the island pharisees-第24章

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creamy　blouse；　fitting　collarless　about　her　throat。　　Her　face　was

flushed；　and　wore　a　little　frown；　and　as　her　fingers　raced　along　the

keys；　her　neck　swayed；　and　the　silk　clung　and　shivered　on　her　arms。



Shelton's　eyes　fastened　on　the　silent；　counting　lips；　on　the　fair

hair　about　her　forehead；　the　darker　eyebrows　slanting　down　towards

the　nose；　the　undimpled　cheeks　with　the　faint　finger…marks　beneath

the　ice…blue　eyes；　the　softly…pouting　and　undimpled　chin；　the　whole

remote；　sweet；　suntouched；　glacial　face。



She　turned　her　head；　and；　springing　up；　cried：



〃Dick！　　What　fun！〃　　She　gave　him　both　her　hands；　but　her　smiling　face

said　very　plainly；　〃Oh；　don't　let　us　be　sentimental！〃



〃Are　n't　you　glad　to　see　me？〃　muttered　Shelton。



〃Glad　to　see　you！　　You　are　funny；　Dick！as　if　you　did　n't　know！

Why；　you　've　shaved　your　beard！　　Mother　and　Sybil　have　gone　into　the

village　to　see　old　Mrs。　Hopkins。　　Shall　we　go　out？　　Thea　and　the　boys

are　playing　tennis。　　It's　so　jolly　that　you　've　come！　　〃She　caught　up

the　tam…o'…shanter；　and　pinned　it　to　her　hair。　　Almost　as　tall　as

Shelton；　she　looked　taller；　with　arms　raised　and　loose　sleeves

quivering　like　wings　to　the　movements　of　her　fingers。　　〃We　might　have

a　game　before　lunch；　you　can　have　my　other　racquet。〃



〃I've　got　no　things；〃　said　Shelton　blankly。



Her　calm　glance　ran　over　him。



〃You　can　have　some　of　old　Bernard's；　he's　got　any　amount。　　I'll　wait

for　you。〃　　She　swung　her　racquet；　looked　at　Shelton；　cried；　〃Be

quick！〃　　and　vanished。



Shelton　ran　up…stairs；　and　dressed　in　the　undecided　way　of　men

assuming　other　people's　clothes。　　She　was　in　the　hall　when　he

descended；　humming　a　tune　and　prodding　at　her　shoe；　her　smile　showed

all　her　pearly　upper　teeth。　　He　caught　hold　of　her　sleeve　and

whispered：



〃Antonia！〃



The　colour　rushed　into　her　cheeks；　she　looked　back　across　her

shoulder。



〃Come　along；　old　Dick！〃　　she　cried；　and；　flinging　open　the　glass

door；　ran　into　the　garden。



Shelton　followed。



The　tennis…ground　was　divided　by　tall　netting　from　a　paddock。　　A　holm

oak　tree　shaded　one　corner；　and　its　thick　dark　foliage　gave　an

unexpected　depth　to　the　green　smoothness　of　the　scene。　　As　Shelton

and　Antonia　carne　up；　Bernard　Dennant　stopped　and　cordially　grasped

Shelton's　hand。　　From　the　far　side　of　the　net　Thea；　in　a　shortish

skirt；　tossed　back　her　straight　fair　hair；　and；　warding　off　the　sun；

came　strolling　up　to　them。　The　umpire；　a　small　boy　of　twelve；　was

lying　on　his　stomach；　squealing　and　tickling　a　collie。　　Shelton　bent

and　pulled　his　hair。



〃Hallo；　Toddles！　you　young　ruffian！〃



One　and　all　they　stood　round　Shelton；　and　there　was　a　frank　and

pitiless　inquiry　in　their　eyes；　in　the　angle　of　their　noses　something

chaffing　and　distrustful；　as　though　about　him　were　some　subtle

poignant　scent　exciting　curiosity　and　disapproval。



When　the　setts　were　over；　and　the　girls　resting　in　the　double　hammock

underneath　the　holm　oak；　Shelton　went　with　Bernard　to　the　paddock　to

hunt　for　the　lost　balls。



〃I　say；　old　chap；〃　said　his　old　school…fellow；　smiling　dryly；　〃you're

in　for　a　wigging　from　the　Mater。〃



〃A　wigging？〃　murmured　Shelton。



〃I　don't　know　much　about　it；　but　from　something　she　let　drop　it　seems

you've　been　saying　some　queer　things　in　your　letters　to　Antonia〃；　and

again　he　looked　at　Shelton　with　his　dry　smile。



〃Queer　things？〃　said　the　latter　angrily。　〃　What　d'　you　mean？〃



〃Oh；　don't　ask　me。　　The　Mater　thinks　she's　in　a　bad　wayunsettled；

or　what　d'　you　call　at。　　You've　been　telling　her　that　things　are　not

