In one sense we were truly Arcadians: no suspicion of
impropriety, I verily believe, entered any of our minds. In our
aspirations after what we called a truer life there was no material
taint. We were fools, if you choose, but as far as possible from
being sinners. Besides, the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Shelldrake,
who naturally became the heads of our proposed community were
sufficient to preserve us from slander or suspicion, if even
our designs had been publicly announced.
"I won't bore you with an account of our preparations. In fact,
there was very little to be done. Mr. Shelldrake succeeded in
hiring the house, with most of its furniture, so that but a few
articles had to be supplied. My trunk contained more books than
boots, more blank paper than linen.
"`Two shirts will be enough,' said Abel: `you can wash one of them
any day, and dry it in the sun.'
"The supplies consisted mostly of flour, potatoes, and sugar.
There was a vegetable-garden in good condition, Mr. Shelldrake
said, which would be our principal dependence.
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