the island pharisees-第31章

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for　me　to　photograph　this　rose。〃



Shelton　withdrew　and　went　down…stairs。　　Ferrand　was　still　at

breakfast。　　Antonia　stood　at　the　sideboard　carving　beef　for　him；　and

in　the　window　sat　Thea　with　her　Persian　kitten。



Both　girls　were　following　the　traveller's　movements　with　inscrutable

blue　eyes。　　A　shiver　ran　down　Shelton's　spine。　　To　speak　truth；　he

cursed　the　young　man's　coming；　as　though　it　affected　his　relations

with　Antonia。









CHAPTER　XXVII



SUB　ROSA



》From　the　interview；　which　Shelton　had　the　mixed　delight　of　watching；

between　Ferrand　and　the　Honourable　Mrs。　Dennant；　certain　definite

results　accrued；　the　chief　of　which　was　the　permission　accorded　the

young　wanderer　to　occupy　the　room　which　had　formerly　been　tenanted　by

the　footman　John。　　Shelton　was　lost　in　admiration　of　Ferrand's　manner

in　this　scene。。　　Its　subtle　combination　of　deference　and　dignity　was

almost　paralysing；　paralysing；　too；　the　subterranean　smile　upon　his

lips。



〃Charmin'　young　man；　Dick；〃　said　Mrs。　Dennant；　when　Shelton　lingered

to　say　once　more　that　he　knew　but　very　little　of　him；　〃I　shall　send　a

note　round　to　Mrs。　Robinson　at　once。　　They're　rather　common；　you

knowthe　Robinsons。　　I　think　they'll　take　anyone　I　recommend。〃



〃I　'm　sure　they　will；〃　said　Shelton；　〃that's　why　I　think　you　ought　to

know…〃



But　Mrs。　Dennant's　eyes；　fervent；　hare…like；　were　fixed　on　something

far　away；　turning；　he　saw　the　rose　in　a　tall　vase　on　a　tall　and

spindly　stool。　　It　seemed　to　nod　towards　them　in　the　sunshine。　　Mrs。

Dennant　dived　her　nose　towards　her　camera。



〃The　light's　perfect　now；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　muffled　by　the　cloth。

〃I　feel　sure　that　livin'　with　decent　people　will　do　wonders　for　him。

Of　course；　he　understands　that　his　meals　will　be　served　to　him

apart。〃



Shelton；　doubly　anxious；　now　that　his　efforts　had　lodged　his　client

in　a　place　of　trust；　fell；　back　on　hoping　for　the　best；　his　instinct

told　him　that；　vagabond　as　Ferrand　was；　he　had　a　curious　self…

respect；　that　would　save　him　from　a　mean　ingratitude。



In　fact；　as　Mrs。　Dennant；　who　was　by　no　means　void　of　common…sense；

foresaw；　the　arrangement　worked　all　right。　　Ferrand　entered　on　his

duties　as　French　tutor　to　the　little　Robinsons。　　In　the　Dennants'

