the quest of the golden girl-第26章

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　a　club；　to　which　you　had　only　to　be　the　right　sort　of　person　to　belong。　　I　was　relieved　to　find　that　the　hotel　people　evidently　considered　me　the　right　sort　of　person；　and　didn't　take　me　for　a　Sunday…school　treat；for　presently　I　found　myself　in　a　charming　little　corner　bedroom；　whence　I　could　survey　the　whole　extent　of　the　little　colony　of　pleasure。　The　Golden　Fortune　was　curiously　situated；　perched　at　the　extreme　sea…end　of　a　little　horse…shoe　bay　hollowed　out　between　two　headlands；　the　points　of　which　approached　each　other　so　closely　that　the　river　Sly　had　but　a　few　yards　of　rocky　channel　through　which　to　pour　itself　into　the　sea。　The　Golden　Fortune；　therefore；　backed　by　towering　woodlands；　looked　out　to　sea　at　one　side；　across　to　the　breakwater　headland　on　another；　and　on　its　land　side　commanded　a　complete　view　of　the　gay　little　haven；　with　its　white　houses　built　terrace　on　terrace　upon　its　wooded　slopes；　connected　by　flights　of　zigzag　steps；　by　which　the　apparently　inaccessible　shelves　and　platforms　circulated　their　gay　life　down　to　the　gay　heart　of　the　place；the　circular　boulevard；　exquisitely　leafy　and　cool；　where　one　found　the　great　casino　and　the　open…air　theatre；　the　exquisite　orchestra；　into　which　only　the　mellowest　brass　and　the　subtlest　strings　were　admitted；　and　the　Cafe　du　Ciel；　charmingly　situated　among　the　trees；　where　the　boulevard　became　a　bridge；　for　a　moment；　at　the　mouth　of　the　river　Sly。　Here　one　might　gaze　up　the　green　rocky　defile　through　which　the　Sly　made　pebbly　music；　and　through　which　wound　romantic　walks　and　natural　galleries；　where　far　inland　you　might　wander


〃From　dewy　dawn　to　dewy　night；　　And　have　one　with　you　wandering；〃


or　where　you　might　turn　and　look　across　the　still　lapping　harbour；　out　through　the　little　neck　of　light　between　the　headlands　to　the　shimmering　sea　beyond；your　ears　filled　with　a　melting　tide　of　sweet　sounds；　the　murmur　of　the　streams　and　the　gentle　surging　of　the　sea；　the　rippling　of　leaves；　the　soft　restless　whisper　of　women's　gowns；　and　the　music　of　their　vowelled　voices。　　It　was　here　I　found　myself　sitting　at　sunset；　alone；　but　so　completely　under　the　spell　of　the　place　that　I　needed　no　companion。　　The　place　itself　was　companion　enough。　　The　electric　fairy　lamps　had　popped　alight；　and　as　the　sun　sank　lower；　Yellowsands　seemed　like　a　glowing　crown　of　light　floating　upon　the　water。

I　had　as　yet　failed　to　catch　any　sight　of　Rosalind；　so　I　sat　alone；　and　so　far　as　I　had　any　thoughts　or　feelings；　beyond　a　consciousness　of　heavenly　harmony　with　my　surroundings；　they　were　for　that　haunting　unknown　face　with　the　violet　eyes　and　the　heavy　chestnut　hair。

Presently；　close　by；　the　notes　of　a　guitar　came　like　little　gold　butterflies　out　of　the　twilight；　and　then　a　woman's　voice　rose　like　a　silver　bird　on　the　air。　　It　was　a　gay　wooing　measure　to　which　she　sang。　　I　listened　with　ears　and　heart。　　〃All　ye；〃　it　went；


　All　ye　who　seek　for　pleasure；　　Here　find　it　without　measure　　　　　　　No　one　to　say　　　　　　　A　body　nay；　　And　naught　but　love　and　leisure。

All　ye　who　seek　forgetting；　Leave　frowns　and　fears　and　fretting；　　　　　　　Here　by　the　sea　　　　　　　Are　fair　and　free　　　　To　give　you　peace　and　petting。

All　ye　whose　hearts　are　breaking　For　somebody　forsaking；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　We'll　count　you　dear；　　　　　　　And　heal　you　here；　And　send　you　home　love…making。〃　


〃Bravo！〃　I　cried　involuntarily；　as　the　song　ended　amid　multitudinous　applause；　and　I　thus　attracted　the　attention　of　another　who　sat　near　me　as　lonely　as　myself；　but　evidently　quite　at　home　in　the　place。

〃You　haven't　heard　our　sirens　sing　before？〃　he　said；　turning　to　me　with　a　pleasant　smile；　and　thus　we　fell　into　talk　of　the　place　and　its　pleasures。

〃There's　one　feature　of　the　place　I　might　introduce　you　to　if　you　care　for　a　stroll；〃　he　said　presently。　　〃Have　you　heard　of　The　Twelve　Golden…Haired　Bar…maids？〃　　I　hadn't；　but　the　fantastic　name　struck　my　fancy。　　It　was；　he　explained；　the　name　given　to　a　favourite　buffet　at　the　Hotel　Aphrodite；　which　was　served　by　twelve　wonderful　girls；　not　one　under　six　feet　in　height；　and　all　with　the　most　glorious　golden　hair。　　It　was　a　whim　of　the　management；　he　said。

