the island pharisees-第34章
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high Society。
》From what I have said you may imagine how hard it is for me to take
my flight。 I shall always keep for you the most distinguished
sentiments。 With the expression of my full regard for you and your
good family； and of a gratitude as sincere as it is badly worded；
Believe me； dear Madame；
Your devoted
LOUIS FERRAND。
Shelton's first impulse was to tear the letter up； but this he
reflected he had no right to do。 Remembering； too； that Mrs。
Dennant's French was orthodox； he felt sure she would never
understand the young foreigner's subtle innuendoes。 He closed the
envelope and went to bed； haunted still by Ferrand's parting look。
It was with no small feeling of embarrassment； however； that； having
sent the letter to its destination by an early footman； he made his
appearance at the breakfast…table。 Behind the Austrian coffee…urn；
filled with French coffee； Mrs。 Dennant； who had placed four eggs in
a German egg…boiler； said 〃Good…morning；〃 with a kindly smile。
〃Dick； an egg？〃 she asked him； holding up a fifth。
〃No； thank you；〃 replied Shelton； greeting the table and fitting
down。
He was a little late； the buzz of conversation rose hilariously
around。
〃My dear；〃 continued Mr。 Dennant； who was talking to his youngest
daughter； 〃you'll have no chance whatevernot the least little bit
of chance。〃
〃Father； what nonsense！ You know we shall beat your heads off！〃
〃Before it 's too late； then； I will eat a muffin。 Shelton； pass the
muffins！ 〃But in making this request； Mr。 Dennant avoided looking in
his face。
Antonia； too； seemed to keep her eyes away from him。 She was talking
to a Connoisseur on Art of supernatural appearances； and seemed in
the highest spirits。 Shelton rose； and； going to the sideboard；
helped himself to grouse。
〃Who was the young man I saw yesterday on the lawn？〃 he heard the
Connoisseur remark。 〃Struck me as having anerquite intelligent
physiog。〃
His own intelligent physiog； raised at a slight slant so that he
might look the better through his nose…nippers； was the very pattern
of approval。 〃It's curious how one's always meeting with
intelligence；〃 it seemed to say。 Mrs。 Dennant paused in the act of
adding cream； and Shelton scrutinised her face； it was hare…like； and
superior as ever。 Thank goodness she had smelt no rat！ He felt
strangely disappointed。
〃You mean Monsieur Ferrand； teachin' Toddles French？ Dobson； the
Professor's cup。〃
〃I hope I shall see him again；〃 cooed the Connoisseur； 〃he was quite
interesting on the subject of young German working men。 It seems
they tramp from place to place to learn their trades。 What
nationality was he； may I ask？〃
Mr。 Dennant； of whom he asked this question； lifted his brows； and
said；
〃Ask Shelton。〃
〃Half Dutch； half French。〃
〃Very interesting breed； I hope I shall see him again。〃
〃Well； you won't；〃 said Thea suddenly； 〃he's gone。〃
Shelton saw that their good breeding alone prevented all from adding；
〃And thank goodness； too！〃
〃Gone？ Dear me； it's very〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Dennant； 〃very sudden。〃
〃Now； Algie；〃 murmured Mrs。 Dennant； 〃it 's quite a charmin' letter。
Must have taken the poor young man an hour to write。〃
〃Oh； mother！〃 cried Antonia。
And Shelton felt his face go crimson。 He had suddenly remembered
that her French was better than her mother's。
〃He seems to have had a singular experience；〃 said the Connoisseur。
〃Yes；〃 echoed Mr。 Dennant； 〃he 's had some singular experience。 If
you want to know the details； ask friend Shelton； it's quite
romantic。 In the meantime； my dear； another cup？〃
The Connoisseur； never quite devoid of absent…minded malice； spurred
his curiosity to a further effort； and； turning his well…defended
eyes on Shelton； murmured；
〃Well； Mr。 Shelton； you are the historian； it seems。〃
〃There is no history；〃 said Shelton； without looking up。
〃Ah； that's very dull；〃 remarked the Connoisseur。
〃My dear Dick；〃 said Mrs。 Dennant； 〃that was really a most touchin'
story about his goin' without food in Paris。〃
Shelton shot another look at Antonia； her face was frigid。 〃I hate
your d…d superiority！〃 he thought； staring at the Connoisseur。
〃There's nothing；〃 said that gentleman； 〃more enthralling than
starvation。 Come； Mr Shelton。〃
〃I can't tell stories；〃 said Shelton； 〃never could。〃
He cared not a straw for Ferrand； his coming； going； or his history；
for； looking at Antonia； his heart was heavy。
CHAPTER XX
THE LADY FROM BEYOND
The morning was sultry； brooding； steamy。 Antonia was at her music；
and from the room where Shelton tried to fix attention on a book he
could hear her practising her scales with a cold fury that cast an
added gloom upon his spirit。 He did not see her until lunch； and
then she again sat next the Connoisseur。 Her cheeks were pale； but
there was something feverish in her chatter to her neighbour； she
still refused to look at Shelton。 He felt very miserable。 After
lunch； when most of them had left the table； the rest fell to
discussing country neighbours。
〃Of course；〃 said Mrs。 Dennant； 〃there are the Foliots； but nobody
calls on them。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the Connoisseur； 〃the Foliotsthe Foliotsthe people
