　often　thought　about　the　top　and　its　spinner；　as　I　have　noted　the　absorbed　faces　of　other　people's　pleasures　in　the　streets；two　lovers　passing　along　the　crowded　Strand　with　eyes　only　for　each　other；　a　student　deep　in　his　book　in　the　corner　of　an　omnibus；　a　young　mother　glowing　over　the　child　in　her　arms；　the　wild…eyed　musician　dreamily　treading　on　everybody's　toes；　and　begging　nobody's　pardon；　the　pretty　little　Gaiety　Girl　hurrying　to　rehearsal　with　no　thought　but　of　her　own　sweet　self　and　whether　there　will　be　a　letter　from　Harry　at　the　stage…　door；yes；　if　we　are　alone　in　our　griefs；　we　are　no　less　alone　in　our　pleasures。　　We　spin　our　tops　as　in　an　enchanted　circle；　and　no　one　sees　or　heeds　save　ourselves；as　how　should　they　with　their　own　tops　to　spin？　Happy　indeed　is　he；　who　has　his　top　and　cares　still　to　spin　it；　for　to　be　tired　of　our　tops　is　to　be　tired　of　life；　saith　the　preacher。

As　the　young　gipsy's　little　holiday　came　to　an　end；　I　turned　with　a　sigh　upon　my　way；　and　here；　while　still　on　the　subject；　may　I　remark　on　the　curious　fact　that　probably　Borrow　has　lived　and　died　without　a　single　gipsy　having　heard　of　him；　just　as　the　expertest　anglers　know　nothing　of　Izaak　Walton。

Has　the　British　soldier；　one　wonders；　yet　discovered　Rudyard　Kipling；　or　is　the　Wessex　peasant　aware　of　Thomas　Hardy？　It　is　odd　to　think　that　the　last　people　to　read　such　authors　are　the　very　people　they　most　concern。　　For　you　might　spend　your　life；　say；　in　studying　the　London　street　boy；　and　write　never　so　movingly　and　humourously　about　him；　yet　would　he　never　know　your　name；　and　though　Whitechapel　makes　novelists；　it　does　so　without　knowing　it；makes　them　to　be　read　in　Mayfair；just　as　it　never　wears　the　dainty　hats　and　gowns　its　weary　little　milliners　and　seamstresses　make　through　the　day　and　night。　　It　is　Capital　and　Labour　over　again；　for　in　literature　also　we　reap　in　gladness　what　others　have　sown　in　tears。

And　now；　after　these　admirable　reflections；　I　am　about　to　make　such　〃art〃　as　I　can　of　another　man's　tragedy；　as　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。



CHAPTER　XIII


A　STRANGE　WEDDING

My　moralisings　were　cut　short　by　my　entering　a　village；　and；　it　being　about　the　hour　of　noon；　finding　myself　in　the　thick　of　a　village　wedding。

Undoubtedly　the　nicest　way　to　get　married　is　on　the　sly；　and　indeed　it　is　at　present　becoming　quite　fashionable。　　Many　young　couples　of　my　acquaintance；　who　have　had　no　other　reason　fo