the quest of the golden girl-第16章

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uite　prolonged　visits；　and　without　a　murmur　set　apart　a　suite　of　chapters　for　their　accommodation。　　I'm　not　sure　that　the　humanity　of　the　reader　in　these　cases　is　of　such　comprehensive　sympathy　as　the　novelist's；　and　it　may　well　be　that　the　novelist　undertakes　all　such　hard　labour　under　a　misapprehension　of　the　desires　of　the　reader；　who；　as　a　rule；　I　fancy；　is　as　anxious　to　join　the　ladies　as　the　novelist　himself。　　Indeed；　I　believe　that　there　is　an　opportunity　for　a　new　form　of　novel；　in　which　the　novelist；　as　well　as　the　reader；　will　skip　all　the　dull　people；　and　merely　indicate　such　of　them　as　are　necessary　to　the　action　by　an　outline　or　a　symbol；　compressing　their　familiar　psychology；　and　necessary　plot…interferences　with　the　main　characters；　into　recognised　formulae。　　For　the　benefit　of　readers　voracious　for　everything　about　everybody；　schedule　chapters　might　be　provided　by　inferior　novelists；　good　at　painting　say　tiresome　bourgeois　fathers；　gouty　uncles　and　brothers　in　the　army；　as　sometimes　in　great　pictures　we　read　that　the　sheep　in　the　foreground　have　been　painted　by　Mr。　So…and…so；　R。A。

The　Major…General　and　his　Lady　were　taking　the　waters　at　Wiesbaden。　　That　was　all　I　knew　of　Nicolete's　parents；　and　all　I　needed　to　know；　with　the　exception　of　one　good　action；at　her　urgent　entreaty　they　had　left　Nicolete　behind　them；　with　no　other　safeguard　than　a　charming　young　lady　companion；　whose　fitness　for　her　sacred　duties　consisted　in　a　temperament　hardly　less　romantic　and　whimsical　than　Nicolete's　own。　She　was　too　charming　to　deserve　the　name　of　obstacle；　and　as　there　was　no　other

But　I　admit　that　the　cart　has　got　a　little　in　front　of　the　horse；　and　I　grow　suddenly　alarmed　lest　the　reader　should　be　suspecting　me　of　an　elopement；　or　some　such　romantic　vulgarity。　　If　he　will　only　put　any　such　thoughts　from　his　mind；　I　promise　to　proceed　with　the　story　in　a　brief　and　business…　like　manner　forthwith。

We　are　back　once　more　at　the　close　of　the　last　chapter；　in　Nicolete's　book…bower　in　the　wildwood。　　It　is　an　hour　or　two　later；　and　the　afternoon　sun　is　flooding　with　a　searching　glory　all　the　secret　places　of　the　woodland。　　Hidden　nooks　and　corners；　unused　to　observation；　suddenly　gleam　and　blush　in　effulgent　exposure；like　lovers　whom　the　unexpected　turning　on　of　a　light　has　revealed　kissing　in　the　dark；and　are　as　suddenly；　unlike　the　lovers；　left　in　their　native　shade　again。　　It　was　that　rich　afternoon　sunlight　that　loves　to　flash　into　teacups　as　though　they　were　crocuses；　that　loves　to　run　a　golden　finger　along　the　beautiful　wrinkles　of　old　faces　and　light　up　the　noble　hollows　of　age…worn　eyes；　the　sunlight　that　loves　to　fall　with　transfiguring　beam　on　the　once　dear　book　we　never　read；　or；　with　malicious　inquisitiveness；　expose　to　undreamed…　of　detection　the　undusted　picture；　or　the　gold…　dusted　legs　of　remote　chairs；　which　the　poor　housemaid　has　forgotten。

So　in　Nicolete's　bower　it　illuminated　with　strange　radiancy　the　dainty　disorder　of　deserted　lunch；　made　prisms　out　of　the　wine…glasses；　painted　the　white　cloth　with　wedge…shaped　rainbows；　and　flooded　the　cavernous　interiors　of　the　half…eaten　fowl　with　a　pathetic　yellow　torchlight。

Leaving　that　melancholy　relic　of　carnivorous　appetite；　it　turned　its　bold　gold　gaze　on　Nicolete。　　No　need　to　transfigure　her！　But；　heavens！　how　grandly　her　young　face　took　the　great　kiss　of　the　god！　　Then　it　fell　for　a　tender　moment　on　the　jaundiced　page　of　my　old　Boccaccio；a　rare　edition；　which　I　had　taken　from　my　knapsack　to　indulge　myself　with　the　appreciation　of　a　connoisseur。　Next　minute　〃the　unobstructed　beam〃　was　shining　right　into　the　knapsack　itself；　for　all　the　world　like　one　of　those　little　demon　electric　lights　with　which　the　dentist　makes　a　momentary　treasure…cave　of　your　distended　jaws；　flashing　with　startled　stalactite。　At　the　same　moment　Nicolete's　starry　eyes　took　the　same　direction；　then　there　broke　from　her　her　lovely　laughter；　merry　and　inextinguishable。

