The Broad Highway

Considering all that had befallen during the last half-hour or

so, it was not very surprising, I think, that I should have

forgotten the very existence of this woman Charmian, even though

she had been chiefly instrumental in bringing it all about, and

to have her recalled to my recollection thus suddenly (and,

moreover, the possibility that I must meet with and talk to her)

perturbed me greatly, and I remained, for some time, quite

oblivious to wind and rain, all engrossed by the thought of this

woman.

"A dark, fierce, Amazonian creature!" I told myself, who had

(abhorrent thought) already attempted one man's life to-night;

furthermore, a tall woman, and strong (therefore unmaidenly),

with eyes that gleamed wild in the shadow of her hair. And yet

my dismay arose not so much from any of these as from the fact

that she was a woman, and, consequently, beyond my ken.

Hitherto I had regarded the sex very much from a distance, and a

little askance, as creatures naturally illogical, and given to

unreasoning impulse; delicate, ethereal beings whose lives were

made up of petty trifles and vanities, who were sent into this

gross world to be admired, petted, occasionally worshipped, and

frequently married.

Indeed, my education, in this direction, had been shockingly

neglected thus far, not so much from lack of inclination (for who

can deny the fascination of the Sex?) as for lack of time and

opportunity; for when, as a young gentleman of means and great

expectations, I should have been writing sonnets to the eyebrow

of some "ladye fayre," or surreptitiously wooing some farmer's

daughter, in common with my kind, I was hearkening to the plaint

of some Greek or Roman lover, or chuckling over old Brantome.

Thus, women were to me practically an unknown quantity, as yet,

and hence it was with no little trepidation that I now started

out for the cottage, and this truly Amazonian Charmian, unless

she had disappeared as suddenly as she had come (which I found

myself devoutly hoping).

As I went, I became conscious that I was bleeding copiously above

the brow, that my throat was much swollen, and that the thumb of

my right hand pained exceedingly at the least touch; added to

which was a dizziness of the head, and a general soreness of

body, that testified to the strength of my opponent's fists.

On I stumbled, my head bent low against the stinging rain, and

with uncertain, clumsy feet, for reaction had come, and with it a

deadly faintness. Twigs swung out of the darkness to lash at and

catch me as I passed, invisible trees creaked and groaned above

and around me, and once, as I paused to make more certain of my

direction, a dim, vague mass plunged down athwart my path with a

rending crash.