what　they　seem。　　That's　bad；　you　know〃；　and　still　smiling　he　shook

his　head。



Shelton　dropped　his　eyes。



〃Well；　they　are　n't！〃　he　said。



〃Oh；　that's　all　right！　　But　don't　bring　your　philosophy　down　here；

old　chap。〃



〃Philosophy！〃　said　Shelton；　puzzled。



〃Leave　us　a　sacred　prejudice　or　two。〃



〃Sacred！　　Nothing's　sacred；　except〃　　But　Shelton　did　not　finish　his

remark。　〃I　don't　understand；〃　he　said。



〃Ideals；　that　sort　of　thing！　　You've　been　diving　down　below　the　line

of　'practical　politics；'　that's　about　the　size　of　it；　my　boy〃；　and；

stooping　suddenly；　he　picked　up　the　last　ball。　〃There　is　the　Mater！〃

Shelton　saw　Mrs。　Dennant　coming　down　the　lawn　with　her　second

daughter；　Sybil。



By　the　time　they　reached　the　holm　oak　the　three　girls　had　departed

towards　the　house；　walking　arm　in　arm；　and　Mrs。　Dennant　was　standing

there　alone；　in　a　grey　dress；　talking　to　an　undergardener。　　Her

hands；　cased　in　tan　gauntlets；　held　a　basket　which　warded　off　the

bearded　gardener　from　the　severe　but　ample　lines　of　her

useful…looking　skirt。　　The　collie；　erect　upon　his　haunches；　looked　at

their　two　faces；　pricking　his　ears　in　his　endeavour　to　appreciate　how

one　of　these　two　bipeds　differed　from　the　other。



〃Thank　you；　that　'll　do；　Bunyan。　　Ah；　Dick！　　Charmin'　to　see　you

here；　at　last！〃



In　his　intercourse　with　Mrs。　Dennant；　Shelton　never　failed　to　mark

the　typical　nature　of　her　personality。　　It　always　seemed　to　him　that

he　had　met　so　many　other　ladies　like　her。　　He　felt　that　her

undoubtable　quality　had　a　non…individual　flavour；　as　if　standing　for

her　class。　　She　thought　that　standing　for　herself　was　not　the　thing；

yet　she　was　full　of　character。　　Tall；　with　nose　a　trifle　beaked；

long；　sloping　chin；　and　an　assured；　benevolent　mouth；　showing；

perhaps；　too　many　teeththough　thin；　she　was　not　unsubstantial。　　Her

accent　in　speaking　showed　her　heritage；　it　was　a　kind　of　drawl　which

disregarded　vulgar　merits　such　as　tone；　leaned　on　some　syllables；　and

despised　the　final　'g'the　peculiar　accent；　in　fact；　of　aristocracy；

adding　its　deliberate　joys　to　life。



Shelton　knew　that　she　had　many　interests；　she　was　never　really　idle；

from　the　time　（7　A。M。）　when　her　maid　brought　her　a　little　china　pot

of　tea　with　a　single　biscuit　and　her　pet　dog；　Tops；　till　eleven

o'clock　at　night；　when　she　lighted　a　wax　candle　in　a　silver

candlestick；　and　with　this　in　one　hand；　and　in　the　other　a　new　novel；

or；　better　still；　one　of　those　charming　volumes　written　by　great

people　about　the　still　greater　people　they　have　met；　she　said　good…

night　to　her　children　and　her　guests。　　No！　　What　with　photography；

the　presidency　of　a　local　league；　visiting　the　rich；　superintending

all　the　poor；　gardening；　reading；　keeping　all　her　ideas　so　tidy　that

no　foreign　notions　might　stray　in；　she　was　never　idle。　　The

information　she　collected　from　these　sources　was　both　vast　and

varied；　but　she　never　let　it　flavour　her　opinions；　which　lacked

sauce；　and　were　drawn　from　some　sort　of　dish　into　which；　with　all　her

class；　she　dipped　her　fingers。



He　liked　her。　　No　one　could　help　liking　her。　　She　was　kind；　and　of

such　good　quality；　with　a　suggestion　about　her　of　thin；　excellent；

and　useful　china；　and　she　was　scented；　toonot　with　verbena；

violets；　or　those　essences　which　women　love；　but　with　nothing；　as　if

she　had　taken　stand　against　all　meretricity。　　In　her　intercourse　with

persons　not　〃quite　the　thing〃　（she　excepted　the　vicar　from　this

category；　though　his　father　had　dealt　in　haberdashery）；　her

refinement；　gently；　unobtrusively；　and　with　great　practical　good

sense；　seemed　continually　to　murmur；　〃I　am；　and　youwell；　are　you；

