the quest of the golden girl-第16节

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at　his　brilliancy；　or　with　the　birds；　any　one　of　whom　was　a　poet　at　least　equal　to　Herrick？

Presently　we　found　ourselves　at　four　crossroads；　with　a　four…fingered　post　in　the　centre。　We　had　agreed　to　leave　our　destination　to　chance。　　We　read　the　sign…post。

〃Which　shall　we　choose？〃　I　said；


〃Aucassin；　true　love　and　fair；　　　　　　　To　what　land　do　we　repair？〃　


〃Don't　you　think　this　one；〃　she　replied。　〃this　one？To　the　Moon！〃

〃Certainly；　we　couldn't　find　a　prettier　place；　but　it's　a　long　way；〃　I　replied；　looking　up　at　the　sky；　all　roses　and　pearls；〃a　long　way　from　the　Morning　Star　to　the　Moon。〃

〃All　the　longer　to　be　free；〃　cried　Nicolete；　recklessly。

〃So　be　it；〃　I　assented。　　〃Allonsto　the　Moon！〃



CHAPTER　VIII


THE　KIND　OF　THING　THAT　HAPPENS　IN　THE　MOON

Two　friends　of　my　youth；　with　whom　it　would　be　hopeless　to　attempt　competition；　have　described　the　star…strewn　journey　to　the　moon。　　It　is　not　for　me　to　essay　again　where　the　ingenious　M。　Jules　Verne　and　Mr。　William　Morris　have　preceded　me。　Besides；　the　journey　is　nowadays　much　more　usual；　and　therefore　much　less　adventurous；　than　when　those　revered　writers　first　described　it。　　In　the　middle　ages　a　journey　to　the　moon　with　a　woman　you　loved　was　a　very　perilous　matter　indeed。　　Even　in　the　last　century　the　roads　were　much　beset　with　danger；　but　in　our　own　day；　like　most　journeys；　it　is　accomplished　with　ease　and　safety　in　a　few　hours。

However；　to　the　latter…day　hero；　whose　appetite　for　dragons　is　not　keen；　this　absence　of　adventure　is　perhaps　rather　pleasurable　than　otherwise；　and　I　confess　that　I　enjoyed　the　days　I　spent　on　foot　with　Nicolete　none　the　less　because　they　passed　in　tranquil　uneventfulness；that　is；　without　events　of　the　violent　kind。　　Of　course；　all　depends　on　what　you　call　an　event。　　We　were　not　waylaid　by　robbers；　we　fed　and　slept　unchallenged　at　inns；　we　escaped　collision　with　the　police；　and　we　encountered　no　bodily　dangers　of　any　kind；　yet　should　I　not　call　the　journey　uneventful；　nor　indeed；　I　think；　would　Nicolete。

To　me　it　was　one　prolonged　divine　event；　and；　with　such　daily　intercourse　with　Nicolete；　I　never　dreamed　of　craving　for　any　other　excitement。　　To　walk　from　morning　to　evening　by　her　side；　to　minister　to　her　moods；　to　provide　such　entertainment　as　I　might　for　her　brain；　and　watch　like　a　father　over　her　physical　needs；　to　note　when　she　was　weary　and　too　proud　to　show　it；　and　to　pretend　to　be　done　up　myself；　to　choose　for　her　the　easiest　path；　and　keep　my　eyes　open　for　wayside　flowers　and　every　country　surprise；these；　and　a　hundred　other　atten…　tions；　kept　my　heart　and　mind　in　busy　service。

To　picnic　by　some　lonely　stream…side　on　a　few　sandwiches；　a　flask　of　claret；　and　a　pennyworth　of　apples；　to　talk　about　the　books　we　loved；　to　exchange　our　hopes　and　dreams；we　asked　nothing　better　than　this　simple　fare。

