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〃Absolutely。〃
〃I thought；〃 she continued； 〃that it was just the other way about； that it was presence and not absence that made the heart of man grow fonder； and that if a man's best girl； so to say； was away； he was able to make himself very comfortable with his second…best！〃
〃In some cases； of course； it's true；〃 I answered； unmoved； 〃but with a love like yours and Orlando's； it's quite different。〃
〃Oh； do you really mean it？〃
〃Certainly I do； and your mistake has been in supposing that an experiment which no few every…day married couples would be only too glad to try； was ever meant for two such love…birds as you。 Laws and systems are meant for the unhappy and the untractable； not for people like you； for whom Love makes its own laws。〃
〃Yes； that is what we used to say； and indeed； we thought that this was one of love's laws；this experiment； as you call it。〃
〃But it was quite a mistake；〃 I went on in my character as matrimonial oracle。 〃Love never made a law so cruel； a law that would rob true lovers of each other's society for a whole month in a year； stretching them on the rack of absence〃 There my period broke down； so I began another less ambitiously planned。
〃A whole month in a year！ Think what that would mean in a lifetime。 How long do you expect to live and love together？ Say another fifty years at the most。 Well； fifty ones are fifty。 Fifty months equalfour twelves are forty…eight and two overfour years and two months。 Yes； out of the short life God allows even for the longest love you would voluntarily throw away four years and two months！〃
This impressive calculation had a great effect on poor Rosalind； and it is a secondary matter that it and its accompanying wisdom may have less weight with the reader； as for the moment Rosalind was my one concern。
〃But； of course； we have perfect trust in each other；〃 said Rosalind presently； with charming illogicality。
〃No doubt；〃 I said； 〃but Love； like a good householder （ahem！）； does well not to live too much on trust。〃
〃But surely love means perfect trust；〃 said Rosalind。
〃Theoretically； yes； practically； no。 On the contrary； it means exactly the opposite。 Trust； perfect trust； with loved ones far away！ No； it is an inhuman ideal； and the more one loves the less one lives up to it。 If not； what do these tears mean？〃
〃Oh； no！〃 Rosalind retorted； with a flush； 〃you mustn't say that。 I trust Orlando absolutely。 It isn't that； it's simply that I can't bear to be away from him。〃
What women mean by 〃trusting〃 might afford a subject for an interesting disquisition。 However； I forbore to pursue the matter； and answered Rosalind's remark in a practical spirit。
〃Well； then；〃 I said； 〃if that's all； the thing to do is to find Orlando； tell him that you cannot bear it； and spend the rest of your holiday； you and he； together。〃
〃That's what I thought；〃 said Rosalind。
〃Unfortunately；〃 I continued； 〃owing to your foolish arrangement not to tell each other where you were going and not to write； as being incompatible with Perfect Trust； you don't know where Orlando is at the present moment。〃
〃No； but I have a good guess；〃 said Rosalind。 〃There's a smart little watering… place； not so many miles from here； called Yellowsands； a sort of secret little Monaco； which not many people know of； a wicked…innocent gay little place； where we've often talked of going。 I think it's very likely that Orlando has gone there； and that's just where I was going when we met。〃
I will tell the reader more about Yellowsands in the next chapter。 Meanwhile； let us complete Rosalind's arrangements。 The result of our conversation was that she was to proceed to Yellowsands on the morrow； and that I was to follow as soon as possible； so as to be available should she chance to need any advice； and at all events to give myself the pleasure of meeting her again。
This arranged； we said good…night； Rosalind with ever such a brightened…up face； of which I thought for half an hour and then fell asleep to dream of Yellowsands。
CHAPTER V
CONCERNING THE HAVEN OF YELLOWSANDS
On the morrow； at the peep of day； Rosalind was off to seek her lord。 An hour or so after I started in leisurely pursuit。
