the diary of a goose girl-第13章

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bundles　in　the　back　of　that　silly　cart？〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃Feed　for　the　pony；　please；　sir；　fish　for
dinner；　randans　and　barley　meal　for　the　poultry；　and　four　unsold
rabbits。　　Wouldn't　you　like　them？　　Only　one　and　sixpence　apiece。
Shot　at　three　o'clock　this　morning。〃

True　Love。〃Thanks；　I　don't　like　mine　shot　so　early。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃Oh；　well！　doubtless　I　shall　be　able　to
dispose　of　them　on　my　way　home；　though　times　is　'ard！〃

True　Love。〃Do　you　mean　that　you　will　〃peddle〃　them　along　the
road？〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃You　understand　me　better　than　usual；in　fact
to　perfection。〃

He　dismounts　and　strides　to　the　back　of　the　cart；　lifts　the　covers；
seizes　the　rabbits；　flings　some　silver　contemptuously　into　the
basket；　and　looks　about　him　for　a　place　to　bury　his　bargain。　　A
small　boy　approaching　in　the　far　distance　will　probably　bag　the
game。

Bailiff's　Daughter　（modestly）。〃Thanks　for　your　trade；　sir；　rather
ungraciously　bestowed；　and　we　'opes　for　a　continuance　of　your　past
fyvors。〃

True　Love　（leaning　on　the　wheel　of　the　trap）。〃Let　us　stop　this
nonsense。　　What　did　you　hope　to　gain　by　running　away？〃

Bailiff　's　Daughter。〃Distance　and　absence。〃

True　Love。〃You　knew　you　couldn't　prevent　my　offering　myself　to
you　sometime　or　other。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃Perhaps　not；　but　I　could　at　least　defer　it；
couldn't　I？〃

True　Love。〃Why　postpone　the　inevitable？〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃Doubtless　I　shrank　from　giving　you　the　pain
of　a　refusal。〃

True　Love。〃Perhaps；　but　do　you　know　what　I　suspect？〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃I'm　not　a　suspicious　person；　thank　goodness！〃

True　Love。〃That；　on　the　contrary；　you　are　wilfully　withholding
from　me　the　joy　of　acceptance。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃If　I　intended　to　accept　you；　why　did　I　run
away？〃

True　Love。〃To　make　yourself　more　desirable　and　precious；　I
suppose。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter　（with　the　most　confident　coquetry）。〃Did　I
succeed？〃

True　Love。〃No；　you　failed　utterly。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter　（secretly　piqued）。〃Then　I　am　glad　I　tried　it。〃

True　Love。〃You　couldn't　succeed　because　you　were　superlatively
desirable　and　precious　already；　but　you　should　never　have
experimented。　　Don't　you　know　that　Love　is　a　high　explosive？〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃Is　it？　　Then　it　ought　always　to　be　labelled
〃dangerous；〃　oughtn't　it？　　But　who　thought　of　suggesting　matches？
I'm　sure　I　didn't！〃

True　Love。〃No　such　luck；　I　wish　you　would。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃According　to　your　theory；　if　you　apply　a
match　to　Love　it　is　likely　to　'go　off。'〃

True　Love。〃I　wish　you　would　try　it　on　mine　and　await　the　result。
Come　now；　you'll　have　to　marry　somebody；　sometime。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃I　confess　I　don't　see　the　necessity。〃

True　Love　（morosely）。〃You're　the　sort　of　woman　men　won't　leave　in
undisturbed　spinsterhood；　they'll　keep　on　badgering　you。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃Oh；　I　don't　mind　the　badgering　of　a　number　of
men；　it's　rather　nice。　　It's　the　one　badger　I　find　obnoxious。〃

True　Love　（impatiently）。〃That's　just　the　perversity　of　things。　　I
could　put　a　stop　to　the　protestations　of　the　many；　I　should　like
nothing　betterbut　the　pertinacity　of　the　one！　　Ah；　well！　　I　can't
drop　that　without　putting　an　end　to　my　existence。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter　（politely）。〃I　shouldn't　think　of　suggesting
anything　so　extreme。〃

