lf； or loitering to bedeck itself with flowers。 It seems as innocent of a destination as a boy on an errand； but； after taking at least six times as long as any other road in the kingdom for its amount of work； you usually find it dip down of a sudden into some lovely natural cul…de…sac； a meadow…bottom surrounded by trees； with a stream spreading itself in fantastic silver shallows through its midst； and a cottage half hidden at the end。 Had the lane been going to some great house； it would have made more haste； we may be sure。
The lane I had been following had finally dropped me down at something of a run upon just such a scene。 The cottage； built substantially of grey stone； stood upon the side of the slope； and a broad strip of garden； half cultivated and half wild； began near the house with cabbages； and ended in a jungle of giant bulrushes as it touched the stream。 Golden patches of ragwort blazed here and there among a tangled mass of no doubt worthier herbage；such even in nature is the power of gold；and there were the usual birds。
However； my business is with the week's washing； which in various shades of white； with occasional patches of scarlet； fluttered fantastically across a space of the garden； thereby giving unmistakable witness to human inhabitants； male and female。
As I lounged upon the green bank； I lazily watched these parodies of humanity as they were tossed hither and thither with humourous indignity by the breeze； remarking to myself on the quaint shamelessness with which we thus expose to the public view garments which at other times we are at such bashful pains to conceal。 And thus philosophising； like a much greater philosopher； upon clothes； I found myself involuntarily deducing the cottage family from the family washing。 I soon decided that there must be at least one woman say of the age of fifty； one young woman； one little child； sex doubtful； and one man probably young。 Further than this it was impossible to conjecture。 Thus I made the rough guess that a young man and his wife； a child； and a mother…in…law were among the inhabitants of this idyllic cottage。
But the clothes…line presented charming evidence of still another occupant； and here； though so far easy to read； came in something of a puzzle。 Who in this humble out…of…the…way cottage could afford to wear that exquisite cambric petticoat edged with a fine and very expensive lace？ And surely it was on no country legs that those delicately clocked and open…worked silk stockings walked invisible through the world。
Nor was the lace any ordinary expensive English lace； such as any good shop can supply。 Indeed； I recognised it as being of a Parisian design as yet little known in England； while on the tops of the stockings I laughingly suspected a border designed by a certain eccentric artist； who devotes his strange gifts to decorating with fascinating miniatures the under…world of woman。 I have seen corsets thus made beautiful by him valued at five hundred pounds； and he never paints a pair of garters for less than a hundred。 His name is not yet a famous one； as； for obvious reasons； his works are not exhibited at public galleries； though they are occasionally to be seen at private views。
I am far from despising an honest red…flannel country petticoat。 There is no warmer kinder…looking garment in the world。 It suggests country laps and country breasts； with sturdy country babes greedy for the warm white milk； and it seems dyed in country blushes。 Yet； for all that； one could not be insensible to the exotic race and distinction of that frivolous town petticoat； daintily disporting itself there among its country cousins； like a queen among milkmaids。
What numberless suggestions of romance it awoke！ What strange perfumes seemed to waft across from it； perfumes laden with associations of a world so different from the green world where it now was； a charming world of gay intrigue and wanton pleasure。 No wonder the wind chose it so often for its partner as it danced through the garden； scorning to notice the heavy homespun things about it。 It was not every day that that washing…day wind met so fine a lady； and it was charming to see how gently he played about her stockings。 〃Ah； wind；〃 I said； 〃evidently you are a gallant born； but tell us the name of the lady。 It is somewhere on that pretty petticoat； I'll be bound。〃
Is she some little danseuse with the whim to be romantically rustic for a week？ or is she somebody else's pretty wife run away with somebody else's man？ or is she some naughty little grisette with an extravagant lover？ or is she just the usual lady landscape artist； with a more than usual taste in lingerie？
At all events； it was fairly obvious that； for one reason or another； the wearer of the petticoat and stockings which have now occupied us for perhaps a sufficient number of pages； was a visitor at the cottage。
The next thing was to get a look at her。 So； remembering how fond I was of milk from the cow； I pushed open the gate and advanced to the cottage door。
CHAPTER XV
STILL OCCUPIED WITH THE PETTICOAT