So；　of　course；　we　went。



CHAPTER　VIII


THE　TWELVE　GOLDEN…HAIRED　BAR…MAIDS。

Now　it　was　not　without　some　boyish　nervousness　that　I　followed　my　newly　made　friend；　for　I　confess　that　I　have　ever　been　a　poor　hand　at　talking　to　bar…maids。　　It　is；　I　am　convinced；　an　art　apart；　an　art　like　any　other；needing　first　the　natural　gift；　then　the　long　patient　training；　and　finally　the　courageous　practice。　　Alas　for　me；　I　possessed　neither　gift；　training；　nor　courage。　　Courage　I　lacked　most　of　all。　　It　was　in　vain　that　I　said　to　myself　that　it　was　like　swimming；all　that　was　needed　was　〃confidence。〃　　That　was　the　very　thing　I　couldn't　muster。　　No　doubt　I　am　handicapped　by　a　certain　respectful　homage　which　I　always　feel　involuntarily　to　any　one　in　the　shape　of　woman；　for　anything　savouring　of　respect　is　the　last　thing　to　win　the　bar…maid　heart　divine。　　The　man　to　win　her　is　he　who　calls　loudly　for　his　drink；　without　a　〃Please〃　or　a　〃Thank　you；〃　throws　his　hat　at　the　back　of　his　head；　gulps　down　half　his　glass；　and；　while　drawing　breath　for　the　other　half；　takes　a　hard；　indifferent　look　at　her；　and　in　an　off…hand　voice　throws　her　some　fatuous；　mirthless　jest。

Now；　I've　never　been　able　to　do　this　in　the　convincing　grand　manner　of　the　British　male；　and　whatever　I　have　said；　the　effect　has　been　the　same。　　I've　talked　about　theatres　and　music…halls；　of　events　of　the　day；　I've　evenHeaven　help　metalked　of　racing　and　football；　but　I　might　as　well　have　talked　of　Herbert　Spencer。　　I　suppose　I　didn't　talk　about　them　in　the　right　way。　　I'm　sure　it　must　be　my　fault　somewhere；　for　certainly　they　seem　easy　enough　to　please；　poor　things！　However；　my　failure　remains；　and　sometimes　even　I　find　it　extremely　hard　to　attract　their　attention　in　the　ordinary　way　of　business。　　I　don't　mind　my　neighbour　being　preferred　before　me；　but　I　do　object　to　his　being　served　before　me！

So；　I　say；　I　couldn't　but　tremble　at　the　vision　of　those　golden…haired　goddesses；　standing　with　immobile　faces　by　their　awful　altars。　Indeed；　had　I　realised　how　superbly　impressive　they　were　going　to　be；　I　think　I　must　have　declined　the　adventure　altogether；for；　robed　in　lustrous　ivory…white　linen　were　those　figures　of　undress　marble；　the　wealth　of　their　glorious　bodies　pressing　out　into　bosoms　magnificent　as　magnolias　（nobler　lines　and　curves　Greece　herself　has　never　known）；　towering　in　throats　of　fluted　alabaster；　and　flowering　in　coiffures　of　imperial　gold。

Nor　was　their　temple　less　magnificent。　　To　make　it　fair；　Ruskin　had　relit　the　seven　lamps　of　architecture；　and　written　the　seven　labours　of　Hercules；　for　these　windows　through　a　whole　youth　Burne　Jones　had　worshipped　painted　glass　at　Oxford；　and　to　breathe　romance　into　these　frescos　had　Rossetti　been　born；　and　Dante　born　again。　　Men　had　gone　to　prison　and　to　death　that　this　temple　of　Whiskey…and…Soda　might　be　fair。

Strange；　in　truth；　are　the　ministrations　to　which　Beauty　is　called。　　Out　of　the　high　heaven　is　she　summoned；　from　mystic　communion　with　her　own　perfection；　from　majestic　labours　in　the　Sistine　Chapel　of　the　Stars；yea；　she　must　put　aside　her　gold…leaf　and　purples　and　leave　unfinished　the　very　panels　of　the　throne　of　God；that　Circe　shall　have　her　palace；　and　her　worshippers　their　gilded　sty。

As　there　were　at　least　a　score　of　〃worshippers〃　round　each　Circe；　my　nervousness　became　unimportant；　and　therefore　passed。　Thus；　as　my　companion　and　I　sat　at　one　of　the　little　tables；　from　which　we　might　gaze　upon　the　sea　without　and　Aphrodite　within；　my　eyes　were　able　to　fly　like　bees　from　one　fair　face　to　another。　　Finally；　they　settled　upon　a　Circe　less　besieged　of　the　hoarse　and　grunting　mob。　　She　was　conspicuously　less　in　height；　her　hair　was　rather　bright　red　than　golden；　and　her　face　had　more　meanings　than　the　faces　of　her　fellows。

〃Why；〃　in　a　flash　it　came　to　me；　〃it's　Rosalind！〃　and　clean　forgetting　to　be　shy；　or　polite　to　my　companion；　I　hastened　across　to　her；　to　be　greeted　instantly　in　a　manner　so　exclusively　intimate　that　the　little　crowd　about　her　presently　spread　itself　among　the　other　crowds；　an