the island pharisees-第2章

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plump　hand；　freed　from　its　black　glove；　and　ornamented　with　a　thick

watch…bracelet；　rested　on　her　lap。　　A　younger；　bright…cheeked；　and

self…conscious　female　was　sitting　next　her；　looking　at　the　pale　girl

who　had　just　got　in。



〃There's　something　about　that　girl；〃　thought　Shelton；　〃they　don't

like。〃　　Her　brown　eyes　certainly　looked　frightened；　her　clothes　were

of　a　foreign　cut。　　Suddenly　he　met　the　glance　of　another　pair　of

eyes；　these　eyes；　prominent　and　blue；　stared　with　a　sort　of　subtle

roguery　from　above　a　thin；　lopsided　nose；　and　were　at　once　averted。

They　gave　Shelton　the　impression　that　he　was　being　judged；　and

mocked；　enticed；　initiated。　　His　own　gaze　did　not　fall；　this　sanguine

face；　with　its　two…day　growth　of　reddish　beard；　long　nose；　full　lips；

and　irony；　puzzled　him。　　〃A　cynical　face！〃　he　thought；　and　then；　〃but

sensitive！〃　and　then；　〃too　cynical；〃　again。



The　young　man　who　owned　it　sat　with　his　legs　parted　at　the　knees；　his

dusty　trouser…ends　and　boots　slanting　back　beneath　the　seat；　his

yellow　finger…tips　crisped　as　if　rolling　cigarettes。　　A　strange　air

of　detachment　was　about　that　youthful；　shabby　figure；　and　not　a　scrap

of　luggage　filled　the　rack　above　his　head。



The　frightened　girl　was　sitting　next　this　pagan　personality；　it　was

possibly　the　lack　of　fashion　in　his　looks　that　caused；　her　to　select

him　for　her　confidence。



〃Monsieur；〃　she　asked；　〃do　you　speak　French？〃



〃Perfectly。〃



〃Then　can　you　tell　me　where　they　take　the　tickets？



〃The　young　man　shook　his　head。



〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　a　foreigner。〃



The　girl　sighed。



〃But　what　is　the　matter；　ma'moiselle？〃



The　girl　did　not　reply；　twisting　her　hands　on　an　old　bag　in　her　lap。

Silence　had　stolen　on　the　carriagea　silence　such　as　steals　on

animals　at　the　first　approach　of　danger；　all　eyes　were　turned　towards

the　figures　of　the　foreigners。





〃Yes；〃　broke　out　the　red…faced　man；　〃he　was　a　bit　squiffy　that

eveningold　Tom。〃



〃Ah！〃　replied　his　neighbour；　〃he　would　be。〃



Something　seemed　to　have　destroyed　their　look　of　mutual　distrust。

The　plump；　sleek　hand　of　the　lady　with　the　Roman　nose　curved

convulsively；　and　this　movement　corresponded　to　the　feeling　agitating

Shelton's　heart。　　It　was　almost　as　if　hand　and　heart　feared　to　be

asked　for　something。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　tremble　in　her　voice；　〃I　am　very

unhappy；　can　you　tell　me　what　to　do？　　I　had　no　money　for　a　ticket。〃



The　foreign　youth's　face　flickered。



〃Yes？〃　he　said；　〃that　might　happen　to　anyone；　of　course。〃



〃What　will　they　do　to　me？〃　sighed　the　girl。



〃Don't　lose　courage；　ma'moiselle。〃　　The　young　man　slid　his　eyes　from

left　to　right；　and　rested　them　on　Shelton。　　〃Although　I　don't　as　yet

see　your　way　out。〃



〃Oh；　monsieur！〃　sighed　the　girl；　and；　though　it　was　clear　that　none

but　Shelton　understood　what　they　were　saying；　there　was　a　chilly

feeling　in　the　carriage。



〃I　wish　I　could　assist　you；〃　said　the　foreign　youth；　〃unfortunately

〃　he　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　again　his　eyes　returned　to

