the quest of the golden girl-第9章

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vy　homespun　things　about　it。　　It　was　not　every　day　that　that　washing…day　wind　met　so　fine　a　lady；　and　it　was　charming　to　see　how　gently　he　played　about　her　stockings。　　〃Ah；　wind；〃　I　said；　〃evidently　you　are　a　gallant　born；　but　tell　us　the　name　of　the　lady。　　It　is　somewhere　on　that　pretty　petticoat；　I'll　be　bound。〃

Is　she　some　little　danseuse　with　the　whim　to　be　romantically　rustic　for　a　week？　or　is　she　somebody　else's　pretty　wife　run　away　with　somebody　else's　man？　or　is　she　some　naughty　little　grisette　with　an　extravagant　lover？　or　is　she　just　the　usual　lady　landscape　artist；　with　a　more　than　usual　taste　in　lingerie？

At　all　events；　it　was　fairly　obvious　that；　for　one　reason　or　another；　the　wearer　of　the　petticoat　and　stockings　which　have　now　occupied　us　for　perhaps　a　sufficient　number　of　pages；　was　a　visitor　at　the　cottage。

The　next　thing　was　to　get　a　look　at　her。　So；　remembering　how　fond　I　was　of　milk　from　the　cow；　I　pushed　open　the　gate　and　advanced　to　the　cottage　door。




CHAPTER　XV


STILL　OCCUPIED　WITH　THE　PETTICOAT

The　door　was　opened　by　a　comely　young　woman；　with　ruddy　cheeks　and　a　bright　kind　eye　that　promised　conversation。　　But　〃H'm；〃　said　I　to　myself；　as　she　went　to　fetch　my　milk；　〃evidently　not　yours；　my　dear。〃

〃A　nice　drying　day　for　your　washing；〃　I　said；　as　I　slowly　sipped　my　milk；　with　a　half…inclination　of　my　head　towards　the　clothes…line。

〃Very　fine；　indeed；　sir；〃　she　returned；　with　something　of　a　blush；　and　a　shy　deprecating　look　that　seemed　to　beg　me　not　to　notice　the　peculiarly　quaint　antics　which　the　wind；　evidently　a　humourist；　chose　at　that　moment　to　execute　with　the　female　garments　upon　the　line。　　However；　I　was　for　once　cased　in　triple　brass　and　inexorable。

〃And　who；〃　I　ventured；　smiling；　〃may　be　the　owner　of　those　fine　things？〃

〃Not　those；〃　I　continued；　pointing　to　an　odd　garment　which　the　wind　was　wantonly　puffing　out　in　the　quaintest　way；　〃but　that　pretty　petticoat　and　those　silk　stockings？〃

The　poor　girl　had　gone　scarlet；　scarlet　as　the　petticoat　which　I　was　sure　WAS　hers；　with　probably　a　fellow　at　the　moment　keeping　warm　her　buxom　figure。

〃You　are　very　bold；　sir；〃　she　stammered　through　her　blushes；　but　I　could　see　that　she　was　not　ill…pleased　that　the　finery　should　attract　attention。

〃But　won't　you　tell　me？〃　I　urged；　〃I　have　a　reason　for　asking。〃

And　here　I　had　better　warn　the　reader　that；　as　the　result　of　a　whim　that　presently　seized　me；　I　must　be　content　to　appear　mad　in　his　eyes　for　the　next　few　pages；　till　I　get　an　opportunity　of　explanation。

〃Well；　what　if　they　should　be　mine？〃　at　length　I　persuaded　her　into　saying。

I　made　the　obvious　gallant　reply；　but；　〃All　the　same；〃　I　added；　〃you　know　they　are　not　yours。　　They　belong　to　some　lady　visitor；　who；　I'll　be　bound；　isn't　half　so　pretty；　now；　don't　they？〃

〃Well；　they　just　don't　then。　　They're　mine；　as　I　tell　you。〃

〃H'm；〃　I　continued；　a　little　nonplussed；　〃but　do　you　really　mean　there　is　no　lady　staying　with　you？〃

〃Certainly；〃　she　replied；　evidently　enjoying　my　bewilderment。

〃Well；　then；　some　lady　must　have　stayed　here　once；〃　I　retorted；　with　a　sudden　inspiration；　〃and　left　them　behind〃

〃You　might　be　a　detective　after　stolen　goods；〃　she　interrupted。

〃I　tell　you　the　things　are　mine；　and　what　I　should　like　to　know　does　a　gentleman　want　bothering　himself　about　a　lady's　petticoat！

No　wonder　you　blush；〃　for；　in　fact；　as　was　easy　to　foresee；　the　situation　was　becoming　a　little　ridiculous　for　me。

〃Now；　look　here；〃　I　said　with　an　affectation　of　gravity；　〃if　you'll　tell　me　how　you　came　by　those　things；　I'll　make　it　worth　your　while。　　They　were　given　to　you　by　a　lady　who　stayed　here　not　so　long　ago；　now；　weren't　they？〃

〃Well；　then；　they　were。〃

〃The　lady　stayed　here　with　a　gentleman？〃

〃Yes；　she　did。〃

〃H'm！　　I　thought　so；〃　I　said。　　〃Yes！　that　lady；　it　pains　me　to　say；　was　my　wife！〃

This　unblushing　statement　was　not；　I　could　see；　without　its　effect　upon　the　present　owner　of　the　petticoat。

