the island pharisees-第3章

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

occasion　to　know　what　the　'family'　is　like。　　'The　family'　does　not

like　damaged　goods；　it　will　have　nothing　to　say　to　sons　whose　hands

have　dipped　into　the　till　or　daughters　no　longer　to　be　married。　　What

the　devil　would　they　do　with　her？　　Better　put　a　stone　about　her　neck

and　let　her　drown　at　once。　　All　the　world　is　Christian；　but　Christian

and　good　Samaritan　are　not　quite　the　same。〃



Shelton　looked　at　the　girl；　who　was　sitting　motionless；　with　her

hands　crossed　on　her　bag；　and　a　revolt　against　the　unfair　ways　of

life　arose　within　him。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　young　foreigner；　as　if　reading　all　his　thoughts；

〃what's　called　virtue　is　nearly　always　only　luck。〃　　He　rolled　his

eyes　as　though　to　say：　〃Ah！　La；　Conventions？　　Have　them　by　all　means

but　don't　look　like　peacocks　because　you　are　preserving　them；　it　is

but　cowardice　and　luck；　my　friendsbut　cowardice　and　luck！〃



〃Look　here；〃　said　Shelton；　〃I'll　give　her　my　address；　and　if　she

wants　to　go　back　to　her　family　she　can　write　to　me。〃



〃She'll　never　go　back；　she　won't　have　the　courage。〃



Shelton　caught　the　cringing　glance　of　the　girl's　eyes；　in　the　droop

of　her　lip　there　was　something　sensuous；　and　the　conviction　that　the

young　man's　words　were　true　came　over　him。



〃I　had　better　not　give　them　my　private　address；〃　he　thought；　glancing

at　the　faces　opposite；　and　he　wrote　down　the　following：　〃Richard

Paramor　Shelton；　c/o　Paramor　and　Herring；　Lincoln's　Inn　Fields。〃



〃You're　very　good；　sir。　　My　name　is　Louis　Ferrand；　no　address　at

present。　　I'll　make　her　understand；　she's　half　stupefied　just　now。〃



Shelton　returned　to　the　perusal　of　his　paper；　too　disturbed　to　read；

the　young　vagrant's　words　kept　sounding　in　his　ears。　　He　raised　his

eyes。　　The　plump　hand　of　the　lady　with　the　Roman　nose　still　rested　on

her　lap；　it　had　been　recased　in　its　black　glove　with　large　white

stitching。　　Her　frowning　gaze　was　fixed　on　him　suspiciously；　as　if　he

had　outraged　her　sense　of　decency。



〃He　did　n't　get　anything　from　me；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　red…faced

