the quest of the golden girl-第8章

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ced　that　he　had　a　rather　delicate　sad　face；and　presently　the　service　began。

I　don't　know　myself　what　getting　married　must　feel　like；　but　it　cannot　be　much　more　exciting　than　watching　other　people　getting　married。　　Probably　the　spectators　are　more　conscious　of　the　impressive　meaning　of　it　all　than　the　brave　young　people　themselves。　I　say　brave；　for　I　am　always　struck　by　the　courage　of　the　two　who　thus　gaily　leap　into　the　gulf　of　the　unknown　together；　thus　join　hands　over　the　inevitable；　and　put　their　signatures　to　the　irrevocable。　　Indeed；　I　always　get　something　like　a　palpitation　of　the　heart　just　before　the　priest　utters　those　final　fateful　words；　〃I　declare　you　man　and　wife。〃　　Half　a　second　before　you　were　still　free；　half　a　second　after　you　are　bound　for　the　term　of　your　natural　life。　　Half　a　second　before　you　had　only　to　dash　the　book　from　the　priest's　hands；　and　put　your　hand　over　his　mouth；　and　though　thus　giddily　swinging　on　the　brink　of　the　precipice；　you　are　saved。　　Half　a　second　after


Not　all　the　king's　horses　and　all　the　king's　men　　　Can　make　you　a　bachelor　ever　again。


It　is　the　knife…edge　moment　'twixt　time　and　eternity。

And；　curiously　enough；　while　my　thoughts　were　thus　running　on　towards　the　rapids　of　that　swirling　moment；　the　very　thing　happened　which　I　had　often　imagined　might　happen　to　myself。　　Suddenly；　with　a　sob；　the　bridegroom　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　and　crying；　〃I　cannot！　　I　cannot！〃　hurriedly　left　the　church；　tears　streaming　down　his　cheeks；　to　the　complete　dismay　of　the　sad　little　group　at　the　altar；　and　the　consternation　of　all　present。

〃Poor　young　man！　　I　thought　he　would　never　go　through　with　it；〃　said　an　old　woman　half　to　herself；　who　was　sitting　near　me。　　I　involuntarily　looked　my　desire　of　explanation。

〃Well；　you　see；〃　she　said；　〃he　had　been　married　before。　　His　first　wife　died　four　years　ago；　and　he　loved　her　beyond　all　heaven　and　earth。〃

That　evening；　I　afterwards　heard；　the　young　bridegroom's　body　was　found　by　some　boys　as　they　went　to　bathe　in　the　river。　　As　I　recalled　once　more　that　sad　yearning　face；　and　heard　again　that　terrible　〃I　cannot！　　I　cannot！〃　　I　thought　of　Heine's　son　of　Asra；　who　loved　the　Sultan's　daughter。

〃What　is　thy　name；　slave？〃　asked　the　princess；　〃and　what　thy　race　and　birthplace？〃

〃My　name；〃　the　young　slave　answered；　〃is　Mahomet。　　I　come　from　Yemen。　　My　race　is　that　of　Asra；　and　when　we　love；　we　die。〃

And　likewise　a　voice　kept　saying　in　my　heart；　〃If　ever　you　find　your　Golden　Bride；　be　sure　she　will　die。〃



CHAPTER　XIV


THE　MYSTERIOUS　PETTICOAT

The　sad　thoughts　with　which　this　incident　naturally　left　me　were　at　length　and　suddenly　dispersed；　as　sad　thoughts　not　infrequently　are；　by　a　petticoat。　　When　I　say　petticoat；　I　use　the　word　in　its　literal　sense；　not　colloquially　as　a　metaphor　for　its　usual　wearer；　meaning　thereby　a　dainty　feminine　undergarment　seen　only　by　men　on　rainy　days；　and　one　might　add　washing…days。　　It　was　indeed　to　the　fortunate　accident　of　its　being　washing…day　at　the　pretty　cottage　near　which　in　the　course　of　my　morning　wanderings　I　had　set　me　down　to　rest；　that　I　owed　the　sight　of　the　petticoat　in　question。

But　first　allow　me　to　describe　a　little　more　fully　my　surroundings　at　the　moment。　　Not　indeed　that　I　can　hope　to　put　into　words　the　charm　of　those　embowered　cottages；　like　nests　in　the　armpits　of　great　trees；　tucked　snugly　in　the　hollows　of　those　narrow；　winding；　almost　subterranean　lanes　which　burrow　their　way　beneath　the　warm…hearted　Surrey　woodlands。

