the quest of the golden girl-第21章

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e　turf；　and　secondly　and　lastly　by　a　graceful　woman's　figure；　recumbent　and　evidently　sleeping　against　the　turf　bank；　well　tucked　in　among　the　afternoon　shadows。　　My　coming　had　not　aroused　her；　and　so　I　stole　nearer　to　her　on　tiptoe。

She　was　a　pretty　woman；　of　a　striking　modern　type；　tall；　well…proportioned；　strong；　I　should　say；　with　a　good　complexion　that　had　evidently　been　made　just　a　little　better。　　But　her　most　striking　feature　was　an　opulent　mass　of　dark　red　hair；　which　had　fallen　in　some　disorder　and　made　quite　a　pillow　for　her　head。　　Her　hat　was　off；　lying　in　its　veil　by　her　side；　and　a　certain　general　abandon　of　her　figure；which　was　clothed　in　a　short　cloth　skirt；　cut　with　that　unmistakable　touch　which　we　call　stylebetokened　weariness　that　could　no　longer　wait　for　rest。

Poor　child！　she　was　tired　out。　　She　must　never　be　left　to　sleep　on　there；　for　she　seemed　good　to　sleep　till　midnight。

I　turned　to　her　bicycle；　and；　examining　it　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　won　silver　cups　in　his　day；　I　speedily　discovered　what　had　been　the　mischief。　　The　tire　of　the　front　wheel　had　been　pierced；　and　a　great　thorn　was　protruding　from　the　place。　Evidently　this　had　been　too　much　for　poor　Rosalind；　and　it　was　not　unlikely　that　she　had　cried　herself　to　sleep。

I　bent　over　her　to　lookyes；　there　were　traces　of　tears。　　Poor　thing！　　Then　I　had　a　kindly　human　impulse。　　I　would　mend　the　tire；　having　attended　ambulance　classes；　do　it　very　quietly　so　that　she　wouldn't　hear；　like　the　fairy　cobblers　who　used　to　mend　people's　boots　while　they　slept；　and　then　wait　in　ambush　to　watch　the　effect　upon　her　when　she　awoke。

What　do　you　think　of　the　idea？

But　one　important　detail　I　have　omitted　from　my　description　of　the　sleeper。　　Her　left　hand　lay　gloveless；　and　of　the　four　rings　on　her　third　finger　one　was　a　wedding…ring。

〃Such　red　hair；and　a　wedding…ring！〃　I　exclaimed　inwardly。　　〃How　this　woman　must　have　suffered！〃



CHAPTER　II


IN　WHICH　I　HEAL　A　BICYCLE　AND　COME　TO　THE　WHEEL　OF　PLEASURE

Moving　the　bicycle　a　little　away；　so　that　my　operations　upon　it　might　not　arouse　her；　I　had　soon　made　all　right　again；　and　when　I　laid　it　once　more　where　she　had　left　it；　she　was　still　sleeping　as　sound　as　ever。　　She　had　only　to　sleep　long　enough；　a　sly　thought　suggested；　to　necessitate　her　ending　her　day's　journey　at　the　same　inn　as　myself；　some　five　miles　on　the　road。　　One　virtue　at　least　the　reader　will　allow　to　this　history；we　are　seldom　far　away　from　an　inn　in　its　pages。　　When　I　thought　of　that　I　sat　stiller　than　ever；　hardly　daring　to　turn　over　the　pages　of　Apuleius；　which　I　had　taken　from　my　knapsack　to　beguile　the　time；　and；　I　confess；　to　give　my　eyes　some　other　occupation　than　the　dangerous　one　of　gazing　upon　her　face；　dangerous　in　more　ways　than　one；　but　particularly　dangerous　at　the　moment；　because；　as　everybody　knows；　a　steady　gaze　on　a　sleeping　face　is　apt　to　awake　the　sleeper。　　And　she　wasn't　to　be　disturbed！

〃No！　she　mustn't　waken　before　seven　at　the　latest；〃　I　said　to　myself；　holding　my　breath　and　starting　in　terror　at　every　noise。　Once　a　great　noisy　bee　was　within　an　ace　of　waking　her；　but　I　caught　him　with　inspired　dexterity；　and　he　buzzed　around　her　head　no　more。

But　despite　the　providential　loneliness　of　the　road；　there　were　one　or　two　terrors　that　could　not　be　disposed　of　so　summarily。　The　worst　of　all　was　a　heavy　miller's　cart　which　one　could　hardly　crush　to　silence　in　one's　handkerchief；　but　it　went　so　slowly；　and　both　man　and　horses　were　so　sleepy；　that　they　passed　unheard　and　unnoticing。

A　sprightly　tramp　promised　greater　difficulty；　and　nothing　but　some　ferocious　pantomime　and　a　shilling　persuaded　him　to　forego　a　choice　fantasia　of　cockney　humour。

A　poor　tired　Italian　organ…grinder；　tramping　with　an　equally　tired　monkey　along　the　dusty　roads；　had　to　be　bought　off　in　a　similar　manner；though　he　only　cost　sixpence。　　He　gave　me　a　Southern　smile　and　shrug　of　comprehension；　as　one　acquainted　with　affairs　of　the　heart；which　was　a　relief　after　the　cockney　tramp's　impudent　expression　of；　no　doubt；　a　precisely　similar　sentiment。