Shelton。



The　latter　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pocket。



〃Can　I　be　of　any　use？〃　he　asked　in　English。



〃Certainly；　sir；　you　could　render　this　young　lady　the　greatest

possible　service　by　lending　her　the　money　for　a　ticket。〃



Shelton　produced　a　sovereign；　which　the　young　man　took。　　Passing　it。

to　the　girl；　he　said：



〃A　thousand　thanks'voila　une　belle　action'！〃



The　misgivings　which　attend　on　casual　charity　crowded　up　in　Shelton's

mind；　he　was　ashamed　of　having　them　and　of　not　having　them；　and　he

stole　covert　looks　at　this　young　foreigner；　who　was　now　talking　to

the　girl　in　a　language　that　he　did　not　understand。　　Though　vagabond

in　essence；　the　fellow's　face　showed　subtle　spirit；　a　fortitude　and

irony　not　found　upon　the　face　of　normal　man；　and　in　turning　from　it

to　the　other　passengers　Shelton　was　conscious　of　revolt；　contempt；

and　questioning；　that　he　could　not　define。　　Leaning　back　with　half…

closed　eyes；　he　tried　to　diagnose　this　new　sensation。　　He　found　it

disconcerting　that　the　faces　and　behaviour　of　his　neighbours　lacked

anything　he　could　grasp　and　secretly　abuse。　　They　continued　to

converse　with　admirable　and　slightly　conscious　phlegm；　yet　he　knew；

as　well　as　if　each　one　had　whispered　to　him　privately；　that　this

shady　incident　had　shaken　them。　　Something　unsettling　to　their

notions　of　propriety…something　dangerous　and　destructive　of

complacencyhad　occurred；　and　this　was　unforgivable。　　Each　had　a

different　way；　humorous　or　philosophic；　contemptuous；　sour；　or　sly；

of　showing　this　resentment。　　But　by　a　flash　of　insight　Shelton　saw

that　at　the　bottom　of　their　minds　and　of　his　own　the　feeling　was　the

same。　　Because　he　shared　in　their　resentment　he　was　enraged　with　them

and　with　himself。　　He　looked　at　the　plump；　sleek　hand　of　the　woman

with　the　Roman　nose。　　The　insulation　and　complacency　of　its　pale

skin；　the　passive　righteousness　about　its　curve；　the　prim　separation

from　the　others　of　the　fat　little　finger；　had　acquired　a　wholly

unaccountable　importance。　　It　embodied　the　verdict　of　his　fellow…

passengers；　the　verdict　of　Society；　for　he　knew　that；　whether　or　no

repugnant　to　the　well…bred　mind；　each　assemblage　of　eight　persons；

even　in　a　third…class　carriage；　contains　the　kernel　of　Society。



But　being　in　love；　and　recently　engaged；　Shelton　had　a　right　to　be

immune　from　discontent　of　any　kind；　and　he　reverted　to　his　mental

image　of　the　cool；　fair　face；　quick　movements；　and　the　brilliant

smile　that　now　in　his　probationary　exile　haunted　his　imagination；　he

took　out　his　fiancee's　last　letter；　but　the　voice　of　the　young

foreigner　addressing　him　in　rapid　French　caused　him　to　put　it　back

abruptly。



〃From　what　she　tells　me；　sir；〃　he　said；　bending　forward　to　be　out　of

hearing　of　the　girl；　〃hers　is　an　unhappy　case。　　I　should　have　been

only　too　glad　to　help　her；　but；　as　you　see〃and　he　made　a　gesture　by

which　Shelton　observed　that　he　had　parted　from　his　waistcoat〃I　am

not　Rothschild。　　She　has　been　abandoned　by　the　man　who　brought　her

over　to　Dover　under　promise　of　marriage。　　Look〃and　by　a　subtle

flicker　of　his　eyes　he　marked　how　the　two　ladies　had　edged　away　from

the　French　girl　〃they　take　good　care　not　to　let　their　garments　touch

her。　　They　are　virtuous　women。　　How　fine　a　thing　is　virtue；　sir！　and

finer　to　know　you　have　it；　especially　when　you　are　never　likely　to　be

tempted。〃



Shelton　was　unable　to　repress　a　smile；　and　when　he　smiled　his　face

grew　soft。



〃Haven't　you　observed；〃　went　on　the　youthful　foreigner；　〃that　those

who　by　temperament　and　circumstance　are　worst　fitted　to　pronounce

judgment　are　usually　the　first　to　judge？　　The　judgments　of　Society

are　always　childish；　seeing　that　it's　composed　for　the　most　part　of

individuals　who　have　never　smelt　the　fire。　　And　look　at　this：　they

who　have　money　run　too　great　a　risk　of　parting　with　it　if　they　don't

accuse　the　penniless　of　being　rogues　and　imbeciles。〃



Shelton　was　startled；　and　not　only　by　an　outburst　of　philosophy　from

an　utter　stranger　in　poor　clothes；　but　at　this　singular　wording　of

his　own　private　thoughts。　　Stifling　his　sense　of　the　unusual　for　the

queer　attraction　this　young　man　inspired；　he　said：



〃I　suppose　you're　a　stranger　over　here？〃



〃I've　been　in　England　seven　months；　but　not　yet　in　London；〃　replied

the　other。　　〃I　count　on　doing　some　good　thereit　is　time！〃　　A　bitter

and　pathetic　smile　showed　for　a　second　on　his　lips。　　〃It　won't　be　my

fault　if　I　fail。　　You　are　English；　Sir？〃



Shelton　nodded。



〃Forgive　my　asking；　your　voice　lacks　something　I've　nearly　always

noticed　in　the　English　a　kind　of'comment　cela　s'appelle'