man；　ending　a　talk　on　tax…gatherers。　　The　train　whistled　loudly；　and

Shelton　reverted　to　his　paper。　　This　time　he　crossed　his　legs；

determined　to　enjoy　the　latest　murder；　once　more　he　found　himself

looking　at　the　vagrant's　long…nosed；　mocking　face。　　〃That　fellow；〃　he

thought；　〃has　seen　and　felt　ten　times　as　much　as　I；　although　he　must

be　ten　years　younger。〃



He　turned　for　distraction　to　the　landscape；　with　its　April　clouds；

trim　hedgerows；　homely　coverts。　　But　strange　ideas　would　come；　and　he

was　discontented　with　himself；　the　conversation　he　had　had；　the

personality　of　this　young　foreigner；　disturbed　him。　　It　was　all　as

though　he　had　made　a　start　in　some　fresh　journey　through　the　fields

of　thought。









CHAPTER　II



ANTONIA



Five　years　before　the　journey　just　described　Shelton　had　stood　one

afternoon　on　the　barge　of　his　old　college　at　the　end　of　the　summer

races。　　He　had　been　〃down〃　from　Oxford　for　some　years；　but　these

Olympian　contests　still　attracted　him。



The　boats　were　passing；　and　in　the　usual　rush　to　the　barge　side　his

arm　came　in　contact　with　a　soft　young　shoulder。　　He　saw　close　to　him

a　young　girl　with　fair　hair　knotted　in　a　ribbon；　whose　face　was　eager

with　excitement。　　The　pointed　chin；　long　neck；　the　fluffy　hair；　quick

gestures；　and　the　calm　strenuousness　of　her　grey…blue　eyes；　impressed

him　vividly。



〃Oh；　we　must　bump　them！〃　he　heard　her　sigh。



〃Do　you　know　my　people；　Shelton？〃　said　a　voice　behind　his　back；　and

he　was　granted　a　touch　from　the　girl's　shy；　impatient　hand；　the

warmer　fingers　of　a　lady　with　kindly　eyes　resembling　a　hare's；　the

dry　hand…clasp　of　a　gentleman　with　a　thin；　arched　nose；　and　a

quizzical　brown　face。



〃Are　you　the　Mr。　Shelton　who　used　to　play　the　'bones'　at　Eton？〃　said

the　lady。　　〃Oh；　we　so　often　heard　of　you　from　Bernard！　　He　was　your

fag；　was　n't　he？　　How　distressin'　it　is　to　see　these　poor　boys　in　the

boats！〃



〃Mother；　they　like　it！〃　cried　the　girl。



〃Antonia　ought　to　be　rowing；　herself；〃　said　her　father；　whose　name

was　Dennant。



Shelton　went　back　with　them　to　their　hotel；　walking　beside　Antonia

through　the　Christchurch　meadows；　telling　her　details　of　his　college

life。　　He　dined　with　them　that　evening；　and；　when　he　left；　had　a

feeling　like　that　produced　by　a　first　glass　of　champagne。



The　Dennants　lived　at　Holm　Oaks；　within　six　miles　of　Oxford；　and　two

days　later　he　drove　over　and　paid　a　call。　　Amidst　the　avocations　of

reading　for　the　Bar；　of　cricket；　racing；　shooting；　it　but　required　a

whiff　of　some　fresh　scenthay；　honeysuckle；　cloverto　bring

Antonia's　face　before　him；　with　its　uncertain　colour　and　its　frank；

distant　eyes。　　But　two　years　passed　before　he　again　saw　her。　　Then；

at　an　invitation　from　Bernard　Dennant；　he　played　cricket　for　the

Manor　of　Holm　Oaks　against　a　neighbouring　house；　in　the　evening　there

was　dancing　oh　the　lawn。　　The　fair　hair　was　now　turned　up；　but　the

eyes　were　quite　unchanged。　　Their　steps　went　together；　and　they。

outlasted　every　other　couple　on　the　slippery　grass。　　Thence；　perhaps；

sprang　her　respect　for　him；　he　was　wiry；　a　little　taller　than

herself；　and　seemed　to　talk　of　things　that　interested　her。　　He　found

out　she　was　seventeen；　and　she　found　out　that　he　was　twenty…nine。

The　following　two　years　Shelton　went　to　Holm　Oaks　whenever　he　was

asked；　to　him　this　was　a　period　of　enchanted　games；　of　cub…hunting；

theatricals；　and　distant　sounds　of　practised　music；　and　during　it

Antonia's　eyes　grew　more　friendly　and　more　curious；　and　his　own　more

shy；　and　schooled；　more　furtive　and　more　ardent。　　Then　came　his

father's　death；　a　voyage　round　the　world；　and　that　peculiar　hour　of

mixed　sensations　when；　one　March　morning；　abandoning　his　steamer　at

Marseilles；　he　took　train　for　Hyeres。



He　found　her　at　one　of　those　exclusive　hostelries　amongst　the　pines

where　the　best　English　go；　in　common　with　Americans；　Russian

princesses；　and　Jewish　families；　he　would　not　have　been　shocked　to

find　her　elsewhere；　but　he　would　have　been　surprised。　　His　sunburnt

face　and　the　new　beard；　on　which　he　set　some　undefined　value；

apologetically　displayed；　were　scanned　by　those　blue　eyes　with　rapid

glances；　at　once　more　friendly　and　less　friendly。　　〃Ah！〃　they　seemed

to　say；　〃here　you　are；　how　glad　I　am！　　Butwhat　now？〃



He　was　admitted　to　their　sacred　table　at　the　table　d'hote；　a　snowy

