the golden age(金色时代)-第15章
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panted behind； whether she had not exaggerated her age by a year or two。
She flung herself into hide…and…seek with all the gusto and abandonment
of the true artist； and as she flitted away and reappeared； flushed and
laughing divinely； the pale witch…maiden seemed to fall away from her；
and she moved rather as that other girl I had read about； snatched from
fields of daffodil to reign in shadow below； yet permitted once again to
visit earth； and light； and the frank； caressing air。
Tired at last； we strolled back to the old sundial； and Harold； who
never relinquished a problem unsolved； began afresh； rubbing his finger
along the faint incisions； 〃Time tryeth trothe。 Please； I want to know
what that means。〃
Medea's face drooped low over the sun…dial； till it was almost hidden
in her fingers。 〃That's what I'm here for；〃 she said presently； in quite a
changed； low voice。 〃They shut me up herethey think I'll forgetbut I
never willnever； never！ And he； toobut I don't knowit is so longI
don't know！〃
Her face was quite hidden now。 There was silence again in the old
garden。 I felt clumsily helpless and awkward； beyond a vague idea of
kicking Harold； nothing remedial seemed to suggest itself。
None of us had noticed the approach of another she…creatureone of
the angular and rigid classhow different from our dear comrade！ The
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years Medea had claimed might well have belonged to her； she wore
mittens； tooa trick I detested in woman。 〃Lucy！〃 she said； sharply； in a
tone with AUNT writ large over it； and Medea started up guiltily。
〃You've been crying；〃 said the newcomer； grimly regarding her
through spectacles。 〃And pray who are these exceedingly dirty little
boys？〃
〃Friends of mine； aunt；〃 said Medea； promptly； with forced
cheerfulness。 〃II've known them a long time。 I asked them to come。〃
The aunt sniffed suspiciously。 〃You must come indoors； dear；〃 she
said； 〃and lie down。 The sun will give you a headache。 And you little
boys had better run away home to your tea。 Remember； you should not
come to pay visits without your nursemaid。〃
Harold had been tugging nervously at my jacket for some time； and I
only waited till Medea turned and kissed a white hand to us as she was led
away。 Then I ran。 We gained the boat in safety； and 〃What an old
dragon！〃 said Harold。
〃Wasn't she a beast！〃 I replied。 〃Fancy the sun giving any one a
headache！ But Medea was a real brick。 Couldn't we carry her off？〃
〃We could if Edward was here；〃 said Harold； confidently。
The question was； What had become of that defaulting hero？ We
were not left long in doubt。 First； there came down the lane the shrill and
wrathful clamour of a female tongue； then Edward； running his best； and
then an excited woman hard on his heel。 Edward tumbled into the
bottom of the boat； gasping； 〃Shove her off！〃 And shove her off we did；
mightily； while the dame abused us from the bank in the self same accents
in which Alfred hurled defiance at the marauding Dane。
〃That was just like a bit out of Westward Ho！〃 I remarked approvingly；
as we sculled down the stream。 〃But what had you been doing to her？〃
〃Hadn't been doing anything；〃 panted Edward； still breathless。 〃I
went up into the village and explored； and it was a very nice one； and the
people were very polite。 And there was a blacksmith's forge there； and
they were shoeing horses； and the hoofs fizzled and smoked； and smelt so
jolly！ I stayed there quite a long time。 Then I got thirsty； so I asked that
old woman for some water； and while she was getting it her cat came out
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of the cottage； and looked at me in a nasty sort of way； and said something
I didn't like。 So I went up to it just toto teach it manners； and somehow
or other； next minute it was up an apple… tree； spitting； and I was running
down the lane with that old thing after me。〃
Edward was so full of his personal injuries that there was no
interesting him in Medea at all。 Moreover； the evening was closing in；
and it was evident that this cutting…out expedition must be kept for another
day。 As we neared home； it gradually occurred to us that perhaps the
greatest danger was yet to come； for the farmer must have missed his boat
ere now； and would probably be lying in wait for us near the landing…place。
There was no other spot admitting of debarcation on the home side； if we
got out on the other； and made for the bridge； we should certainly be seen
