the island pharisees-第7章

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said；



〃I　think　Pirbright　's　ripping！〃



But　as　Shelton　had　predicted；　so　it　turned　out；　amidst　great

applause。









CHAPTER　V



THE　GOOD　CITIZEN



Leaving　the　theatre；　they　paused　a　moment　in　the　hall　to　don　their

coats；　a　stream　of　people　with　spotless　bosoms　eddied　round　the

doors；　as　if　in　momentary　dread　of　leaving　this　hothouse　of　false

morals　and　emotions　for　the　wet；　gusty　streets；　where　human　plants

thrive　and　die；　human　weeds　flourish　and　fade　under　the　fresh；

impartial　skies。　　The　lights　revealed　innumerable　solemn　faces；

gleamed　innumerably　on　jewels；　on　the　silk　of　hats；　then　passed　to

whiten　a　pavement　wet　with　newly…fallen　rain；　to　flare　on　horses；　on

the　visages　of　cabmen；　and　stray；　queer　objects　that　do　not　bear　the

light。



〃Shall　we　walk？〃　asked　Halidome。



〃Has　it　ever　struck　you；〃　answered　Shelton；　〃that　in　a　play　nowadays

there's　always　a　'Chorus　of　Scandalmongers'　which　seems　to　have

acquired　the　attitude　of　God？〃



Halidome　cleared　his　throat；　and　there　was　something　portentous　in

the　sound。



〃You're　so　d…d　fastidious；〃　was　his　answer。



〃I've　a　prejudice　for　keeping　the　two　things　separate；〃　went　on

Shelton。　　〃That　ending　makes　me　sick。〃



〃Why？〃　replied　Halidome。　　〃What　other　end　is　possible？　　You　don't

want　a　play　to　leave　you　with　a　bad　taste　in　your　mouth。〃



〃But　this　does。〃



Halidome　increased　his　stride；　already　much　too　long；　for　in　his

walk；　as　in　all　other　phases　of　his　life；　he　found　it　necessary　to　be

in　front。



〃How　do　you　mean？〃　he　asked　urbanely；　〃it's　better　than　the　woman

making　a　fool　of　herself。〃



〃I'm　thinking　of　the　man。〃



〃What　man？〃



〃The　husband。〃



〃What　's　the　matter　with　him？　　He　was　a　bit　of　a　bounder；　certainly。〃



〃I　can't　understand　any　man　wanting　to　live　with　a　woman　who　doesn't

want　him。〃



Some　note　of　battle　in　Shelton's　voice；　rather　than　the　sentiment

itself；　caused　his　friend　to　reply　with　dignity：



〃There's　a　lot　of　nonsense　talked　about　that　sort　of　thing。　　Women

don't　really　care；　it's　only　what's　put　into　their　heads。〃



〃That's　much　the　same　as　saying　to　a　starving　man：　'You　don't　really

want　anything；　it's　only　what's　put　into　your　head！'　　You　are　begging

the　question；　my　friend。〃



But　nothing　was　more　calculated　to　annoy　Halidome　than　to　tell　him　he

was　〃begging　the　question；〃　for　he　prided　himself　on　being　strong　in

logic。



〃That　be　d…d；〃　he　said。



〃Not　at　all；　old　chap。　　Here　is　a　case　where　a　woman　wants　her

freedom；　and　you　merely　answer　that　she　dogs　n't　want　it。〃



〃Women　like　that　are　impossible；　better　leave　them　out　of　court。〃



Shelton　pondered　this　and　smiled；　he　had　recollected　an　acquaintance

of　his　own；　who；　when　his　wife　had　left　him；　invented　the　theory　that

she　was　mad；　and　this　struck　him　now　as　funny。　　But　then　he　thought：

〃Poor　devil！　　he　was　bound　to　call　her　mad！　　If　he　didn't；　it　would

be　confessing　himself　distasteful；　however　true；　you　can't　expect　a

man　to　consider　himself　that。〃　　But　a　glance　at　his　friend's　eye

warned　him　that　he；　too；　might　think　his　wife　mad　in　such　a　case。



〃Surely；〃　he　said；　〃even　if　she's　his　wife；　a　man's　bound　to　behave

like　a　gentleman。〃



〃Depends　on　whether　she　behaves　like　a　lady。〃



〃Does　it？　　I　don't　see　the　connection。〃



Halidome　paused　in　the　act　of　turning　the　latch…key　in　his　door；

there　was　a　rather　angry　smile　in　his　fine　eyes。



〃My　dear　chap；〃　he　said；　〃you're　too　sentimental　altogether。〃



The　word　〃sentimental〃　nettled　Shelton。　　〃A　gentleman　either　is　a

gentleman　or　he　is　n't；　what　has　it　to　do　with　the　way　other　people

behave？〃



Halidome　turned　the　key　in　the　lock　and　opened　the　door　into　his

hall；　where　the　firelight　fell　on　the　decanters　and　huge　chairs　drawn

towards　the　blaze。



〃No；　Bird；〃　he　said；　resuming　his　urbanity；　and　gathering　his　coat…

tails　in　his　hands；　〃it's　all　very　well　to　talk；　but　wait　until

you're　married。　　A　man　must　be　master；　and　show　it；　too。〃



An　idea　occurred　to　Shelton。



〃Look　here；　Hal；〃　he　said：　〃what　should　you　do　if　your　wife　got　tired

of　you？〃



The　expression　on　Halidome's　face　was　a　mixture　of　amusement　and

contempt。



〃I　don't　mean　anything　personal；　of　course；　but　apply　the　situation

to　yourself。〃



Halidome　took　out　a　toothpick；　used　it　brusquely；　and　responded：



〃I　shouldn't　stand　any　humbugtake　her　travelling；　shake　her　mind

up。　　She'd　soon　come　round。〃