True　Love　（quoting）。〃'Mrs。　Hauksbee　proceeded　to　take　the　conceit
out　of　Pluffles　as　you　remove　the　ribs　of　an　umbrella　before　re…
covering。'　　However；　you　couldn't　ask　me　anything　seriously　that　I
wouldn't　do；　dear　Mistress　Perversity。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter　（yielding　a　point）。〃I'll　put　that　boldly　to
the　proof。　　Say　you　don't　love　me！〃

True　Love　（seizing　his　advantage）。〃I　don't！　　It's　imbecile　and
besotted　devotion！　　Tell　me；　when　may　I　come　to　take　you　away？〃

Bailiff's　Daughter　（sighing）。〃It's　like　asking　me　to　leave
Heaven。〃

True　Love。〃I　know　it；　she　told　me　where　to　find　you；Thornycroft
is　the　seventh　poultry…farm　I've　visited；but　you　could　never
leave　Heaven；　you　can't　be　happy　without　poultry；　why　that　is　a
wish　easily　gratified。　　I'll　get　you　a　farm　to…morrow；　no；　it's
Saturday；　and　the　real　estate　offices　close　at　noon；　but　on　Monday；
without　fail。　　Your　ducks　and　geese；　always　carrying　it　along　with
you。　　All　you　would　have　to　do　is　to　admit　me；　Heaven　is　full　of
twos。　　If　you　shall　swim　on　a　crystal　lakePhoebe　told　me　what　a
genius　you　have　for　getting　them　out　of　the　muddy　pond；　she　was
sitting　beside　it　when　I　called；　her　hand　in　that　of　a　straw…
coloured　person　named　Gladwish；　and　the　ground　in　her　vicinity
completely　strewn　with　votive　offerings。　　You　shall　splash　your
silver　sea　with　an　ivory　wand；　your　hens　shall　have　suburban
cottages；　each　with　its　garden；　their　perches　shall　be　of　satin…
wood　and　their　water　dishes　of　mother…of…pearl。　　You　shall　be　the
Goose　Girl　and　I　will　be　the　Swan　Herdsimply　to　be　near　youfor
I　hate　live　poultry。　　Dost　like　the　picture？　　It's　a　little　like
Claude　Melnotte's；　I　confess。　　The　fact　is　I　am　not　quite　sane；
talking　with　you　after　a　fortnight　of　the　tabbies　at　the　Hydro　is
like　quaffing　inebriating　vodka　after　Miffin's　Food！　　May　I　come
to…morrow？〃

Bailiffs　Daughter　（hedging）。〃I　shall　be　rather　busy；　the　Crossed
Minorca　hen　comes　off　to…morrow。〃

True　Love。〃Oh；　never　mind！　　I'll　take　her　off　to…night　when　I
escort　you　to　the　farm；　then　she'll　get　a　day's　advantage。〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃And　rob　fourteen　prospective　chicks　of　a
mother；　nay；　lose　the　chicks　themselves？　　Never！〃

True　Love。〃So　long　as　you　are　a　Goose　Girl；　does　it　make　any
difference　whose　you　are？　　Is　it　any　more　agreeable　to　be　Mrs。
Heaven's　Goose　Girl　than　mine？〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃Ah！　but　in　one　case　the　term　of　service　is
limited；　in　the　other；　permanent。〃

True　Love。〃But　in　the　one　case　you　are　the　slave　of　the　employer；
in　the　other　the　employer　of　the　slave。　　Why　did　you　run　away？〃

Bailiff's　Daughter。〃A　man's　mind　is　too　dull　an　instrument　to
measure　a　woman's　reason；　even　my　own　fails　sometimes　to　deal　with
all　its　delicate　shades；　but　I　think　I　must　have　run　away　chiefly
to　taste　the　pleasure　of　being　pursued　and　brought　back。　　If　it　is
necessary　to　your　happiness　that　you　should　explore　all　the
Bluebeard　chambers　of　my　being；　I　will　confess　further　that　it　has
taken　you　nearly　three　weeks　to　accomplish　what　I　supposed　you
would　do　in　three　days！〃

True　Love　（after　a　well…spent　interval）。〃To…morrow；　then；　shall
we　say　before　breakfast？　　All；　do！　　Why　not？　　Well；　then；
immediately　after　breakfast；　and　I　breakfast　at　seven　nowadays；　and
sometimes　earlier。　　Do　take　off　those　ugly　cotton　gloves；　dear；
they　are　five　sizes　too　large　for　you；　and　so　rough　and　baggy　to
the　touch！〃







End