the island pharisees-第17章
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enough recommendations。〃
Shelton could not help a dubious glance at the papers in his hand。 A
hurt look passed on to Ferrand's curly lips beneath his nascent red
moustache。
〃You mean that to have false papers is as bad as theft。 No； no； I
shall never be a thiefI 've had too many opportunities；〃 said he；
with pride and bitterness。 〃That's not in my character。 I never do
harm to anyone。 This〃he touched the papers〃is not delicate； but
it does harm to no one。 If you have no money you must have papers；
they stand between you and starvation。 Society； has an excellent eye
for the helplessit never treads on people unless they 're really
down。〃 He looked at Shelton。
〃You 've made me what I am； amongst you；〃 he seemed to say；； 〃now put
up with me！〃
〃But there are always the workhouses；〃 Shelton remarked at last。
〃Workhouses！〃 returned Ferrand； 〃certainly there areregular
palaces： I will tell you one thing： I've never been in places so
discouraging as your workhouses； they take one's very heart out。〃
〃I always understood；〃 said Shelton coldly； 〃that our system was
better than that of other countries。〃
Ferrand leaned over in his chair； an elbow on his knee； his favourite
attitude when particularly certain of his point。
〃Well he replied； 〃it 's always permissible to think well of your own
country。 But； frankly； I've come out of those places here with
little strength and no heart at all； and I can tell you why。〃 His
lips lost their bitterness； and he became an artist expressing the
result of his experience。 〃You spend your money freely； you have
fine buildings； self…respecting officers； but you lack the spirit of
hospitality。 The reason is plain； you have a horror of the needy。
You invite usand when we come you treat us justly enough； but as if
we were numbers； criminals； beneath contemptas if we had inflicted
a personal injury on you； and when we get out again； we are naturally
degraded。〃
Shelton bit his lips。
〃How much money will you want for your ticket； and to make a start？〃
he asked。
The nervous gesture escaping Ferrand at this juncture betrayed how
far the most independent thinkers are dependent when they have no
money in their pockets。 He took the note that Shelton proffered him。
〃A thousand thanks；〃 said he； 〃 I shall never forget what you have
done for me〃； and Shelton could not help feeling that there was true
emotion behind his titter of farewell。
He stood at the window watching Ferrand start into the world again；
then looked back at his own comfortable room； with the number of
things that had accumulated somehowthe photographs of countless
friends； the old arm…chairs； the stock of coloured pipes。 Into him
restlessness had passed with the farewell clasp of the foreigner's
damp hand。 To wait about in London was unbearable。
He took his hat； and； heedless of direction； walked towards the
river。 It was a clear； bright day； with a bleak wind driving showers
before it。 During one of such Shelton found himself in Little Blank
Street。 〃I wonder how that little Frenchman that I saw is getting
on！〃 he thought。 On a fine day he would probably have passed by on
the other side； he now entered and tapped upon the wicket。
No。 3 Little Blank Street had abated nothing of its stone…flagged
dreariness； the same blowsy woman answered his inquiry。 Yes； Carolan
was always in； you could never catch him outseemed afraid to go
into the street！ To her call the little Frenchman made his
appearance as punctually as if he had been the rabbit of a conjurer。
His face was as yellow as a guinea。
〃Ah！ it's you； monsieur！〃 he said。
〃Yes；〃 said Shelton； 〃and how are you？〃
〃It 's five days since I came out of hospital；〃 muttered the little
Frenchman； tapping on his chest； 〃a crisis of this bad atmosphere。
I live here； shut up in a box； it does me harm； being from the South。
If there's anything I can do for you； monsieur； it will give me
pleasure。〃
〃Nothing；〃 replied Shelton； 〃I was just passing； and thought I should
like to hear how you were getting on。〃
〃Come into the kitchen；monsieur； there is nobody in there。 'Brr！
Il fait un froid etonnant'！〃
〃What sort of customers have you just now？〃 asked Shelton； as they
passed into the kitchen。
〃Always the same clientele；〃 replied the little man； 〃not so
numerous； of course； it being summer。〃
〃Could n't you find anything better than this to do？〃
The barber's crow's…feet radiated irony。
〃When I first came to London；〃 said he； 〃I secured an engagement at
one of your public institutions。 I thought my fortune made。 _
Imagine； monsieur； in that sacred place I was obliged to shave at the
rate of ten a penny！ Here； it's true； they don't pay me half the
time； but when I'm paid； I 'm paid。 In this； climate； and being
'poitrinaire'； one doesn't make experiments。 I shall finish my days
here。 Have you seen that young man who interested you？ There 's
another！ He has spirit； as I had once'il fait de la philosophie'；
as I doand you will see； monsieur； it will finish him。 In this
world what you want is to have no spirit。 Spirit ruins you。〃
Shelton looked sideways at the little man with his sardonic； yellow；
half…dead face； and the incongruity of the word 〃spirit〃 in his mouth
struck him so sharply that he smiled a smile with more pity in it