Once　more；　need　I　say；　my　petticoat　had　played　me　falseor　should　I　not　say　true？　For　there　was　its　luxurious　lace　border；　a　thing　for　the　soft　light　of　the　boudoir；　or　the　secret　moonlight　of　love's　permitted　eyes；　alone　to　see；　shamelessly　brazening　it　out　in　this　terrible　sunlight。　　Obviously　there　was　but　one　way　out　of　the　dilemma；　to　confess　my　pilgrimage　to　Nicolete；　and　reveal　to　her　all　the　fanciful　absurdity　to　which；　after　all；　I　owed　the　sight　of　her。

〃So　that　is　why　you　pleaded　so　hard　for　that　poor　trout；〃　she　said；　when　I　had　finished。　　〃Well；　you　are　a　fairy　prince　indeed！　Now；　do　you　know　what　the　punishment　of　your　nonsense　is　to　be？〃

〃Is　it　very　severe　and　humiliating？〃　I　asked。

〃You　must　judge　of　that。　　It　isto　take　me　with　you！〃

〃You；what　do　you　mean？〃

〃Yes；not　for　good　and　all；　of　course；　but　just　for；　say；　a　fortnight；　just　a　fortnight　of　rambles　and　adventures；　and　then　to　deliver　me　safe　home　again　where　you　found　me〃

〃But　it　is　impossible；〃　I　almost　gasped　in　surprise。　　〃Of　course　you　are　not　serious？〃

〃I　am；　really；　and　you　will　take　me；　won't　you？〃　she　continued　pleadingly。　〃You　don't　know　how　we　women　envy　you　men　those　wonderful　walking…tours　we　can　only　read　about　in　Hazlitt　or　Stevenson。　We　are　not　allowed　to　move　without　a　nurse　or　a　footman。　　From　the　day　we　are　born　to　the　day　we　die；　we　are　never　left　a　moment　to　ourselves。　　But　youyou　can　go　out　into　the　world；　the　mysterious　world；　do　as　you　will；　go　where　you　will；　wander　here；　wander　there；　follow　any　bye…way　that　takes　your　fancy；　put　up　at　old　inns；　make　strange　acquaintances；　have　all　kinds　of　romantic　experiences　　Oh；　to　be　a　man　for　a　fortnight；　your　younger　brother　for　a　fortnight！〃

〃It　is　impossible！〃　I　repeated。

〃It　isn't　at　all；〃　she　persisted；　with　a　fine　blush。　　〃If　you　will　only　be　nice　and　kind；　and　help　me　to　some　Rosalind's　clothes。　You　have　only　to　write　to　your　tailors；　or　send　home　for　a　spare　suit　of　clothes；with　a　little　managing　yours　would　just　fit　me；　you're　not　so　much　taller；and　then　we　could　start；　like　two　comrades；　seeking　adventures。　　Oh；　how　glorious　it　would　be！〃

It　was　in　vain　that　I　brought　the　batteries　of　common…sense　to　bear　upon　her　whim。　　I　raised　every　possible　objection　in　vain。

I　pointed　out　the　practical　difficulties。　There　were　her　parents。

Weren't　they　drinking　the　waters　at　Wiesbaden；　and　weren't　they　to　go　on　drinking　them　for　another　three　weeks？　　My　fancy　made　a　picture　of　them　distended　with　three　weeks'　absorption　of　mineral　springs。　　Then　there　was　her　companion。　　Nicolete　was　confident　of　her　assistance。　　Then　I　tried　vilifying　myself。　　How　could　she　run　the　risk　of　trusting　herself　to　such　intimate　companionship　with　a　man　whom　she　hadn't　known　half　a　dozen　hours？　　This　she　laughed　to　scorn。　　Presently　I　was　silent　from　sheer　lack　of　further　objections；　and　need　I　say　that　all　the　while　there　had　been　a　traitor　impulse　in　my　heart；　a　weak　sweetness　urging　me　on　to　accept　the　pretty　chance　which　the　good　genius　of　my　pilgrimage　had　so　evidently　put　in　my　way；for；　after　all；　what　harm　could　it　do？　　With　me　Nicolete　was；　indeed；　safe；that；　of　course；　I　knew；and　safely　she　should　come　back　home　again　after　her　little　frolic。　　All　that　was　true　enough。　　And　how　charming　it　would　be　to　have　such　a　dainty　companion！　then　the　fun；　the　fancy；　the　whim　of　it　all。　　What　was　the　use　of　setting　out　to　seek　adventures　if　I　didn't　pursue　them　when　found。

Well；　the　long　and　short　of　it　was　that　I　agreed　to　undertake　the　adventure；　provided　that　Nicolete　could　win　over　the　lady　whom　at　the　beginning　of　the　chapter　I　declared　too　charming　to　be　described　as　an　obstacle。

By　nine　o'clock　the　following　morning　the　fairy　tailors；　as　Nicolete　called　them；　were　at　work　on　the　fairy　clothes；　and；　at　the　end　of　three　days；　there　came　by　parcel…post　a　bulky　unromantic…looking　brown…paper　parcel；　which　it　was　my　business　to　convey　to　Nicolete　under　cover　of　the　dark。



CHAPTER　VII


FROM　THE　MORNING　STAR　TO　THE　MOON

I　quite　realise　that　this　book　is　written　perhaps　only　just　in　time　for　the　motive　of　these　two　or　three　chapters　to　be　appreciated　in　its　ancient　piquancy。　　Very　soon；　alas！　the　sexes　will　be　robbed　of　one　of　the　first　and　most　thrilling　motive