erwhoquite so！〃
〃It's really distressin'； she looks so sweet ridin' about。 Many
people with worse stories get called on；〃 continued Mrs。 Dennant；
with that large frankness of intrusion upon doubtful subjects which
may be made by certain people in a certain way；〃 but； after all； one
couldn't ask them to meet anybody。〃
〃No；〃 the Connoisseur assented。 〃I used to know Foliot。 Thousand
pities。 They say she was a very pretty woman。〃
〃Oh； not pretty！〃 said Mrs。 Dennant！ 〃more interestin than pretty； I
should say。〃
Shelton； who knew the lady slightly； noticed that they spoke of her
as in the past。 He did not look towards Antonia； for； though a
little troubled at her presence while such a subject was discussed；
he hated his conviction that her face； was as unruffled as though the
Foliots had been a separate species。 There was； in fact； a curiosity
about her eyes； a faint impatience on her lips； she was rolling
little crumbs of bread。 Suddenly yawning； she muttered some remark；
and rose。 Shelton stopped her at the door。
〃Where are you going？〃
〃For a walk。〃
〃May n't I come？〃。
She shook her head。
〃I 'm going to take Toddles。〃
Shelton held the door open； and went back to the table。
〃Yes；〃 the Connoisseur said； sipping at his sherry； 〃I 'm afraid it's
all over with young Foliot。〃
〃Such a pity！〃 murmured Mrs。 Dennant； and her kindly face looked
quite disturbed。 〃I've known him ever since he was a boy。 Of
course； I think he made a great mistake to bring her down here。 Not
even bein' able to get married makes it doubly awkward。 Oh； I think
he made a great mistake！〃
〃Ah！〃 said the Connoisseur； 〃but d' you suppose that makes much
difference？ Even if What 'shis…name gave her a divorce； I don't
think； don't you know； that〃
〃Oh； it does！ So many people would be inclined to look over it in
time。 But as it is it's hopeless； quite。 So very awkward for
people； too； meetin' them about。 The Telfords and the Butterwicks
by the way； they're comin' here to dine to…nightlive near them；
don't you know。〃
〃Did you ever meet her before…er…before the flood？〃 the Connoisseur
inquired； and his lips parting and unexpectedly revealing teeth gave
him a shadowy resemblance to a goat。
〃Yes； I did meet her once at the Branksomes'。 I thought her quite a
charmin' person。〃
〃Poor fellow！〃 said the Connoisseur； 〃they tell me he was going to
take the hounds。〃
〃And there are his delightful coverts； too。 Algie often used to
shoot there； and now they say he just has his brother down to shoot
with him。 It's really quite too melancholy！ Did you know him；
Dick？〃
〃Foliot？〃 replied Shelton absently。 〃No； I never met him： I've seen
her once or twice at Ascot。〃
Through the window he could see Antonia in her scarlet Tam…o'…
shanter； swinging her stick； and he got up feigning unconcern。 Just
then Toddles came bounding up against his sister。 They went off arm
in arm。 She had seen him at the window； yet she gave no friendly
glance； Shelton felt more miserable than ever。 He stepped out upon
the drive。 There was a lurid； gloomy canopy above； the elm…trees
drooped their heavy blackish green； the wonted rustle of the aspen…
tree was gone； even the rooks were silent。 A store of force lay
heavy on the heart of nature。 He started pacing slowly up and down；
his pride forbidding him to follow her； and presently sat down on an
old stone seat that faced the road。 He stayed a long time staring at
the elms； asking himself what he had done and what he ought to do。
And somehow he was frightened。 A sense of loneliness was on him； so
real； so painful； that he shivered in the sweltering heat。 He was
there； perhaps； an hour； alone； and saw nobody pass along the road。
Then came the sound of horse's hoofs； and at the same time he heard a
motor…car approaching from the opposite direction。 The rider made
appearance first； riding a grey horse with an Arab's high set head
and tail。 She was holding him with difficulty； for the whirr of the
approaching car grew every moment louder。 Shelton rose； the car
flashed by。 He saw the horse stagger in the gate…way； crushing its
rider up against the gatepost。
He ran； but before he reached the gate the lady was on foot； holding
the plunging horse's bridle。
〃Are you hurt？〃 cried Shelton breathlessly； and he； too； grabbed the
bridle。 〃Those beastly cars！〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃Please don't； he won't let strangers
touch him。〃
Shelton let go； and watched her coax the horse。 She was rather tall；
dressed in a grey habit； with a grey Russian cap upon her head； and
he suddenly recognised the Mrs。 Foliot whom they had been talking of
at lunch。
〃He 'll be quiet now；〃 she said； 〃if you would n't mind holding him a
minute。〃
She gave the reins to him； and leaned against the gate。 She was very
pale。
〃I do hope he has n't hurt you；〃 Shelton said。 He was quite close to
her； well able to see her facea curious face with high cheek…bones
and a flatfish moulding； enigmatic； yet strangely passionate for all
its listless pallor。 Her smiling； tightened lips were pallid；
pallid； too； her grey and deep…set eyes with greenish tints； above
all； pale the ashy mass of hair coiled under her grey cap。
〃Th…thanks！〃 she said； 〃I shall be all right directly。 I'm sorry to
have made a fuss。〃
She bit her li
