Free The Crock of Gold by James Stephens Page A

you villain!" said the woman, putting out her hands against him.
    The Philosopher drew back abashed.
    "Forgive me," he began, "if I have alarmed your virtue—"
    "It's the married man's word," said she, rising hastily: "now I know you; but there's a lot of the bachelor in you all the same, God help you! I'm going home." And, so saying, she dipped her
vessel in the well and turned away.
    "Maybe," said the Philosopher, "I ought to wait until your husband comes home and ask his forgiveness for the wrong I've done him."
    The woman turned round on him and each of her eyes was as big as a plate.
    "What do you say?" said she. "Follow me if you dare and I'll set the dog on you; I will so," and she strode viciously homewards.
    After a moment's hesitation the Philosopher took his own path across the hill.
    The day was now well advanced, and as he trudged forward the happy quietude of his surroundings stole into his heart again and so toned down his recollection of the fat woman that in a little
time she was no more than a pleasant and curious memory. His mind was exercised superficially, not in thinking, but in wondering how it was he had come to kiss a strange woman. He said to himself
that such conduct was not right: but this statement was no more than the automatic working of a mind long exercised in the distinctions of right and wrong, for, almost in the same breath, he
assured himself that what he had done did not matter in the least. His opinions were undergoing a curious change. Right and wrong were meeting and blending together so closely that it became
difficult to dissever them, and the obloquy attaching to the one seemed out of proportion altogether to its importance, while the other by no means justified the eulogy wherewith it was connected.
Was there any immediate, or even distant, effect on life caused by evil which was not instantly swung into equipoise by goodness? But these slender reflections troubled him only for a little time.
He had little desire for any introspective quarryings. To feel so well was sufficient in itself. Why should thought be so apparent to us, so insistent? We do not know we have digestive or
circulatory organs until these go out of order, and then the knowledge torments us. Should not the labours of a healthy brain be equally subterranean and equally competent? Why have we to think
aloud and travel laboriously from syllogism to ergo, chary of our conclusions and distrustful of our premises? Thought, as we know it, is a disease and no more. The healthy mentality should
register its convictions and not its labours. Our ears should not hear the clamour of its doubts nor be forced to listen to the pro and con wherewith we are eternally badgered and perplexed.
    The road was winding like a ribbon in and out of the mountains. On either side there were hedges and bushes. Little, stiff trees which held their foliage in their hands and dared the winds
snatch a leaf from that grip. The hills were swelling and sinking, folding and soaring on every view. Now the silence was startled by the falling tinkle of a stream. Far away a cow lowed, a long,
deep monotone, or a goat's call trembled from nowhere to nowhere. But mostly there was a silence which buzzed with a multitude of small, winged life. Going up the hills the Philosopher bent forward
to the gradient, stamping vigorously as he trod, almost snorting like a bull in the pride of successful energy. Coming down the slope he braced back and let his legs loose to do as they pleased.
Didn't they know their business?—Good luck to them, and away!
    As he walked along he saw an old woman hobbling in front of him. She was leaning on a stick and her hand was red and swollen with rheumatism. She hobbled by reason of the fact that there were
stones in her shapeless boots. She was draped in the sorriest, miscellaneous rags that could be imagined, and these were knotted together so intricately that her clothing, having once been attached
to her body,