and cut off。 Then it was that I blessed my stars that our elder
brother was with us that day；he might be little good at pretending；
but in grappling with the stern facts of life he had no equal。 Enjoining
silence； he waited till we were but a little way from the fated landing…place；
and then brought us in to the opposite bank。 We scrambled out
noiselessly； andthe gathering darkness favouring uscrouched behind a
willow； while Edward pushed off the empty boat with his foot。 The old
Argo； borne down by the gentle current； slid and grazed along the rushy
bank； and when she came opposite the suspected ambush； a stream of
imprecation told us that our precaution had not been wasted。 We
wondered； as we listened； where Farmer Larkin； who was bucolically bred
and reared； had acquired such range and wealth of vocabulary。 Fully
realising at last that his boat was derelict； abandoned； at the mercy of wind
and wave；as well as out of his reach；he strode away to the bridge； about
a quarter of a mile further down； and as soon as we heard his boots
clumping on the planks； we nipped out； recovered the craft； pulled across；
and made the faithful vessel fast to her proper moorings。 Edward was
anxious to wait and exchange courtesies and compliments with the
disappointed farmer； when he should confront us on the opposite bank； but
wiser counsels prevailed。 It was possible that the piracy was not yet laid
at our particular door： Ulysses； I reminded him； had reason to regret a
similar act of bravado； andwere he herewould certainly advise a timely
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retreat。 Edward held but a low opinion of me as a counsellor； but he had
a very solid respect for Ulysses。
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THE ROMAN ROAD
ALL the roads of our neighbourhood were cheerful and friendly；
having each of them pleasant qualities of their own； but this one seemed
different from the others in its masterful suggestion of a serious purpose；
speeding you along with a strange uplifting of the heart。 The others
tempted chiefly with their treasures of hedge and ditch； the rapt surprise of
the first lords…and…ladies； the rustle of a field…mouse； splash of a frog；
while cool noses of brother…beasts were pushed at you through gate or gap。
A loiterer you had need to be； did you choose one of them；so many were
the tiny hands thrust out to detain you； from this side and that。 But this
other was of a sterner sort； and even in its shedding off of bank and
hedgerow as it marched straight and full for the open downs； it seemed to
declare its contempt for adventitious trappings to catch the shallow…pated。
When the sense of injustice or disappointment was heavy on me； and
things were very black within； as on this particular day； the road of
character was my choice for that solitary ramble； when I turned my back
for an afternoon on a world that had unaccountably declared itself against
me。
〃The Knights' Road；〃 we children had named it； from a sort of feeling
that； if from any quarter at all； it would be down this track we might some
day see Lancelot and his peers come pacing on their great war…horses；
supposing that any of the stout band still survived； in nooks and
unexplored places。 Grown…up people sometimes spoke of it as the
〃Pilgrims' Way〃； but I didn't know much about pilgrims；except Walter in
the Horselberg story。 Him I sometimes saw； breaking with haggard eyes
out of yonder copse； and calling to the pilgrims as they hurried along on
their desperate march to the Holy City； where peace and pardon were
awaiting them。 〃All roads lead to Rome；〃 I had once heard somebody
say； and I had taken the remark very seriously； of course； and puzzled over
it many days。 There must have been some mistake； I concluded at last；
but of one road at least I intuitively felt it to be true。 And my belief was
clinched by something that fell from Miss Smedley during a history lesson；
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about a strange road that ran right down the middle of England till it
reached the coast； and then began again in France； just opposite； and so on
undeviating； through city and vineyard； right from the misty Highlands to
the Eternal City。 Uncorroborated； any statement of Miss Smedley's
usually fell on incredulous ears； but here； with the road itself in evidence；
she seemed； once； in a way； to have strayed into truth。
Rome！ It was fascinating to think that it lay at the other end of this
white ribbon that rolled itself off from my feet over the distant