than any burst of tears。
〃Shall we 'sit down？〃 he said； offering a cigarette。
〃Merci； monsieur； it is always a pleasure to smoke a good cigarette。
You remember； that old actor who gave you a Jeremiad？ Well； he's
dead。 I was the only one at his bedside； 'un vrai drole'。 He was
another who had spirit。 And you wi11 see； monsieur； that young man
in whom you take an interest； he'll die in a hospital； or in some。
hole or other； or even on the highroad； having closed his eyes once
too often some cold night； and all because he has something in him
which will not accept things as they are； believing always that they
should be better。 'Il n'y a riens de plus tragique'！〃
〃According to you； then；〃 said Sheltonand the conversation seemed
to him of a sudden to have taken too personal a turn〃rebellion of
any sort is fatal。〃
〃Ah！〃 replied the little man； with the eagerness of one whose ideal
it is to sit under the awning of a caf？ and talk life upside down；
〃you pose me a great problem there！ If one makes rebellion； it is
always probable that one will do no good to any one and harm one's
self。 The law of the majority arranges that。 But I would draw your
attention to this〃and he paused； as if it were a real discovery to
blow smoke through his nose〃if you rebel it is in all likelihood
because you are forced by your nature to rebel； this is one of the
most certain things in life。 In any case； it is necessary to avoid
falling between two stoolswhich is unpardonable；〃 he ended with
complacence。
Shelton thought he had never seen a man who looked more completely as
if he had fallen between two stools； and he had inspiration enough to
feel that the little barber's intellectual rebellion and the action
logically required by it had no more than a bowing acquaintanceship。
〃By nature；〃 went on the little man； 〃I am an optimist； it is in
consequence of this that I now make pessimism。 I have always had
ideals； seeing myself cut off from them for ever； I must complain； to
complain； monsieur； is very sweet！〃
Shelton wondered what these ideals had been； but had no answer ready；
so he nodded； and again held out his cigarettes； for； like a true
Southerner； the little man had thrown the first away； half smoked。
〃The greatest pleasure in life；〃 continued the Frenchman； with a bow；
〃is to talk a little to a being who is capable of understanding you。
At present we have no one here； now that that old actor's dead。 Ah！
there was a man who was rebellion incarnate！ He made rebellion as
other men make money； 'c'etait son metier'； when he was no longer
capable of active revolution； he made it getting drunk。 At the last
this was his only way of protesting against Society。 An interesting
personality； 'je le regrette beaucoup'。 But； as you see； he died in
great distress； without a soul to wave him farewell； because as you
can well understand； monsieur； I don't count myself。 He died drunk。
'C'etait un homme'！〃
Shelton had continued staring kindly at the little man； the barber
added hastily：
〃It's difficult to make an end like that one has moments of
weakness。〃
〃Yes；〃 assented Shelton； 〃one has indeed。〃
The little barber looked at him with cynical discretion。
〃Oh！〃 he said； 〃it 's to the destitute that such things are
important。 When one has money； all these matters…〃
He shrugged his shoulders。 A smile had lodged amongst his crow's…
feet； he waved his hand as though to end the subject。
A sense of having been exposed came over Shelton。
〃You think； then；〃 said he； 〃that discontent is peculiar to the
destitute？〃
〃Monsieur；〃 replied the little barber； 〃a plutocrat knows too well
that if he mixes in that 'galere' there 's not a dog in the streets
more lost than he。〃
Shelton rose。
〃The rain is over。 I hope you 'll soon be better； perhaps you 'll
accept this in memory of that old actor；〃 and he slipped a sovereign
into the little Frenchman's hand。
The latter bowed。
〃Whenever you are passing； monsieur；〃 he said eagerly； 〃I shall be
charmed to see you。〃
And Shelton walked away。 〃'Not a dog in the streets more lost；'〃
thought he； 〃now what did he mean by that？〃
Something of that 〃lost dog〃 feeling had gripped his spirit。 Another
month of waiting would kill all the savour of anticipation； might
even kill his love。 In the excitement of his senses and his nerves；
caused by this strain of waiting； everything seemed too vivid； all
was beyond life size； like Artwhose truths； too strong for daily
use； are thus； unpopular with healthy people。 As will the； bones ；in
a worn face； the spirit underlying things had reached the surface；
the meanness and intolerable measure of hard facts； were too
apparent。 Some craving for help； some instinct； drove him into
Kensington； for he found himself before his； mother's house。
Providence seemed bent on flinging him from pole to pole。
Mrs。 Shelton was in town； and； though it was the first of June； sat
warming her feet before a fire； her face； with its pleasant colour；
was crow's…footed like the little barber's； but from optimism； not
rebellion。 She； smiled when she saw her son； and the wrinkles round
her eyes twinkled； with vitality。
〃Well； my dear boy；〃 she said； 〃it's lovely to see you。 And how is
that sweet girl？〃
〃Very well； thank you；〃 replied Shelton。
〃She must be such a dear！〃
〃Mother；〃 stammered Shelton； 〃I must give it up。〃
〃Giv