And　so　a　week　went　by。　　But；　though　so　little　had　seemed　to　happen；　and　though　our　walking　record　was　shamefully　modest；　yet；　imperceptible　as　the　transition　had　been；　we　were；　quite　insensibly　indeed；　and　unacknowledged；　in　a　very　different　relation　to　each　other　than　when　we　had　started　out　from　the　Morning　Star。　　In　fact；　to　make　no　more　words　about　it；　I　was　head　over　heels　in　love　with　Nicolete；　and　I　think；　without　conceit；　I　may　say　that　Nicolete　was　rapidly　growing　rather　fond　of　me。　　Apart　from　anything　else；　we　were　such　excellent　chums。　We　got　along　together　as　if　indeed　we　had　been　two　brothers；　equable　in　our　tempers　and　one　in　our　desires。

At　last　the　feeling　on　my　side　became　so　importunate　that　I　could　no　longer　keep　silence。

We　were　seated　together　taking　tea　at　a　small　lonely　inn；　whose　windows　looked　out　over　a　romantic　little　lake；　backed　by　Salvator　Rosa　pine…woods。　　The　sun　was　beginning　to　grow　dreamy；　and　the　whole　world　to　wear　a　dangerously　sentimental　expression。

I　forget　exactly　what　it　was；　but　something　in　our　talk　had　set　us　glowing；　had　touched　tender　chords　of　unexpected　sympathy；　and　involuntarily　I　stretched　out　my　hand　across　the　corner　of　the　table　and　pressed　Nicolete's　hand　as　it　rested　on　the　cloth。　　She　did　not　withdraw　it；　and　our　eyes　met　with　a　steady　gaze　of　love。

〃Nicolete；〃　I　said　presently；　when　I　could　speak；　〃it　is　time　for　you　to　be　going　back　home。〃

〃Why？〃　she　asked　breathlessly。

〃Because；〃　I　answered；　〃I　must　love　you　if　you　stay。〃

〃Would　you　then　bid　me　go？〃　she　said。

〃Nicolete；〃　I　said；　〃don't　tempt　me。　　Be　a　good　girl　and　go　home。〃

〃But　supposing　I　don't　want　to　go　home；〃　she　said；　〃supposingoh；　supposing　I　love　you　too？　　Would　you　still　bid　me　go？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。　　〃In　that　case　it　would　be　even　more　imperative。〃

〃Aucassin！〃

〃It　is　true；　it　is　true；　dear　Nicolete。〃

〃Then；　Aucassin；〃　she　replied；　almost　sternly；　in　her　great　girlish　love；　〃this　is　true　also；I　love　you。　　I　have　never　loved；　shall　never　love；　any　man　but　you！〃

〃Nicolete！〃

〃Aucassin！〃

There　were　no　more　words　spoken　between　us　for　a　full　hour　that　afternoon。



CHAPTER　IX


WRITTEN　BY　MOONLIGHT

I　knew　deep　down　in　my　heart　that　it　couldn't　last；　yet　how　deny　myself　these　roses；　while　the　opportunity　of　gathering　them　was　mine！the　more　so；　as　I　believed　it　would　do　no　harm　to　Nicolete。　　At　all　events；　a　day　or　two　more　or　less　of　moonshine　would　make　no　matter　either　way。　And　so　all　next　day　we　walked　hand　in　hand　through　Paradise。

It　has　been　said　by　them　of　old　time；　and　our　fathers　have　told　us；　that　the　kiss　of　first　love；　the　first　kiss　of　the　first　woman　we　love；　is　beyond　all　kisses　sweet；　and　true　it　is。　　But　true　is　it　also　that　no　less　sweet　is　the　first　kiss　of　the　last　woman　we　love。

Putting　my　faith　in　old　saws；　as　a　young　man　will；　I　had　never　dreamed　to　know　again　a　bliss　so　divinely　passionate　and　pure　as　came　to　me　with　every　glance　of　Nicolete's　sweet　eyes；　with　every　simple　pressure　of　her　hand；　and　the　joy　that　was　mine　when　sometimes；　stopping　on　our　way；　we　would　press　together　our　lips　ever　so　gravely　and　tenderly；　seems　too　holy　even　to　speak　of。

The　holy　angels　could　not　have　loved　Nicolete　with　a　purer　love；　a　love　freer　from　taint　of　any　earthly　thought；　than　I；　a　man　of　thirty；　blase；　and　fed　from　my　youth　upon　the　honeycomb　of　woman。