cocksureness；　coming　from　your　nation's　greatest　quality。〃



〃And　what　is　that？〃　asked　Shelton　with　a　smile。



〃Complacency；〃　replied　the　youthful　foreigner。



〃Complacency！〃　repeated　Shelton；　〃do　you　call　that　a　great　quality？〃



〃I　should　rather　say；　monsieur；　a　great　defect　in　what　is　always　a

great　people。　　You　are　certainly　the　most　highly…civilised　nation　on

the　earth；　you　suffer　a　little　from　the　fact。　　If　I　were　an　English

preacher　my　desire　would　be　to　prick　the　heart　of　your　complacency。〃



Shelton；　leaning　back；　considered　this　impertinent　suggestion。



〃Hum！〃　he　said　at　last；　〃you'd　be　unpopular；　I　don't　know　that　we're

any　cockier　than　other　nations。〃



The　young　foreigner　made　a　sign　as　though　confirming　this　opinion。



〃In　effect；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　a　sufficiently　widespread　disease。　　Look

at　these　people　here〃and　with　a　rapid　glance　he　pointed　to　the

inmates　of　the　carnage；〃very　average　persons！　　What　have　they　done

to　warrant　their　making　a　virtuous　nose　at　those　who　do　not　walk　as

they　do？　　That　old　rustic；　perhaps；　is　differenthe　never　thinks　at

allbut　look　at　those　two　occupied　with　their　stupidities　about　the

price　of　hops；　the　prospects　of　potatoes；　what　George　is　doing；　a

thousand　things　all　of　that　sortlook　at　their　faces；　I　come　of　the

bourgeoisie　myselfhave　they　ever　shown　proof　of　any　quality　that

gives　them　the　right　to　pat　themselves　upon　the　back？　　No　fear！

Outside　potatoes　they　know　nothing；　and　what　they　do　not　understand

they　dread　and　they　despisethere　are　millions　of　that　breed。

'Voila　la　Societe'！　　The　sole　quality　these　people　have　shown　they

have　is　cowardice。　　I　was　educated　by　the　Jesuits；〃　he　concluded；　〃it

has　given　me　a　way　of　thinking。〃



Under　ordinary　circumstances　Shelton　would　have　murmured　in　a　well…

bred　voice；　〃Ah！　quite　so；〃　and　taken　refuge　in　the　columns　of　the

Daily　Telegraph。　　In　place　of　this；　for　some　reason　that　he　did　not

understand；　he　looked　at　the　young　foreigner；　and　asked；



〃Why　do　you　say　all　this　to　me？〃



The　trampfor　by　his　boots　he　could　hardly　have　been　better

hesitated。



〃When　you've　travelled　like　me；〃　he　said；　as　if　resolved　to　speak　the

truth；　〃you　acquire　an　instinct　in　choosing　to　whom　and　how　you

speak。　　It　is　necessity　that　makes　the　law；　if　you　want　to　live　you

must　learn　all　that　sort　of　thing　to　make　face　against　life。〃



Shelton；　who　himself　possessed　a　certain　subtlety；　could　not　but

observe　the　complimentary　nature　of　these　words。　　It　was　like　saying

〃I'm　not　afraid　of　you　misunderstanding　me；　and　thinking　me　a　rascal

just　because　I　study　human　nature。〃



〃But　is　there　nothing　to　be　done　for　that　poor　girl？〃



His　new　acquaintance　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃A　broken　jug；〃　said　he；　〃you'll　never　mend　her。　　She's　going　to　a

cousin　in　London　to　see　if　she　can　get　help；　you've　given　her　the

means　of　getting　thereit's　all　that　you　can　do。　　One　knows　too　well

what'll　become　of　her。〃



Shelton　said　gravely；



〃Oh！　　that's　horrible！　　Could　n't　she　be　induced　to　go　back　home？　　I

should　be　glad〃



The　foreign　vagrant　shook　his　head。



〃Mon　cher　monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃you　evidently　have　not　yet　had

occasion　to　know　what　the　'fam