Quest of the Golden Girl, a Romance   By: Richard Le Gallienne (1866-1947)

A ROMANCE

BY

RICHARD LE GALLIENNE

TO PRIOR AND LOUISE CHRISTIAN, WITH AFFECTION.

CONTENTS

BOOK I

CHAPTER

I. AN OLD HOUSE AND ITS BACHELOR

II. IN WHICH I DECIDE TO GO ON PILGRIMAGE

III. AN INDICTMENT OF SPRING

IV. IN WHICH I EAT AND DREAM

V. CONCERNING THE PERFECT WOMAN, AND THEREFORE CONCERNING ALL FEMININE READERS

VI. IN WHICH THE AUTHOR ANTICIPATES DISCONTENT ON THE PART OF HIS READER

VII. PRANDIAL

VIII. STILL PRANDIAL

IX. THE LEGEND OF HEBES OR THE HEAVENLY HOUSEMAID

X. AGAIN ON FOOT THE GIRLS THAT NEVER CAN BE MINE

XI. AN OLD MAN OF THE HILLS, AND THE SCHOOLMASTER'S STORY

XII. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE GIPSIES

XIII. A STRANGE WEDDING

XIV. THE MYSTERIOUS PETTICOAT

XV. STILL OCCUPIED WITH THE PETTICOAT

XVI. CLEARS UP MY MYSTERIOUS BEHAVIOUR OF THE LAST CHAPTER

XVII. THE NAME UPON THE PETTICOAT

XVIII. IN WHICH THE NAME OF A GREAT POET IS CRIED OUT IN A SOLITARY PLACE

XIX. WHY THE STRANGER WOULD NOT LOSE HIS SHELLEY FOR THE WORLD

BOOK II

I. IN WHICH I DECIDE TO BE YOUNG AGAIN

II. AT THE SIGN OF THE SINGING STREAM

III. IN WHICH I SAVE A USEFUL LIFE

IV. 'T IS OF NICOLETE AND HER BOWER IN THE WILDWOOD

V. 'T IS OF AUCASSIN AND NICOLETE

VI. A FAIRY TALE AND ITS FAIRY TAILORS

VII. FROM THE MORNING STAR TO THE MOON

VIII. THE KIND OF THING THAT HAPPENS IN THE MOON

IX. WRITTEN BY MOONLIGHT

X. HOW ONE MAKES LOVE AT THIRTY

XI. HOW ONE PLAYS THE HERO AT THIRTY

XII. IN WHICH I REVIEW MY ACTIONS AND RENEW MY RESOLUTIONS

BOOK III

I. IN WHICH I RETURN TO MY RIGHT AGE AND ENCOUNTER A COMMON OBJECT OF THE COUNTRY

II. IN WHICH I HEAL A BICYCLE AND COME TO THE WHEEL OF PLEASURE

III. TWO TOWN MICE AT A COUNTRY INN

IV. MARRIAGE A LA MODE

V. CONCERNING THE HAVEN OF YELLOW SANDS

VI. THE MOORLAND OF THE APOCALYPSE

VII. "COME UNTO THESE YELLOW SANDS!"

VIII. THE TWELVE GOLDEN HAIRED BAR MAIDS

IX. SYLVIA JOY

X. IN WHICH ONCE MORE I BECOME OCCUPIED IN MY OWN AFFAIRS

XI. "THE HOUR FOR WHICH THE YEARS FOR WHICH I DID SIGH"

XII. AT THE CAFE DE LA PAIX

XIII. THE INNOCENCE OF PARIS

XIV. END OF BOOK THREE

BOOK IV

THE POSTSCRIPT TO A PILGRIMAGE

I. SIX YEARS AFTER

II. GRACE O' GOD

III. THE GOLDEN GIRL

Gennem de Mange til En!

BOOK I

CHAPTER I

AN OLD HOUSE AND ITS BACHELOR

When the knell of my thirtieth birthday sounded, I suddenly realised, with a desolate feeling at the heart, that I was alone in the world. It was true I had many and good friends, and I was blessed with interests and occupations which I had often declared sufficient to satisfy any not too exacting human being. Moreover, a small but sufficient competency was mine, allowing me reasonable comforts, and the luxuries of a small but choice library, and a small but choice garden. These heavenly blessings had seemed mere than enough for nearly five years, during which the good sister and I had kept house together, leading a life of tranquil happy days. Friends and books and flowers! It was, we said, a good world, and I, simpleton, pretty and dainty as Margaret was, deemed it would go on forever. But, alas! one day came a Faust into our garden, a good Faust, with no friend Mephistopheles, and took Margaret from me. It is but a month since they were married, and the rice still lingers in the crevices of the pathway down to the quaint old iron work gate. Yes! they have gone off to spend their honeymoon, and Margaret has written to me twice to say how happy they are together in the Hesperides. Dear happiness! Selfish, indeed, were he who would envy you one petal of that wonderful rose Rosa Mundi God has given you to gather.

But, all the same, the reader will admit that it must be lonely for me, and not another sister left to take pity on me, all somewhere happily settled down in the Fortunate Isles.