the quest of the golden girl-第28章

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I　could　hear；　wished　to　make　more　extended　arrangements；　and　references　to　that　well…known　rendezvous；　〃Eternity；〃　fell　on　my　ears　from　time　to　time。　　Evidently　Sylvia　had　no　very　saving　belief　in　Eternity；　for　I　heard　her　say　that　they　might　see　how　they　got　on　in　Paris　for　a　start。　　Then　it　would　be　time　enough　to　talk　of　Eternity。　　This　and　other　remarks　of　Sylvia's　considerably　predisposed　me　towards　her。　　Having　concluded　their　arrangements　for　the　heaven　of　the　morrow；　they　rose　to　take　a　stroll　along　the　boulevards。　As　they　did　so；　I　touched　Orlando's　shoulder　and　begged　his　attention　for　a　moment。　　Though　an　entire　stranger　to　him；　I　had；　I　said；　a　matter　of　extreme　importance　to　communicate　to　him；　and　I　hoped；　therefore；　that　it　would　suit　his　convenience　to　meet　me　at　the　same　place　in　an　hour　and　a　half。　　As　I　said　this；　I　flashed　his　wife's　ring　in　the　light　so　obviously　that　he　was　compelled　to　notice　it。

〃Wherever　did　you　get　that？〃　he　gasped；　no　little　surprised　and　agitated。

〃From　your　wife；〃　I　answered；　rapidly　moving　away。　　〃Be　sure　to　be　here　at　eleven。〃

I　slipped　away　into　the　crowd；　and　spent　my　hour　and　a　half　in　persuading　Rosalind　that　her　husband　was　no　doubt　a　little　infatuated；　but　nevertheless　the　most　faithful　husband　in　the　world。　　If　she　would　only　leave　all　to　me；　by　this　time　to…morrow　night；　if　not　a　good　many　hours　before；　he　should　be　in　her　arms　as　safe　as　in　the　Bank。　It　did　my　heart　good　to　see　how　happy　this　artistic　adaptation　of　the　truth　made　her；　and　I　must　say　that　she　never　had　a　wiser　friend。

When　eleven　came；　I　was　back　in　my　seat　at　the　Cafe　du　Ciel。　　Orlando　too　was　excitedly　punctual。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　he　hurried　out；　almost　before　he　had　sat　down。

〃What　will　you　do　me　the　honour　of　drinking？〃　I　asked　calmly。

〃Oh；　drink　be　dd！〃　he　said；　〃what　have　you　to　tell　me？〃

〃I'm　glad　to　hear　you　rap　out　such　a　good　honest　oath；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　should　like　a　drink；　for　all　that；　and　if　I　may　say　so；　you　would　be　none　the　worse　for　a　brandy　and　soda；　late　as　it　is。〃

When　the　drinks　had　come；　I　remarked　to　him　quietly；　but　not　without　significance：　〃The　meaning　of　this　ring　is　that　your　wife　is　here；　and　very　wretched。　　By　an　accident　I　have　been　privileged　with　her　friendship；　and　I　may　say；　to　save　time；　that　she　has　told　me　the　whole　story。

〃What　happily　she　has　not　been　able　to　tell　me；　and　what　I　need　hardly　say　she　will　never　know　from　me；　I　overheard；　in　the　interests　of　your　joint　happiness；　an　hour　or　so　ago。〃

The　man　who　is　telling　the　story　has　a　proverbial　great　advantage；　but　I　hope　the　reader　knows　enough　of　me　by　this　to　believe　that　I　am　far　from　meanly　availing　myself　of　it　in　this　narrative。　　I　am　well　and　gratefully　aware　that　in　this　interview　with　Orlando　my　advantages　were　many　and　fortunate。　　For　example；　had　he　been　bigger　and　older；　or　had　he　not　been　a　gentleman；　my　task　had　been　considerably　more　arduous；　not　to　say　dangerous。

But；　as　Rosalind　had　said；　he　was　really　quite　a　boy；　and　I　confess　I　was　a　little　ashamed　for　him；　and　a　little　piqued；　that　he　showed　so　little　fight。　　The　unexpectedness　of　my　attack　had；　I　realised；　given　me　the　whip…hand。　　So　I　judged；　at　all　events；　from　the　fact　that　he　forbore　to　bluster；　and　sat　quite　still；　with　his　head　in　his　hands；　saying　never　a　word　for　what　seemed　several　minutes。　　Then　presently　he　said　very　quietly；

〃I　love　my　wife　all　the　same。〃

〃Of　course　you　do；〃　I　answered；　eagerly　welcoming　the　significant　announcement；　〃and　if　you'll　allow　me　to　say　so；　I　think　I　understand　more　about　the　whole　situation　than　either　of　you；　bachelor　though　unfortunately　I　am。　　As　a　famous　friend　of　mine　is　fond　of　saying；　lookers…on　see　most　of　the　game。〃

Then　I　rapidly　told　him　the　history　of　my　meeting　with　his　wife；　and　depicted；　in　harrowing　pigments　of　phrase；　the　distress　of　her　mind。

〃I　love　my　wife　all　the　same；〃　he　repeated；　as　I　finished；　〃and；〃　he　added；　〃I　love　Sylvia　too。〃

