【英文原著类】thequestofthegolden

THEQUESTOFTHEGOLDENGIRLAROMANCE1THEQUESTOFTHEGOLDENGIRLAROMANCEBYRICHARDLEGALLIENNETOPRIORANDLOUISECHRISTIAN,WITHAFFECTION.GennemdeMangetilEn!THEQUESTOFTHEGOLDENGIRLAROMANCE2THEQUESTOFTHEGOLDENGIRLAROMANCE3BOOKICHAPTERIANOLDHOUSEANDITSBACHELORWhentheknellofmythirtiethbirthdaysounded,Isuddenlyrealised,withadesolatefeelingattheheart,thatIwasaloneintheworld.ItwastrueIhadmanyandgoodfriends,andIwasblessedwithinterestsandoccupationswhichIhadoftendeclaredsufficienttosatisfyanynottooexactinghumanbeing.Moreover,asmallbutsufficientcompetencywasmine,allowingmereasonablecomforts,andtheluxuriesofasmallbutchoicelibrary,andasmallbutchoicegarden.Theseheavenlyblessingshadseemedmerethanenoughfornearlyfiveyears,duringwhichthegoodsisterandIhadkepthousetogether,leadingalifeoftranquilhappydays.Friendsandbooksandflowers!Itwas,wesaid,agoodworld,andI,simpleton,--prettyanddaintyasMargaretwas,--deemeditwouldgoonforever.But,alas!onedaycameaFaustintoourgarden,--agoodFaust,withnofriendMephistopheles,--andtookMargaretfromme.Itisbutamonthsincetheyweremarried,andthericestilllingersinthecrevicesofthepathwaydowntothequaintoldiron-workgate.Yes!theyhavegoneofftospendtheirhoneymoon,andMargarethaswrittentometwicetosayhowhappytheyaretogetherintheHesperides.Dearhappiness!Selfish,indeed,werehewhowouldenvyyouonepetalofthatwonderfulrose--RosaMundi--Godhasgivenyoutogather.But,allthesame,thereaderwilladmitthatitmustbelonelyforme,andnotanothersisterlefttotakepityonme,allsomewherehappilysettleddownintheFortunateIsles.Poorlonelyoldhouse!doyou,too,missthelightstepofyourmistress?Nolongershallherlittlesilkenfigureflitupanddownyourquietstaircases,nomoredeckoutyoursilentroomswithflowers,hummingthewhilesomehappylittlesong.Thelittlepianoisdumbnightafternight,itscandlesunlighted,andthereisnoonetoplayChopintousnowasthedaydies,andtheshadowsTHEQUESTOFTHEGOLDENGIRLAROMANCE4stoopoutoftheircornerstolisteninvain.Oldhouse,oldhouse!Wearealone,quitealone,--thereisnomistakeaboutthat,--andthesoulhasgoneoutofbothofus.Andasforthegarden,thereisnocompanythere;thatisloneliestofall.Theverysunlightlooksdesolation,fallingthroughthethick-blossomingapple-treesasthroughthechinksandcrevicesofdesertedEgyptiancities.Whileasforthebooks--well,nevertalktomeagainaboutthecompanionshipofbooks!Forjustwhenoneneedsthemmostofalltheyseemsuddenlytohavegrowndullandunsympathetic,notawordofcomfort,notacharmanywhereinthemtomakeusforgettheslow-movinghours;whereas,whenMargaretwashere--butitisofnousetosayanymore!EverythingwasquitedifferentwhenMargaretwashere:thatisenough.MargarethasgoneawaytotheFortunateIsles.Ofcourseshe'llcometoseeusnowandagain;butitwon'tbethesamething.Yes!oldechoingsilentHouseofJoythatisGone,wearequitealone.Now,whatistobedone?THEQUESTOFTHEGOLDENGIRLAROMANCE5CHAPTERIIINWHICHIDECIDETOGOONPILGRIMAGEThoughIhavethisbadhabitofsoliloquising,andindeedamabsurdenoughtoattemptconversationwithahouse,yetthereadermustrealisefromthebeginningthatIamstillquiteayoungman.ItalkedalittlejustnowasthoughIwereanoctogenarian.Actually,asIsaid,Iambutjustgonethirty,andImayreasonablyregardlife,asthesayingis,allbeforeme.Iwasalittledown-heartedwhenIwroteyesterday.Besides,Iwroteattheendoftheafternoon,amelancholytime.Themorningisthetimetowrite.Weareall--thatis,thoseofuswhosleepwell--optimistsinthemorning.Andtheworldissadenoughwithoutourwritingbookstomakeitsadder.Therestofthisbook,Ipromiseyou,shallbewrittenofamorning.Thisbook!oh,yes,Iforgot!--Iamgoingtowriteabook.Abookaboutwhat?Well,thatmustbeasGodwills.Butlisten!AsIlayinbedthismorningbetweensleepingandwaking,anideacameridingonasunbeamintomyroom,--amad,whimsicalidea,butonethatsuitsmymood;andputbriefly,itisthis:howisitthatI,anotunpresentableyoungman,amannotwithoutaccomplishmentsorexperience,shouldhavegonealltheseyearswithoutfindingthatNotimpossiblesheWhoshallcommandmyheartandme,--withoutmeetingatsometurningofthewaythemysticalGoldenGirl,--without,inshort,findingawife?Then,suggestedtheidea,withablushforitsownabsurdity,whynotgoonpilgrimageandseekher?Idon'tbelieveyou'llfindher.Sheisn'tusuallyfoundafterthirty.Butyou'llnodoubthavegoodfunbytheway,andfallinwithmanypleasantadventures.Abraveidea,indeed!Icried.ByHeaven,Iwilltakestickandknapsackandwalkrightawayfrommyownfrontdoor,rightawaywheretheroadleads,andseewhathappens.Andnow,ifthereaderplease,wewillmakeastart.THEQUESTOFTHEGOLDENGIRLAROMANCE6CHAPTERIIIANINDICTMENTOFSPRINGMarry!anoddadventure!Isaidtomyself,asIsteppedalonginthespringmorningair;for,beingapilgrim,Iwasinvoluntarilyinamediaevalframeofmind,andMarry!anoddadventure!cametomylipsasthoughIhadbeenoneofthatfamouscompanythatoncestartedfromtheTabardonadayinspring.Ithadbeenthespring,itwillberemembered,thathadpromptedthemtogoonpilgrimage;andme,too,thespringwasfillingwithstrange,undefinablelongings,andthoughIflatteredmyselfthatIhadsetoutinpursuanceofadefinitelytakenresolve,Ihadreallynomorefreedominthematterthanthechildrenwhofollowedattheheelsofthemadpiper.Amadpiper,indeed,thisspring,withhiswonderfullyingmusic,--everlying,yeteverconvincing,forwhenwasSpringknowntokeephisword?Yetyearaf