Nothing　can　be　straighter　and　smoother　than　a　Surrey　roadwhen　it　is　on　the　king's　business；　then　it　is　a　high…road　and　behaves　accordingly：　but　a　Surrey　bye…road　is　the　most　whimsical　companion　in　the　world。　　It　is　like　a　sheep…dog；　always　running　backwards　and　forwards；　poking　into　the　most　out…of…the…way　corners；　now　climbing　at　a　run　some　steep　hummock　of　the　down；　and　now　leisurely　going　miles　about　to　escape　an　ant…hill；　and　all　the　time　（here；　by　the　way；　ends　the　sheep…dog）　it　is　stopping　to　gossip　with　rillets　vagabond　as　itself；　or　loitering　to　bedeck　itself　with　flowers。　　It　seems　as　innocent　of　a　destination　as　a　boy　on　an　errand；　but；　after　taking　at　least　six　times　as　long　as　any　other　road　in　the　kingdom　for　its　amount　of　work；　you　usually　find　it　dip　down　of　a　sudden　into　some　lovely　natural　cul…de…sac；　a　meadow…bottom　surrounded　by　trees；　with　a　stream　spreading　itself　in　fantastic　silver　shallows　through　its　midst；　and　a　cottage　half　hidden　at　the　end。　Had　the　lane　been　going　to　some　great　house；　it　would　have　made　more　haste；　we　may　be　sure。

The　lane　I　had　been　following　had　finally　dropped　me　down　at　something　of　a　run　upon　just　such　a　scene。　　The　cottage；　built　substantially　of　grey　stone；　stood　upon　the　side　of　the　slope；　and　a　broad　strip　of　garden；　half　cultivated　and　half　wild；　began　near　the　house　with　cabbages；　and　ended　in　a　jungle　of　giant　bulrushes　as　it　touched　the　stream。　Golden　patches　of　ragwort　blazed　here　and　there　among　a　tangled　mass　of　no　doubt　worthier　herbage；such　even　in　nature　is　the　power　of　gold；and　there　were　the　usual　birds。

However；　my　business　is　with　the　week's　washing；　which　in　various　shades　of　white；　with　occasional　patches　of　scarlet；　fluttered　fantastically　across　a　space　of　the　garden；　thereby　giving　unmistakable　witness　to　human　inhabitants；　male　and　female。

As　I　lounged　upon　the　green　bank；　I　lazily　watched　these　parodies　of　humanity　as　they　were　tossed　hither　and　thither　with　humourous　indignity　by　the　breeze；　remarking　to　myself　on　the　quaint　shamelessness　with　which　we　thus　expose　to　the　public　view　garments　which　at　other　times　we　are　at　such　bashful　pains　to　conceal。　　And　thus　philosophising；　like　a　much　greater　philosopher；　upon　clothes；　I　found　myself　involuntarily　deducing　the　cottage　family　from　the　family　washing。　　I　soon　decided　that　there　must　be　at　least　one　woman　say　of　the　age　of　fifty；　one　young　woman；　one　little　child；　sex　doubtful；　and　one　man　probably　young。　Further　than　this　it　was　impossible　to　conjecture。　　Thus　I　made　the　rough　guess　that　a　young　man　and　his　wife；　a　child；　and　a　mother…in…law　were　among　the　inhabitants　of　this　idyllic　cottage。

But　the　clothes…line　presented　charming　evidence　of　still　another　occupant；　and　here；　though　so　far　easy　to　read；　came　in　something　of　a　puzzle。　　Who　in　this　humble　out…of…the…way　cottage　could　afford　to　wear　that　exquisite　cambric　petticoat　edged　with　a　fine　and　very　expensive　lace？　　And　surely　it　was　on　no　country　legs　that　those　delicately　clocked　and　open…worked　silk　stockings　walked　invisible　through　the　world。

Nor　was　the　lace　any　ordinary　expensive　English　lace；　such　as　any　good　shop　can　supply。　　Indeed；　I　recognised　it　as　being　of　a　Parisian　design　as　yet　little　known　in　England；　while　on　the　tops　of　the　stockings　I　laughingly　suspected　a　border　designed　by　a　certain　eccentric　artist；　who　devotes　his　strange　gifts　to　decorating　with　fascinating　miniatures　the　under…world　of　woman。　　I　have　seen　corsets　thus　made　beautiful　by　him　valued　at　five　hundred　pounds；　and　he　never　paints　a　pair　of　garters　for　less　than　a　hundred。　　His　name　is　not　yet　a　famous　one；　as；　for　obvious　reasons；　his　works　are　not　exhibited　at　public　galleries；　though　they　are　occasionally　to　be　seen　at　private　views。

I　am　far　from　despising　an　honest　red…flannel　country　petticoat。　　There　is　no　warmer　kinder…looking　garment　in　the　world。　　It　suggests　country　laps　and　country　breasts；　with　sturdy　country　babes　greedy　for　the　warm　white　milk；　and　it　seems　dyed　in　country　blushes。　　Yet；　for　all　that；　one　could　not　be　insensible　to　the　exotic　race　and　distinction　of　that　frivolous　town　petticoat；　daintily　disporting　itself　there　among　its　country　cousins；　like　a　queen　among　milkmaids。

What　numberless　suggestions　of　romance　it　awoke！　　What　strange　perfumes　seemed　to　waft　across　from　it；　perfumes　laden　with　associations　of　a　world　so　different　from　the　green　world　where　it　now　was；　a　charming　world　of　gay　intrigue　and　wanton　pleasure。　No　wonder　the　wind　chose　it　so　often　for　its　partner　as　it　danced　through　the　garden；　scorning　to　notice　the　heavy　homespun　things　about　it。　　It　was　not　every　day　that　that　washing…day　wind　met　so　fine　a　lady；　an