It　was　curious　that　the　first　difficulty　of　our　pilgrimage　should　befall　us　the　very　next　day。　　Coming　towards　nightfall　to　a　small　inn　in　a　lonely　unpopulated　countryside；　we　found　that　the　only　accommodation　the　inn　afforded　was　one　double…bedded　room；　and　there　was　no　other　inn　for　at　least　ten　miles。　　I　think　I　was　more　troubled　than　Nicolete。　　When；　after　interviewing　the　landlady；　I　came　and　told　her　of　the　dilemma；　where　she　sat　in　the　little　parlour　wearied　out　with　the　day's　walk；　she　blushed；　it　is　true；　but　seemed　little　put　about。　　Indeed；　she　laughed；　and　said　it　was　rather　fun；　〃like　something　out　of　Sterne；〃　of　such　comfort　is　a　literary　reference　in　all　seasons　and　circumstances；and　then　she　added；　with　a　sweet　look　that　sent　the　blood　rioting　about　my　heart；　〃It　won't　matter　so　much；　will　it；　love；　NOW？〃

There　proved　nothing　for　it　but　to　accept　the　situation；　and　we　made　the　arrangement　that　Nicolete　was　to　slip　off　to　bed　first；　and　then　put　out　the　light　and　go　to　sleep。　　However；　when　I　followed　her；　having　sat　up　as　long　as　the　landlady's　patience　would　endure；　I　found　that；　though　she　had　blown　out　the　candle；　she　had　forgotten　to　put　out　the　moon；　which　shone　as　though　it　were　St。　Agnes'　Eve　across　half　the　room。

I　stole　in　very　shyly；　kept　my　eyes　sternly　from　Nicolete's　white　bed；　though；　as　I　couldn't　shut　my　ears；　the　sound　of　her　breathing　came　to　me　with　indescribable　sweetness。　　After　I　had　lain　among　the　sheets　some　five　or　ten　minutes；　I　was　suddenly　startled　by　a　little　voice　within　the　room　saying；

〃I'm　not　asleep。〃

〃Well；　you　should　be；　naughty　child。　Now　shut　your　eyes　and　go　to　sleep；and　fair　dreams　and　sweet　repose；〃　I　replied。

〃Won't　you　give　me　one　little　good…night　kiss？〃

〃I　gave　you　one　downstairs。〃

〃Is　it　very　wicked　to　want　another？〃

There　was　not　a　foot　between　our　two　beds；　so　I　bent　over　and　took　her　soft　white　shoulders　in　my　arms　and　kissed　her。　All　the　heaped…up　sweetness　of　the　whitest；　freshest　flowers　of　the　spring　seemed　in　my　embrace　as　I　kissed　her；　so　soft；　so　fragrant；　so　pure；　and　as　the　moonlight　was　the　white　fire　in　our　blood。　　Softly　I　released　her；　stroked　her　brown　hair；　and　turned　again　to　my　pillow。　　Presently　the　little　voice　was　in　the　room　again；

〃Mayn't　I　hold　your　hand？　　Somehow　I　feel　lonely　and　frightened。〃

So　our　hands　made　a　bridge　across　which　our　dreams　might　pass　through　the　night；　and　after　a　little　while　I　knew　that　she　slept。

As　I　lay　thus　holding　her　hand；　and　listening　to　her　quiet　breathing；　I　realised　once　more　what　my　young　Alastor　had　meant　by　the　purity　of　high　passion。　　For　indeed　the　moonlight　that　fell　across　her　bosom　was　not　whiter　than　my　thoughts；　nor　could　any　kisswere　it　even　such　a　kiss　as　Venus　promised　to　the　betrayer　of　Psycheeven　in　its　fiercest　delirium；　be　other　than　dross　compared　with　the　wild　white　peace　of　those　silent　hours　when　we　lay　thus　married　and　maiden　side　by　side。



CHAPTER　X


HOW　ONE　MAKES　LOVE　AT　THIRTY

My　sleeplessn