household　he　kept　himself　to　his　own　room；　which；　day　and　night；　he

perfumed　with　tobacco；　emerging　at　noon　into　the　garden；　or；　if　wet；

into　the　study；　to　teach　young　Toddles　French。　　After　a　time　it

became　customary　for　him　to　lunch　with　the　house…party；　partly

through　a　mistake　of　Toddles；　who　seemed　to　think　that　it　was

natural；　and　partly　through　John　Noble；　one　of　Shelton's　friends；　who

had　come　to　stay；　and　discovered　Ferrand　to　be　a　most　awfully

interesting　person　he　was　always；　indeed；　discovering　the　most

awfully　interesting　persons。　　In　his　grave　and　toneless　voice；

brushing　his　hair　from　off　his　brow；　he　descanted　upon　Ferrand　with

enthusiasm；　to　which　was　joined　a　kind　of　shocked　amusement；　as　who

should　say；　〃Of　course；　I　know　it's　very　odd；　but　really　he　's　such

an　awfully　interesting　person。〃　　For　John　Noble　was　a　politician；

belonging　to　one　of　those　two　Peculiar　parties；　which；　thoroughly　in

earnest；　of　an　honesty　above　suspicion；　and　always　very　busy；　are

constitutionally　averse　to　anything　peculiar　for　fear　of　finding　they

have　overstepped　the　limit　of　what　is　practical　in　politics。　　As　such

he　inspired　confidence；　not　caring　for　things　unless　he　saw　some

immediate　benefit　to　be　had　from　them；　having　a　perfect　sense　of

decency；　and　a　small　imagination。　　He　discussed　all　sorts　of　things

with　Ferrand；　on　one　occasion　Shelton　overheard　them　arguing　on

anarchism。



〃No　Englishman　approves　of　murder；〃　Noble　was　saying；　in　the　gloomy

voice　that　contrasted　with　the　optimistic　cast　of　his　fine　head；　〃but

the　main　principle　is　right。　　Equalisation　of　property　is　bound　to

come。　　I　sympathise　with　then；　not　with　their　methods。〃



〃Forgive　me；〃　struck　in　Ferrand；　〃do　you　know　any　anarchists？〃



〃No；〃　returned　Noble；　〃I　certainly　do　not。〃



〃You　say　you　sympathise　with　them；　but　the　first　time　it　comes　to

action…〃



〃Well？〃



〃Oh；　monsieur！　one　doesn't　make　anarchism　with　the　head。〃



Shelton　perceived　that　he　had　meant　to　add；　〃but　with　the　heart；　the

lungs；　the　liver。〃　　He　drew　a　deeper　meaning　from　the　saying；　and

seemed　to　see；　curling　with　the　smoke　from　Ferrand's　lips；　the　words：

〃What　do　you；　an　English　gentleman；　of　excellent　position；　and　all

the　prejudices　of　your　class；　know　about　us　outcasts？　　If　you　want　to

understand　us　you　must　be　an　outcast　too；　we　are　not　playing　at　the

game。〃



This　talk　took　place　upon　the　lawn；　at　the　end　of　one　of　Toddles's

French　lessons；　and　Shelton　left　John　Noble　maintaining　to　the

youthful　foreigner；　with　stubborn　logic；　that　he；　John　Noble；　and　the

anarchists　had　much；　in　common。　　He　was　returning　to　the　house；　when

someone　called　his　name　from　underneath　the　holm　oak。　　There；　sitting

Turkish　fashion　on　the　grass；　a　pipe　between　his　teeth；　he　found　a

man　who　had　arrived　the　night　before；　and　impressed　him　by　his

friendly　taciturnity。　　His　name　was　Whyddon；　and　he　had　just　returned

from　Central　Africa；　a　brown…faced；　large…jawed　man；　with　small　but

good　and　steady　eyes；　and　strong；　spare　figure。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Shelton！〃　he　said；　〃I　wondered　if　you　could　tell　me　what

tips　I　ought　to　give　the　servants　here；　after　ten　years　away　I　've

forgotten　all　about　that　sort　of　thing。〃



Shelton　sat　down　beside　him；　unconsciously　assuming；　too；　a　cross…

legged　attitude；　which　caused　him　much　discomfort。



〃I　was　listening；〃　said　his　new　acquaintance；　〃to　the　little　chap

learning　his　French。　　I've　forgotten　mine。　　One　feels　a　hopeless

duffer　knowing　no；　languages。〃



〃I　suppose　you　speak　Arabic？〃　said　Shelton。



〃Oh；　Arabic；　and　a　dialect　or　two；　they　don't　count。　　That　tutor　has

a　curious　face。〃



〃You　think　so？〃　said　Shelton；　interested。　　〃He's　had　a　curious　life。〃



The　traveller　spread　his　hands；　palms　downwards；　on　the　grass　and

looked　at　Shelton　with；　a　smile。



〃I　should　say　he　was　a　rolling　stone；〃　he　said。　　〃It　's　odd；　I'　ve

seen　white　men　in　Central　Africa　with　a　good　deal　of　his　look　about

them。



〃Your　diagnosis　is　a　good　one；〃　answered　Shelton。



〃I　'm　always　sorry　for　those　fellows。　　There's　generally　some　good　in

them。　　They　are　their　own　enemies。　　A　bad　business　to　be　unable　to

take　pride　in　anything　one　does！〃　　And　there　was　a　look　of　pity　on

his　face。



〃That's　exactly　it；〃　said　Shelton。　　〃I　've　often　tried　to　put　it　into

words。　　Is　it　incurable？〃



〃I　think　so。〃



〃Can　you　tell　me　why？〃



Whyddon　pondered。



〃I　rather　think；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃it　must　be　because　they　have　too