〃But　not　quite　in　the　same　way？〃　I　suggested。

〃I　love　Sylvia　very　tenderly；〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　I　know；　I　don't　think　you　could　do　anything　else。　　No　man　worth　his　salt　could　be　anything　but　tender　to　a　dainty　little　woman　like　that。　　But　tenderness；　gentleness；　affection；　even　self…sacrifice；these　may　be　parts　of　love；　but　they　are　merely　the　crude　untransformed　ingredients　of　a　love　such　as　you　feel　for　your　wife；　and　such　as　I　know　she　feels　for　you。〃

〃She　still　loves　me；　then；〃　he　said　pitifully；　〃she　hasn't　fallen　in　love　with　you。〃

〃No　fear；〃　I　answered；　〃no　such　luck　for　me。　　If　she　had；　I'm　afraid　I　should　hardly　have　been　talking　to　you　as　I　am　at　this　moment。　　If　a　woman　like　Rosalind；　as　I　call　her；　gave　me　her　love；　it　would　take　more　than　a　husband　to　rob　me　of　it；　I　can　tell　you。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　repeated；　〃on　my　soul；　I　love　her。　　I　have　never　been　false　to　her；　in　my　heart；　but〃

〃I　know　all　about　it；〃　I　said；　〃may　I　tell　you　how　it　all　was；diagnose　the　situation？〃

〃Do；〃　he　replied；　〃it　is　a　relief　to　hear　you　talk。〃

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃may　I　ask　one　rather　intimate　question？　　Did　you　ever　before　you　were　married　sow　what　are　known　as　wild　oats？〃

〃Never；〃　he　answered　indignantly；　flashing　for　a　moment。

〃Well；　you　should　have　done；〃　I　said；　〃that's　just　the　whole　trouble。　　Wild　oats　will　get　sown　some　time；　and　one　of　the　arts　of　life　is　to　sow　them　at　the　right　time；the　younger　the　better。　　Think　candidly　before　you　answer　me。〃

〃I　believe　you　are　right；〃　he　replied；　after　a　long　pause。

〃You　are　a　believer　in　theories；〃　I　continued；　〃and　so　am　I；　but　you　can　take　my　word　that　on　these　matters　not　all；　but　some；　of　the　old　theories　are　best。　　One　of　them　is　that　the　man　who　does　not　sow　his　wild　oats　before　marriage　will　sow　them　afterwards；　with　a　whirlwind　for　the　reaping。〃

Orlando　looked　up　at　me；　haggard　with　confession。

〃You　know　the　old　story　of　the　ring　given　to　Venus？　　Well；　it　is　the　ruin　of　no　few　men　to　meet　Venus　for　the　first　time　on　their　marriage　night。　　Their　very　chastity；　paradoxical　as　it　may　seem；　is　their　destruction。　No　one　can　appreciate　the　peace；　the　holy　satisfaction　of　monogamy　till　he　has　passed　through　the　wasting　distractions；　the　unrest　of　polygamy。　　Plunged　right　away　into　monogamy；　man；　unexperienced　in　his　good　fortune；　hankers　after　polygamy；　as　the　monotheistic　Jew　hankered　after　polytheism；　and　thus　the　monogamic　young　man　too　often　meets　Aphrodite　for　the　first　time；　and　makes　future　appointments　with　her；　in　the　arms　of　his　pure　young　wife。　　If　you　have　read　Swedenborg；　you　will　remember　his　denunciation　of　the　lust　of　variety。　　Now；　that　is　a　lust　every　young　man　feels；　but　it　is　one　to　be　satisfied　before　marriage。　　Sylvia　Joy　has　been　such　a　variant　for　you；　and　I'm　afraid　you're　going　to　have　some　little　trouble　to　get　her　off　your　nerves。　　Tell　me　frankly；〃　I　said；　〃have　you　had　your　fill　of　Aphrodite？　　It　is　no　use　your　going　back　to　your　wife　till　you　have　had　that。〃

〃I'm　not　quite　a　beast；〃　he　retorted。　〃After　all；　it　was　an　experiment　we　both　agreed　to　try。〃

〃Certainly；〃　I　answered；　〃and　I　hope　it　may　have　the　result　of　persuading　you　of　the　unwisdom　of　experimenting　with　happiness。　You　have　the　realities　of　happiness；　why　should　you　trouble　about　its　theories？　　They　are　for　unhappy　people；　like　me；　who　must　learn　to　distil　by　learned　patience　the　aurum　potabile　from　the　husks　of　life；　the　peace　which　happier　mortals　find　lying　like　manna　each　morn　upon　the　meadows。〃

〃Well；〃　I　continued；　〃enough　of　the　abstract；　let　us　have　another　drink；　and　tell　me　what　you　propose　to　do。〃

〃Poor　Sylvia！〃　sighed　Orlando。

〃Shall　I　tell　you　about　Sylvia？〃　I　said。　〃On　second　thoughts；　I　won't。　　It　would　hardly　be　fair　play；　but　this；　I　may　say；　relying　on　your　honour；　that　if　you　were　to　come　to　my　hotel；　I　could　show　you　indisputable　proof　that　I　know　at　least　as　much　about　Sylvia　Joy　as　even　such　a　privileged　intimate　as　yourself。〃

〃It　is　strange；　then；　that　she　never　recognised　you　just　now；〃　he　retorted；　with　forlorn　alertness。

〃Of　course　she　didn't。　　How　young　you　are！　　It　is　rather　too　bad　of　a　woman　of　Sylvia's　experience。〃

〃And　I've　bought　our　passages　for　to…　morrow。　　I　cannot　let　her　go　without　some　sort