And　then　at　last；　just　as　my　watch　pointed　to　6。50　（how　well　I　remember　the　exact　moment！）　　Rosalind　awoke　suddenly；　as　women　and　children　do；　sitting　straight　up　on　the　instant；　and　putting　up　her　hands　to　her　tousled　hair；　with　a　half…startled　〃Where　am　I？〃　　When　her　hair　was　once　more　〃respectable；〃　she　gave　her　skirts　a　shake；　bent　sideways　to　pull　up　her　stockings　and　tighten　her　garters；　looked　at　her　watch；　and　then　with　an　exclamation　at　the　lateness　of　the　hour；　went　over；　with　an　air　of　desperate　determination；　to　her　bicycle。

〃Now　for　this　horrid　puncture！〃　were　the　first　words　I　was　to　hear　fall　from　her　lips。

She　sought　for　the　wound　in　the　india…　rubber　with　growing　bewilderment。

〃Goodness！〃　was　her　next　exclamation；　〃why；　there's　nothing　wrong　with　it。　　Can　I　have　been　dreaming？〃

〃I　hope　your　dreams　have　been　pleasanter　than　that；〃　I　ventured　at　this　moment　to　stammer；　rising；　a　startling　apparition；　from　my　ambush　behind　a　mound　of　brambles；　and　before　she　had　time　to　take　in　the　situation　I　added　that　I　hoped　she'd　excuse　my　little　pleasantry；　and　told　her　how　I　had　noticed　her　and　the　wounded　bicycle；　et　cetera；　et　cetera；　as　the　reader　can　well　imagine；　without　giving　me　the　trouble　of　writing　it　all　out。

She　was　sweetness　itself　on　the　instant。

〃Excuse　you！〃　she　said；　〃I　should　think　so。　　Who　wouldn't？　　You　can't　tell　the　load　you've　taken　off　my　mind。　　I'm　sure　I　must　have　groaned　in　my　sleepfor　I　confess　I　cried　myself　to　sleep　over　it。〃

〃I　thought　so；〃　I　said　with　gravity；　and　eyes　that　didn't　dare　to　smile　outright　till　they　had　permission；　which；　however；　was　not　long　withheld　them。

〃How　did　you　know？〃

〃Oh；　intuition；　of　coursewho　wouldn't　have　cried　themselves　to　sleep；　and　so　tired　too！〃

〃You're　a　nice　sympathetic　man；　anyhow；〃　she　laughed；　〃what　a　pity　you　don't　bicycle！〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃I　would　give　a　thousand　pounds　for　a　bicycle　at　this　moment。〃

〃You　ought　to　get　a　good　one　for　that；〃　she　laughed；〃all　bright　parts　nickel；　I　suppose；　indeed；　you　should　get　a　real　silver　frame　and　gold　handle…bars　for　that；　don't　you　think？　　Well；　it　would　be　nice　all　the　same　to　have　your　company　a　few　miles；　especially　as　it's　growing　dark；〃　she　added。

〃Especially　as　it's　growing　dark；〃　I　repeated。

〃You　won't　be　going　much　farther　to…　night。　　Have　you　fixed　on　your　inn？〃　I　continued　innocently。　　She　hadbut　that　was　in　a　town　too　far　to　reach　to…night；　after　her　long　sleep。

〃You　might　have　wakened　me；〃　she　said。

〃Yes；　it　was　stupid　of　me　not　to　have　thought　of　it；〃　I　answered；　offering　no　explanation　of　the　dead　bee　which　at　the　moment　I　espied　a　little　away　in　the　grass；　and　saying　nothing　of　the　merry　tramp　and　the　melancholy　musician。

Then　we　talked　inns；　and　thus　she　fell　beautifully　into　the　pit　which　I　had　digged　for　her；　and　it　was　presently　arranged　that　she　should　ride　on　to　the　Wheel　of　Pleasure　and　order　a　dinner；　which　she　was　to　do　me　the　honour　of　sharing　with　me。

I　was　to　follow　on　foot　as　speedily　as　might　be；　and　it　was　with　a　high　heart　that　I　strode　along　the　sunset　lanes；　hearing　for　some　time　the　chiming　of　her　bell　in　front　of　me；　till　she　had　wheeled　it　quite　out　of　hearing；　and　it　was　lost　in　the　distance。

I　never　did　a　better　five　miles　in　my　life。



CHAPTER　III


TWO　TOWN　MICE　AT　A　COUNTRY　INN。

When　I　reached　the　Wheel　of　Pleasure；　I　found　Rosalind　awaiting　me　in　the　coffee…　room；　looking　fresh　from　a　traveller's　toilette；　and　with　the　welcome　news　that　dinner　was　on　the　way。　　By　the　time　I　had　washed　off　the　day's　dust　it　was　ready；　and　a　merry　meal　it　proved。　　Rosalind　had　none　of　Alastor's　objections　to　the　wine…list；　so　we　drank　an　excellent　champagne；　and　as　there　seemed　to　be　no　one　in　the　hotel　but　ourselves；　we　made　ourselves　at　home　and　talked　and　laughed；　none　daring　to　make　us　afraid。

At　first；　on　sitting　down　to　table；　we　had　grown　momentarily　shy；　with　one　of　those　sudden　freaks　of　self…consciousness　which　occasionally　surprise　one；　when；　midway　in　some　slightly　unconventional　situation　to　which　the　innocence　of　nature　has　led　us；　we　realise　it〃for　an　instant　and　no　more。