strong　a　faculty　of　criticism。　　You　can't　teach　a　man　to　be　proud　of

his　own　work；　that　lies　in　his　blood　〃；　folding　his　arms　across　his

breast；　he　heaved　a　sigh。　　Under　the　dark　foliage；　his　eyes　on　the

sunlight；　he　was　the　type　of　all　those　Englishmen　who　keep　their

spirits　bright　and　wear　their　bodies　out　in　the　dark　places　of　hard

work。　　〃You　can't　think；〃　he　said；　showing　his　teeth　in　a　smile；　〃how

delightful　it　is　to　be　at　home！　　You　learn　to　love　the　old　country

when　you're　away　from　it。〃



Shelton　often　thought；　afterwards；　of　this　diagnosis　of　the　vagabond；

for　he　was　always　stumbling　on　instances　of　that　power　of　subtle

criticism　which　was　the　young　foreigner's　prime　claim　to　be　〃a　most

awfully　interesting〃　and　perhaps　a　rather　shocking　person。



An　old　school…fellow　of　Shelton's　and　his　wife　were　staying　in　the

house；　who　offered　to　the　eye　the　picture　of　a　perfect　domesticity。

Passionless　and　smiling；　it　was　impossible　to　imagine　they　could　ever

have　a　difference。　　Shelton；　whose　bedroom　was　next　to　theirs；　could

hear　them　in　the　mornings　talking　in　exactly　the　tones　they　used　at

lunch；　and　laughing　the　same　laughs。　　Their　life　seemed　to　accord

them　perfect　satisfaction；　they　were　supplied　with　their　convictions

by　Society　just　as；　when　at　home；　they　were　supplied　with　all　the

other　necessaries　of　life　by　some　co…operative　stores。　　Their　fairly

handsome　faces；　with　the　fairly　kind　expressions；　quickly　and

carefully　regulated　by　a　sense　of　compromise；　began　to　worry　him　so

much　that　when　in　the　same　room　he　would　even　read　to　avoid　the　need

of　looking　at　them。　　And　yet　they　were　kindthat　is；　fairly　kind

and　clean　and　quiet　in　the　house；　except　when　they　laughed；　which　was

often；　and　at　things　which　made　him　want　to　howl　as　a　dog　howls　at

music。



〃Mr。　Shelton；〃　Ferrand　said　one　day；　〃I　'm　not　an　amateur　of

marriagenever　had　the　chance；　as　you　may　well　suppose；　but；　in　any

case；　you　have　some　people　in　the　house　who　would　make　me　mark　time

before　I　went　committing　it。　　They　seem　the　ideal　young　married

peopledon't　quarrel；　have　perfect　health；　agree　with　everybody；　go

to　church；　have　childrenbut　I　should　like　to　hear　what　is　beautiful

in　their　life；〃　and　he　grimaced。　　〃It　seems　to　me　so　ugly　that　I　can

only　gasp。　　I　would　much　rather　they　ill…treated　each　other；　just　to

show　they　had　the　corner　of　a　soul　between　them。　　If　that　is

marriage；　'Dieu　m'en　garde！'〃



But　Shelton　did　not　answer；　he　was　thinking　deeply。



The　saying　of　John　Noble's；　〃He's　really　a　most　interesting　person；〃

grew　more　and　more　upon　his　nerves；　it　seemed　to　describe　the　Dennant

attitude　towards　this　stranger　within　their　gates。　　They　treated　him

with　a　sort　of　wonder　on　the　〃don't　touch〃　system；　like　an　object　in

an　exhibition。　　The　restoration；　however；　of；　his　self…respect

proceeded　with　success。　　For　all　the　semblance　of　having　grown　too

big　for　Shelton's　clothes；　for　all　his　vividly　burnt　face；　and　the

quick　but　guarded　play　of　cynicism　on　his　lipshe　did　much　credit　to

his　patrons。　　He　had　subdued　his　terror　of　a　razor；　and　looked　well

in　a　suit　of　Shelton's　flannels。　　For；　after　all；　he　had　only　been

eight　years　exiled　from　middle…class　gentility；　and　he　had　been　a

waiter　half　that　time。　　But　Shelton　wished　him　at　the　devil。　　Not　for

his　manners'　sakehe　was　never　tired　of　watching　how　subtly　the

vagabond　adapted　his　conduct　to　the　conduct　of　his　hosts；　while

keeping　up　his　critical　detachmentbut　because　that　critical

detachment　was　a　constant　spur　to　his　own　vision；　compelling　him　to

analyse　the　life　into　which；　he　had　been　born　and　was　about　to　marry。

This　process　was　disturbing；　and　to　find　out　when　it　had　commenced；

he　had　to　go　back　to　his　meeting　with　Ferrand　on　the　journey　up　from

Dover。



There　was　kindness　in　a　hospitality　which　opened　to　so　strange　a

bird；　admitting　the　kindness；　Shelton　fell　to　analysing　it。　　To

himself；　to　people　of　his　class；　the　use　of　kindness　was　a　luxury；

not　significant　of　sacrifice；　but　productive　of　a　pleasant　feeling　in

the　heart；　such　as　massage　will　setup　in　the　legs。　　〃Everybody's

kind；〃　he　thought；　〃the　que