oblong　in　an　airy　alcove；　where　the　Honourable　Mrs。　Dennant；　Miss

Dennant；　and　the　Honourable　Charlotte　Penguin；　a　maiden　aunt　with

insufficient　lungs；　sat　twice　a　day　in　their　own　atmosphere。　　A

momentary　weakness　came　on　Shelton　the　first　time　he　saw　them　sitting

there　at　lunch。　　What　was　it　gave　them　their　look　of　strange

detachment？　　Mrs。　Dennant　was　bending　above　a　camera。



〃I'm　afraid；　d'　you　know；　it's　under…exposed；〃　she　said。



〃What　a　pity！　　The　kitten　was　rather　nice！〃　　The　maiden　aunt；　placing

the　knitting　of　a　red　silk　tie　beside　her　plate；　turned　her　aspiring；

well…bred　gaze　on　Shelton。



〃Look；　Auntie；〃　said　Antonia　in　her　clear；　quick　voice；　〃there's　the

funny　little　man　again！〃



〃Oh；〃　said　the　maiden　aunta　smile　revealed　her　upper　teeth；　she

looked　for　the　funny　little　man　（who　was　not　English）〃he's　rather

nice！〃



Shelton　did　not　look　for　the　funny　little　man；　he　stole　a　glance　that

barely　reached　Antonia's　brow；　where　her　eyebrows　took　their　tiny

upward　slant　at　the　outer　corners；　and　her　hair　was　still　ruffled　by

a　windy　walk。　　From　that　moment　he　became　her　slave。



〃Mr。　Shelton；　do　you　know　anything　about　these　periscopic

binoculars？〃　said　Mrs。　Dennant's　voice；　〃they're　splendid　for

buildin's；　but　buildin's　are　so　disappointin'。　　The　thing　is　to　get

human　interest；　isn't　it？〃　and　her　glance　wandered　absently　past

Shelton　in　search　of　human　interest。



〃You　haven't　put　down　what　you've　taken；　mother。〃



》From　a　little　leather　bag　Mrs。　Dennant　took　a　little　leather　book。



〃It's　so　easy　to　forget　what　they're　about；〃　she　said；　〃that's　so

annoyin'。〃



Shelton　was　not　again　visited　by　his　uneasiness　at　their　detachment；

he　accepted　them　and　all　their　works；　for　there　was　something　quite

sublime　about　the　way　that　they　would　leave　the　dining…room；

unconscious　that　they　themselves　were　funny　to　all　the　people　they

had　found　so　funny　while　they　had　been　sitting　there；　and　he　would

follow　them　out　unnecessarily　upright　and　feeling　like　a　fool。



In　the　ensuing　fortnight；　chaperoned　by　the　maiden　aunt；　for　Mrs。

Dennant　disliked　driving；　he　sat　opposite　to　Antonia　during　many

drives；　he　played　sets　of　tennis　with　her；　but　it　was　in　the　evenings

after　dinnerthose　long　evenings　on　a　parquet　floor　in　wicker　chairs

dragged　as　far　as　might　be　from　the　heating　apparatusthat　he　seemed

so　very　near　her。　　The　community　of　isolation　drew　them　closer。　　In

place　of　a　companion　he　had　assumed　the　part　of　friend；　to　whom　she

could　confide　all　her　home…sick　aspirations。　　So　that；　even　when　she

was　sitting　silent；　a　slim；　long　foot　stretched　out　in　front；　bending

with　an　air　of　cool　absorption　over　some　pencil　sketches　which　she

would　not　show　himeven　then；　by　her　very　attitude；　by　the　sweet

freshness　that　clung　about　her；　by　her　quick；　offended　glances　at　the

strange　persons　round；　she　seemed　to　acknowledge　in　some　secret　way

that　he　was　necessary。　　He　was　far　from　realising　this；　his

intellectual　and　observant　parts　were　hypnotised　and　fascinated　even

by　her　failings。　　The　faint　freckling　across　her　nose；　the　slim　and

virginal　severeness　of　her　figure；　with　its　narrow　hips　and　arms；　the

curve　of　her　long　neck…all　were　added　charms。　　She　had　the　wind　and

rain　look；　a　taste　of　home；　and　over　the　glaring　roads；　where　the

palm…tree　shadows　lay　so　black；　she　seemed　to　pass　like　the　very

image　of　an　English　day。



One　afternoon　he　had　taken　her　to　play　tennis　with　some　friends；　and

afterwards　they　strolled　on　to　her　favourite　view。　　Down　the　Toulon

road　gardens　and　hills　were　bathed　in　the　colour　of　ripe　apricot；　an

evening　crispness　had　stolen　on　the　air；　the　blood；　released　from　the

sun's　numbing；　ran　gladly　in　the　veins。　　On　the　right　hand　of　the

road　was　a　Frenchman　playing　bowls。　　Enormous；　busy；　pleased；　and

upright　as　a　soldier；　pathetically　trotting　his　vast　carcass　from　end

to　end；　he　delighted　Shelton。　　But　Antonia　threw　a　single　look　at　the

huge　creature；　and　her　face　expressed　disgust。　　She　began　running　up

towards　the　ruined　tower。



Shelton　let　her　keep　in　front；　watching　her　leap　from　stone　to　stone

and　throw　back　defiant　glances　when　he　pressed　behind。　　She　stood　at

the　top；　and　he　looked　up　at　her。　　Over　the　world；　gloriously　spread

below；　she；　like　a　statue；　seemed　to　rule。　　The　colour　was　brilliant

in　her　cheeks；　her　young　bosom　heaved；　her　eyes　shone；　and　the

flowing　droop　of　her