don't　you　know？〃　But　there　was　no　self…consciousness　about　this

attitude；　for　she　was　really　not　a　common　woman。　　She　simply　could

not　help　it；　all　her　people　had　done　this。　　Their　nurses　breathed

above　them　in　their　cradles　something　that；　inhaled　into　their

systems；　ever　afterwards　prevented　them　from　taking　good；　clear

breaths。　　And　her　manner！　　Ah！　her　mannerit　concealed　the　inner

woman　so　as　to　leave　doubt　of　her　existence！



Shelton　listened　to　the　kindly　briskness　with　which　she　dwelt　upon

the　under…gardener。



〃Poor　Bunyan！　he　lost　his　wife　six　months　ago；　and　was　quite　cheerful

just　at　first；　but　now　he　's　really　too　distressin'。　　I　've　done　all

I　can　to　rouse　him；　it's　so　melancholy　to　see　him　mopin'。　　And；　my

dear　Dick；　the　way　he　mangles　the　new　rose…trees！　　I'm　afraid　he's

goin'　mad；　I　shall　have　to　send　him　away；　poor　fellow！〃



It　was　clear　that　she　sympathised　with　Bunyan；　or；　rather；　believed

him　entitled　to　a　modicum　of　wholesome　grief；　the　loss　of　wives　being

a　canonised　and　legal；　sorrow。　　But　excesses！　　O　dear；　no！



〃I　've　told　him　I　shall　raise　his　wages；〃　she　sighed。　　〃He　used　to　be

such　a　splendid　gardener！　　That　reminds　me；　my　dear　Dick；　I　want　to

have　a　talk　with　you。　　Shall　we　go　in　to　lunch？〃



Consulting　the　memorandum…book　in　which　she　had　been　noting　the　case

of　Mrs。　Hopkins；　she　slightly　preceded　Shelton　to　the　house。



It　was　somewhat　late　that　afternoon　when　Shelton　had　his　〃wigging〃；

nor　did　it　seem　to　him；　hypnotised　by　the　momentary　absence　of

Antonia；　such　a　very　serious　affair。



〃Now；　Dick；〃　the　Honourable　Mrs。　Dennant　said；　in　her　decisive　drawl；

〃I　don't　think　it　's　right　to　put　ideas　into　Antonia's　head。〃



〃Ideas！〃　　murmured　Shelton　in　confusion。



〃We　all　know；〃　continued　Mrs。　Dennant；　〃that　things　are　not　always

what　they　ought　to　be。〃



Shelton　looked　at　her；　she　was　seated　at　her　writing…table；

addressing　in　her　large；　free　writing　a　dinner　invitation　to　a

bishop。　　There　was　not　the　faintest　trace　of　awkwardness　about　her；

yet　Shelton　could　not　help　a　certain　sense　of　shock。　　If　sheshe

did　not　think　things　were　what　they　ought　to　bein　a　bad　way　things

must　be　indeed！



〃Things！〃　　he　muttered。



Mrs。　Dennant　looked　at　him　firmly　but　kindly　with　the　eyes　that　would

remind　him　of　a　hare's。



〃She　showed　me　some　of　your　letters；　you　know。　　Well；　it　's　not　a　bit

of　use　denyin'；　my　dear　Dick；　that　you've　been　thinkin'　too　much

lately。〃



Shelton　perceived　that　he　had　done　her　an　injustice；　she　handled

〃things〃　as　she　handled　under…gardenersput　them　away　when　they

showed　signs　of　running　to　extremes。



〃I　can't　help　that；　I　'm　afraid；〃　he　answered。



〃My　dear　boy！　　you'll　never　get　on　that　way。　　Now；　I　want　you　to

promise　me　you　won't　talk　to　Antonia　about　those　sort　of　things。〃



Shelton　raised　his　eyebrows。



〃Oh；　you　know　what　I　mean！〃



He　saw　that　to　press　Mrs。　Dennant　to　say　what　she　meant　by　〃things〃

would　really　hurt　her　sense　of　form；　it　would　be　cruel　to　force　her

thus　below　the　surface！



He　therefore　said；　〃Quite　so！〃



To　his　extreme　surprise；　flushing　the　peculiar　arid　pathetic　flush　of

women　past　their　prime；　she　drawled　out：



〃About　the　poorand　criminalsand　marriagesthere　was　that

wedding；　don't　you　know？〃



Shelton　bowed　his　head。　　Motherhood　had　been　too　strong　for　her；　in

her　maternal　flutter　she　had　committed　the　solecism　of　touching　in　so

many　words　on　〃things。〃



〃Does　n't　she　really　see　the　fun；〃　he　thought；　〃in　one　man　dining　out

of　gold　and　another　dining　in　the　gutter；　or　in　two　married　people

living　on　together　in　perfect　disc