The door was opened by a comely young woman； with ruddy cheeks and a bright kind eye that promised conversation。 But 〃H'm；〃 said I to myself； as she went to fetch my milk； 〃evidently not yours； my dear。〃
〃A nice drying day for your washing；〃 I said； as I slowly sipped my milk； with a half…inclination of my head towards the clothes…line。
〃Very fine； indeed； sir；〃 she returned； with something of a blush； and a shy deprecating look that seemed to beg me not to notice the peculiarly quaint antics which the wind； evidently a humourist； chose at that moment to execute with the female garments upon the line。 However； I was for once cased in triple brass and inexorable。
〃And who；〃 I ventured； smiling； 〃may be the owner of those fine things？〃
〃Not those；〃 I continued； pointing to an odd garment which the wind was wantonly puffing out in the quaintest way； 〃but that pretty petticoat and those silk stockings？〃
The poor girl had gone scarlet； scarlet as the petticoat which I was sure WAS hers； with probably a fellow at the moment keeping warm her buxom figure。
〃You are very bold； sir；〃 she stammered through her blushes； but I could see that she was not ill…pleased that the finery should attract attention。
〃But won't you tell me？〃 I urged； 〃I have a reason for asking。〃
And here I had better warn the reader that； as the result of a whim that presently seized me； I must be content to appear mad in his eyes for the next few pages； till I get an opportunity of explanation。
〃Well； what if they should be mine？〃 at length I persuaded her into saying。
I made the obvious gallant reply； but； 〃All the same；〃 I added； 〃you know they are not yours。 They belong to some lady visitor； who； I'll be bound； isn't half so pretty； now； don't they？〃
〃Well； they just don't then。 They're mine； as I tell you。〃
〃H'm；〃 I continued； a little nonplussed； 〃but do you really mean there is no lady staying with you？〃
〃Certainly；〃 she replied； evidently enjoying my bewilderment。
〃Well； then； some lady must have stayed here once；〃 I retorted； with a sudden inspiration； 〃and left them behind〃
〃You might be a detective after stolen goods；〃 she interrupted。
〃I tell you the things are mine； and what I should like to know does a gentleman want bothering himself about a lady's petticoat！
No wonder you blush；〃 for； in fact； as was easy to foresee； the situation was becoming a little ridiculous for me。
〃Now； look here；〃 I said with an affectation of gravity； 〃if you'll tell me how you came by those things； I'll make it worth your while。 They were given to you by a lady who stayed here not so long ago； now； weren't they？〃
〃Well； then； they were。〃
〃The lady stayed here with a gentleman？〃
〃Yes； she did。〃
〃H'm！ I thought so；〃 I said。 〃Yes！ that lady； it pains me to say； was my wife！〃
This unblushing statement was not； I could see； without its effect upon the present owner of the petticoat。
〃But she said they were brother and sister；〃 she replied。
〃Of course she did；〃 I returned； with a fine assumption of scorn；〃of course she did。 They always do。〃
〃Dear young woman；〃 I continued； when I was able to control my emotion； 〃you are happily remote from the sin and wickedness of the town； and I am sorry to speak of such things in so peaceful a spotbut as a strange chance has led me here； I must speak； must tell you that all wives are not so virtuous and faithful as you； I am sure； are。 There are wives who forsake their husbands andand go off with a handsomer man； as the poet says； and mine； mine； alas！ was one of them。 It is now some months ago that my wife left me in this way； and since then I have spent every day in searching for her； but never till this moment have I come upon the least trace of her。 Strange； is it not？ that here； in this peaceful out…of…the… way garden； I should come upon her very petticoat； her very stockings〃
By this my grief had become such that the kind girl put her hand on my arm。 〃Don't take on so；〃 she said kindly； and then remembering her treasured property； and probably fearing a counterclaim on my part to its possession； 〃But how can you be sure she was here？ There are lots of petticoats like that〃
〃What was she like？〃 I asked through my agitation。
〃Middle height； slim and fair； with red goldy hair and big blue eyes； about thirty； I should say。〃
〃The very same；〃 I groaned； 〃there is no mistake； and now；〃 I continued； 〃I want you to sell me that petticoat and those stockings；〃 and I took a couple of sovereigns from my purse。 〃I want to have them to confront her with； when I do find her。 Perhaps it will touch her heart to think of the strange way in which I came by them； and you can buy just as pretty ones again with the money；〃 I added； as I noticed the disappointment on her face at the prospect of thus losing her finery。
〃Well； it's a funny business； to be sure；〃 she said； as still half reluctantly she unpegged the coveted garments from the line； 〃but if what you say 's true； I suppose you must have them。〃
The wanton wind had been so busily kissing them all the morning that they were quite dry； so I was able to find ro