〃But　she　said　they　were　brother　and　sister；〃　she　replied。

〃Of　course　she　did；〃　I　returned；　with　a　fine　assumption　of　scorn；〃of　course　she　did。　　They　always　do。〃

〃Dear　young　woman；〃　I　continued；　when　I　was　able　to　control　my　emotion；　〃you　are　happily　remote　from　the　sin　and　wickedness　of　the　town；　and　I　am　sorry　to　speak　of　such　things　in　so　peaceful　a　spotbut　as　a　strange　chance　has　led　me　here；　I　must　speak；　must　tell　you　that　all　wives　are　not　so　virtuous　and　faithful　as　you；　I　am　sure；　are。　There　are　wives　who　forsake　their　husbands　andand　go　off　with　a　handsomer　man；　as　the　poet　says；　and　mine；　mine；　alas！　was　one　of　them。　　It　is　now　some　months　ago　that　my　wife　left　me　in　this　way；　and　since　then　I　have　spent　every　day　in　searching　for　her；　but　never　till　this　moment　have　I　come　upon　the　least　trace　of　her。　　Strange；　is　it　not？　that　here；　in　this　peaceful　out…of…the…　way　garden；　I　should　come　upon　her　very　petticoat；　her　very　stockings〃

By　this　my　grief　had　become　such　that　the　kind　girl　put　her　hand　on　my　arm。　〃Don't　take　on　so；〃　she　said　kindly；　and　then　remembering　her　treasured　property；　and　probably　fearing　a　counterclaim　on　my　part　to　its　possession；　〃But　how　can　you　be　sure　she　was　here？　　There　are　lots　of　petticoats　like　that〃

〃What　was　she　like？〃　I　asked　through　my　agitation。

〃Middle　height；　slim　and　fair；　with　red　goldy　hair　and　big　blue　eyes；　about　thirty；　I　should　say。〃

〃The　very　same；〃　I　groaned；　〃there　is　no　mistake；　and　now；〃　I　continued；　〃I　want　you　to　sell　me　that　petticoat　and　those　stockings；〃　and　I　took　a　couple　of　sovereigns　from　my　purse。　　〃I　want　to　have　them　to　confront　her　with；　when　I　do　find　her。　　Perhaps　it　will　touch　her　heart　to　think　of　the　strange　way　in　which　I　came　by　them；　and　you　can　buy　just　as　pretty　ones　again　with　the　money；〃　I　added；　as　I　noticed　the　disappointment　on　her　face　at　the　prospect　of　thus　losing　her　finery。

〃Well；　it's　a　funny　business；　to　be　sure；〃　she　said；　as　still　half　reluctantly　she　unpegged　the　coveted　garments　from　the　line；　〃but　if　what　you　say　's　true；　I　suppose　you　must　have　them。〃

The　wanton　wind　had　been　so　busily　kissing　them　all　the　morning　that　they　were　quite　dry；　so　I　was　able　to　find　room　for　them　in　my　knapsack　without　danger　to　the　other　contents；　and；　with　a　hasty　good…day　to　their　recent　possessor；　I　set　off　at　full　speed　to　find　a　secure　nook　where　I　could　throw　myself　down　on　the　grass；　and　let　loose　the　absurd　laughter　that　was　dangerously　bottled　up　within　me；　but　even　before　I　do　that　it　behoves　me　if　possible　to　vindicate　my　sanity　to　the　reader。



CHAPTER　XVI


CLEARS　UP　MY　MYSTERIOUS　BEHAVIOUR　OF　THE　LAST　CHAPTER

What　a　sane　man　should　be　doing　carrying　about　with　him　a　woman's　petticoat　and　silk　stockings；　may　well　be　a　puzzle　to　the　most　intelligent　reader。

Whim；　sir；　whim！　and　few　human　actions　admit　of　more　satisfactory　solution。　　Like　Shylock；　I'll　say　〃It　is　my　humour。〃　　But　no！　　I'll　be　more　explanatory。　　This　madcap　quest　of　mine；　was　it　not　understood　between　us　from　the　beginning　to　be　a　fantastic　whim；　a　poetical　wild…goose　chase；　conceived　entirely　as　an　excuse　for　being　some　time　in　each　other's　company？　　To　be　whimsical；　therefore；　in　pursuit　of　a　whim；　fanciful　in　the　chase　of　a　fancy；　is　surely　but　to　maintain　the　spirit　of　the　game。　　Now；　for　the　purpose；　therefore；　of　a　romance　that　makes　no　pretence　to　reasonableness；　I　had　very　good　reasons　for　buying　that　petticoat；　which　（the　reasons；　not　the　petticoat）　I　will　now　lay　before　you。

I　have　been　conscious　all　the　way　along　through　this　pilgrimage　of　its　inevitable　vagueness　of　direction；　of　my　need　of　something　definite；　some　place；　some　name；　anything　at　all；　however　slight；　which　I　might　associate；　if　only　for　a　time；　with　the　object　of　my　quest；　a　definite　something　to　seek；　a　definite　goal　for　my　feet。

Now；　when　I　saw　that　mysterious　petticoat；　and　realised　that　its　wearer　would　probably　be　pretty　and　young　and　generally　charming；　and　that　probably　her　name　was　somewhere　on　the　waistband；　the　spirit　of　whim　rejoiced　within　me。　　〃Why　not；〃　it　said；　〃buy　the　petticoat；　find　out　the　name　of　its　owner；　and；　instead　of　seeking　a　vague　Golden　Girl；　make　up　your　mind　doggedly　to　find　and　marry　her；