Yellowsands！ I had heard in a vague way of the place； as a whim of a certain young nobleman who combined brains with the pursuit of pleasure。 Like most ideas； it was simple enough when once conceived。 Any one possessing a mile or two of secluded seaboard； cut off on the land side by precipitous approaches； and including a sheltered river mouth ingeniously hidden by nature； in the form of a jutting wall of rock； from the sea； might have made as good use of these natural opportunities as the nobleman in question； had they only been as wise and as rich。 William Blake proposed to rebuild Jerusalem in this green and pleasant land。 My lord proposed to erect a miniature Babylon amid similar pleasant surroundings； a little dream…city by the sea； a home for the innocent pleasure…seeker stifled by the puritanism of the great towns； refugium peccatorum in this island of the saints。
〃Once it was the Puritan Fathers who left our coasts；〃 he is recorded to have said； 〃nowadays it is our Prodigal Sons。〃
No doubt it was in further elaboration of this aphorism that the little steamboat that sailed every other day from Yellowsands to the beckoning shores of France was called 〃the Mayflower。〃
My lord's plan had been simple。 By the aid of cunning architects he had first blasted his harbour into shape； then built his hotels and pleasure…palaces； and then leased them to dependants of his who knew the right sort of people； and who knew that it was as much as their lease was worth to find accommodation for teetotal amateur photographers or wistful wandering Sunday…school treats。 As； unfortunately； the Queen's highway ran down in tortuous descent to the handful of fishermen's cottages that had clung there limpet…like for ages； there was always a chance of such a stray visitation； but it was remote； and the whole place； hand and heart； was in the pocket of my lord。
So much to give the reader some idea of the secret watering…place of Yellowsands； situated at the mouth of that romantic little torrent； the river Sly。 Such further description as may be needed may be kept till we come within sight of its gilded roofs and marble terraces。
CHAPTER VI
THE MOORLAND OF THE APOCALYPSE
I reckoned that it would take me two or three days； leisurely walking； to reach Yellowsands。 Rosalind would； of course； arrive there long before me； but that I did not regret； as I was in a mood to find company in my own thoughts。
Her story gave me plenty to think of。 I dwelt particularly on the careless extravagance of the happy。 Here were two people to whom life had given casually what I was compelled to go seeking lonely and footsore through the world； and with little hope of finding it at the end； and yet were they so little aware of their good fortune as to risk it over a trumpery theory； a shadow of pseudo…philosophy。 Out of the deep dark ocean of life Love had brought them his great moon…pearl； and they sat on the boat's edge carelessly tossing it from one to the other； unmindful of the hungry fathoms on every side。 A sudden slip； and they had lost it for ever； and might only watch its shimmering fall to the bottom of the world。 Theories！ Theories are for the unknown and the unhappy。 Who will trouble to theorise about Heaven when he has found Heaven itself？ Theories are for the poor… devil outcast；for him who stands outside the confectioner's shop of life without a penny in his pocket； while the radiant purchasers pass in and out through the doors；for him who watches with wistful eyes this and that sugared marvel taken out of the window by mysterious hands； to bless some happy customer inside。 He is not fool enough even to hope for one of those glistering masterpieces of frosted sugar and silk flowers； which rise to pinnacles of snowy sweetness； white mountains of blessedness； rich inside； they say； with untold treasures for the tooth that is sweet。 No！ he craves nothing but a simple Bath…bun of happiness； and even that is denied him。
Would I ever find my Bath…bun？ I disconsolately asked myself。 I had been seeking it now for some little time； and seemed no nearer than when I set out。 I had seen a good many Bath…buns on my pilgrimage； it is true。 Some I have not had space to confide to the reader； but somehow or other they had not seemed the unmistakably predestined for which I was seeking。
And oh； how I could love a girl； if she would only give me the chance；that is； be the right girl！ Oh； Sylvia Joy！ where art thou？ Why so long dost thou remain hidden 〃in shady leaves of destiny〃？
〃Seest thou thy lover lowly laid； Hear'st thou the sighs that rend his breast？〃
And then； as the novelists say； 〃a strange thing happened。〃
The road I was tramping at the moment was somewhat desolate。 It ran up from a small market town through a dreary undulating moorland； forking off here and there to unknown villages of which the horizon gave no hint。 Its cheerless hillocks were all but naked of vegetation； for a never very flourishing growth of he