the diary of a goose girl-第12章
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it would never do。
〃I cannot get any new orders；〃 said I； 〃but I can certainly leave
the rabbits and eggs at the customary places。 I know Argent's
Dining Parlours； and Songhurst's Tea Rooms； and the Six Bells Inn；
as well as you do。〃
So； donning a pair of Phoebe's large white cotton gloves with open…
work wrists （than which I always fancy there is no one article that
so disguises the perfect lydy）； I set out upon my travels； upborne
by a lively sense of amusement that was at least equal to my
feeling that I was doing Phoebe Heaven a good turn。
Prices in dressed poultry were fluctuating； but I had a copy of The
Trade Review； issued that very day； and was able to get some idea
of values and the state of the market as I jogged along。 The
general movement； I learned； was moderate and of a 〃selective〃
character。 Choice large capons and ducks were in steady demand；
but I blushed for my profession when I read that roasting chickens
were running coarse； staggy； and of irregular value。 Old hens were
held firmly at sixpence； and it is my experience that they always
have to be； at whatever price。 Geese were plenty； dull； and weak。
Old cocks；why don't they say roosters？declined to threepence
ha'penny on Thursday in sympathy with fowls；and who shall say
that chivalry is dead？ Turkeys were a trifle steadier； and there
was a speculative movement in limed eggs。 All this was
illuminating； and I only wished I were quite certain whether the
sympathetic old roosters were threepence ha'penny apiece； or a
pound。
Everything happened as it should； on this first business journey of
my life； which is equivalent to saying that nothing happened at
all。 Songhurst's Tea Rooms took five dozen eggs and told me to
bring six dozen the next week。 Argent's Dining Parlours purchased
three pairs of chickens and four rabbits。 The Six Bells found the
last poultry somewhat tough and tasteless； whereupon I said that
our orders were more than we could possibly fill； still I hoped we
could go on 〃selling them；〃 as we never liked to part with old
customers； no matter how many new ones there were。 Privately； I
understood the complaint only too well； for I knew the fowls in
question very intimately。 Two of them were the runaway rooster and
the gadabout hen that never wanted to go to bed with the others。
The third was Cannibal Ann。 I should have expected them to be
tough； but I cannot believe they were lacking in flavour。
The only troublesome feature of the trip was that Mrs。 Sowerbutt's
lodgers had suddenly left for London and she was unable to take the
four rabbits as she had hoped； but as an offset to that piece of
ill…fortune the Coke and Coal Yard and the Bicycle Repairing Rooms
came out into the street； and； stepping up to the trap； requested
regular weekly deliveries of eggs and chickens； and hoped that I
would be able to bring them myself。 And so； in a happy frame of
mind； I turned out of the Buffington main street； and was jogging
along homeward； when a very startling thing happened； namely； a
whole verse of the Bailiff's Daughter of Islington：…
〃And as she went along the high road；
The weather being hot and dry；
She sat her down upon a green bank；
And her true love came riding by。〃
That true lovers are given to riding by； in ballads； I know very
well； but I hardly supposed they did so in real life； especially
when every precaution had been taken to avert such a catastrophe。
I had told the Barbury Green postmistress； on the morning of my
arrival； not to give the Thornycroft address to anybody whatsoever；
but finding； as the days passed； that no one was bold enough or
sensible enough to ask for it； I haughtily withdrew my prohibition。
About this time I began sending envelopes； carefully addressed in a
feigned hand； to a certain person at the Oxenbridge Hydro。 These
envelopes contained no word of writing； but held； on one day； only
a bit of down from a hen's breast； on another； a goose…quill； on
another； a glossy tail…feather； on another； a grain of corn； and so
on。 These trifles were regarded by me not as degrading or
unmaidenly hints and suggestions； but simply as tests of
intelligence。 Could a man receive tokens of this sort and fail to
put two and two together？ I feel that I might possibly support
life with a domineering and autocratic husband；and there is every
prospect that I shall be called upon to do so；but not with a
stupid one。 Suppose one were linked for ever to a man capable of
asking；〃Did YOU send those feathers？ 。 。 。 How was I to guess？ 。
。 。 How was a fellow to know they came from you？ 。 。 。 What on
earth could I suppose they meant？ 。 。 。 What clue did they offer me
as to your whereabouts？ 。 。 。 Am I a Sherlock Holmes？〃No； better
eternal celibacy than marriage with such a being！
These were the thoughts that had been coursing through my goose…
girl mind while I had been selling dressed poultry； but in some way
they had not prepared me for the appearance of the aforesaid true
love。
To see the very person whom one has left civilisation to avoid is
always more or less surprising； and to make the meeting less
likely； Buffington is even farther from Oxenbridge than Barbury
Green。 The creature was well mounted （ominous； when he came to
override my caprice！） and he looked bigger； and； yes； handsomer；
though that doesn't signify； and still more determined than when I
saw him last； although goodness knows that timidity and feebleness
of purpose were not in striking evidence on that memorable
occasion。 I had drawn up under the shade of a tree ostensibly to
eat some cherries； thinking that if I turned my face away I might
pass unrecognised。 It was a stupid plan； for if I had whipped up
the mare and driven on； he of course； would have had to follow； and
he has too much dignity and self…respect to shriek recriminations
into a woman's ear from a distance。
He approached with deliberation； reined in his horse； and lifted
his hat ceremoniously。 He has an extremely shapely head； but I did
not show that the sight of it melted in the least the ice of my
resolve； whereupon we talked； not very freely at first；men are so
stiff when they consider themselves injured。 However； silence is
even more embarrassing than conversation； so at length I begin：…
Bailiff's Daughter。〃It is a lovely day。〃
True Love。〃Yes； but the drought is getting rather oppressive；
don't you think？〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃The crops certainly need rain； and the feed
is becoming scarce。〃
True Love。〃Are you a farmer's wife？〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃Oh no！ that is a promotion to look forward
to； I am now only a Goose Girl。〃
True Love。〃Indeed！ If I wished to be severe I might remark：
that I am sure you have found at last your true vocation！〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃It was certainly through no desire to please
YOU that I chose it。〃
True Love。〃I am quite sure of that！ Are you staying in this
part？〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃Oh no！ I live many miles distant； over an
extremely rough road。 And you？〃
True Love。〃I am still at the Hydropathic； or at least my luggage
is there。〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃It must be very pleasant to attract you so
long。〃
True Love。〃Not so pleasant as it was。〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃No？ A new proprietor； I suppose。〃
True Love。〃No； same proprietor； but the house is empty。〃
Bailiff's Daughter （yawning purposely）。〃That is strange； the
hotels are usually so full at this season。 Why did so many leave？〃
True Love。〃As a matter of fact； only one left。 〃Full〃 and
〃empty〃 are purely relative terms。 I call a hotel full when it has
you in it； empty when it hasn't。〃
Bailiff's Daughter （dying to laugh； but concealing her feelings）。
〃I trust my bulk does not make the same impression on the general
public！ Well； I won't detain you longer； good afternoon； I must go
home to my evening work。〃
True Love。〃I will accompany you。〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃If you are a gentleman you will remain where
you are。〃
True Love。〃In the road？ Perhaps； but if I am a man I shall
follow you； they always do； I notice。 What are those foolish
bundles in the back of that silly cart？〃
Bailiff's Daughter。〃Feed for the pony； please；