〃But　suppose　she　really　loathed　you？〃



Halidome　cleared　his　throat；　the　idea　was　so　obviously　indecent。　　How

could　anybody　loathe　him？　　With　great　composure；　however；　regarding

Shelton　as　if　he　were　a　forward　but　amusing　child；　he　answered：



〃There　are　a　great　many　things　to　be　taken　into　consideration。〃



〃It　appears　to　me；〃　said　Shelton；　〃to　be　a　question　of　common　pride。

How　can　you；　ask　anything　of　a　woman　who　doesn't　want　to　give　it。



His　friend's　voice　became　judicial。



〃A　man　ought　not　to　suffer；〃　he　said；　poring　over　his　whisky；

〃because　a　woman　gets　hysteria。　　You　have　to　think　of　Society；　your

children；　house；　money　arrangements；　a　thousand　things。　　It's　all

very　well　to　talk。　　How　do　you　like　this　whisky？〃



〃The　part　of　the　good　citizen；　in　fact；〃　said　Shelton；　〃self…

preservation！〃



〃Common…sense；〃　returned　his　friend；　〃I　believe　in　justice　before

sentiment。〃　　He　drank；　and　callously　blew　smoke　at　Shelton。

〃Besides；　there　are　many　people　with　religious　views　about　it。〃



〃It's　always　seemed　to　me；〃　said　Shelton；　〃to　be　quaint　that　people

should　assert　that　marriage　gives　them　the　right　to　'an　eye　for　an

eye；'　and　call　themselves　Christians。　　Did　you　ever　know　anybody

stand　on　their　rights　except　out　of　wounded　pride　or　for　the　sake　of

their　own　comfort？　　Let　them　call　their　reasons　what　they　like；　you

know　as　well　as　I　do　that　it's　cant。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　Halidome；　more　and　more　superior　as

Shelton　grew　more　warm；　〃when　you　stand　on　your　rights；　you　do　it　for

the　sake　of　Society　as　well　as　for　your　own。　　If　you　want　to　do　away

with　marriage；　why　don't　you　say　so？〃



〃But　I　don't；〃　said　Shelton：〃　is　it　likely？　　Why；　I'm　going…〃　　He

stopped　without　adding　the　words　〃to　be　married　myself；〃　for　it

suddenly　occurred　to　him　that　the　reason　was　not　the　most　lofty　and

philosophic　in　the　world。　　〃All　I　can　say　is；〃　he　went　on　soberly；

〃that　you　can't　make　a　horse　drink　by　driving　him。　　Generosity　is　the

surest　way　of　tightening　the　knot　with　people　who've　any　sense　of

decency；　as　to　the　rest；　the　chief　thing　is　to　prevent　their

breeding。〃



Halidome　smiled。



〃You're　a　rum　chap；〃　he　said。



Shelton　jerked　his　cigarette　into　the　fire。



〃I　tell　you　what〃for　late　at　night　a　certain　power　of　vision　came

to　him〃it's　humbug　to　talk　of　doing　things　for　the　sake　of　Society；

it's　nothing　but　the　instinct　to　keep　our　own　heads　above　the　water。〃



But　Halidome　remained　unruffled。



〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃call　it　that。　　I　don't　see　why　I　should　go　to

the　wall；　it　wouldn't　do　any　good。〃



〃You　admit；　then；〃　said　Shelton；　〃that　our　morality　is　the　sum　total

of　everybody's　private　instinct　of　self…preservation？〃



Halidome　stretched　his　splendid　frame　and　yawned。



〃I　don't　know；〃　he　began；　〃that　I　should　quite　call　it　that〃



But　the　compelling　complacency　of　his　fine　eyes；　the　dignified

posture　of　his　healthy　body；　the　lofty　slope　of　his　narrow　forehead；

the　perfectly　humane　look　of　his　cultivated　brutality；　struck　Shelton

as　ridiculous。



〃Hang　it；　Hall〃　he　cried；　jumping　from　his　chair；　〃what　an　old　fraud

you　are！　　I'll　be　off。〃



〃No；　look　here！〃　　said　Halidome；　the　faintest　shade　of　doubt　had

appeared　upon　his　face；　he　took　Shelton　by　a　lapel：　〃You're　quite

wrong…〃



〃Very　likely；　good…night；　old　chap！〃



Shelton　walked　home；　letting　the　spring　wind　into　him。　　It　was

Saturday；　and　he　passed　many　silent　couples。　　In　every　little　patch

of　shadow　he　could　see　two　forms　standing　or　sitting　close　together；

and　in　their　presence　Words　the　Impostors　seemed　to　hold　their

tongues。　　The　wind　rustled　the　buds；　the　stars；　one　moment　bright　as

diamonds；　vanished　the　next。　　In　the　lower　streets　a　large　part　of

the　world　was　under　the　influence　of　drink；　but　by　this　Shelton　was

far　from　being　troubled。　　It　seemed　better　than　Drama；　than　dressing…

bagged　men；　unruffled　women；　and　padded　points　of　view；　better　than

the　immaculate　solidity　of　his　friend's　possessions。



〃So；〃　he　reflected；　〃it's　right　for　every　reason；　social；　religious；

and　convenient；　to　inflict　one's　society　where　it's　not　desired。

There　are　obviously　advantages　about　the　married　state；　charming　to

feel　respectable　while　you're　acting　in　a　way　that　in　any　other　walk

of　life　would　bring　on　you　contempt。　　If　old　Halidome　showed　that　he

was　tired　of　me；　and　I　continued　to　visit　him；　he'd　think　me　a　bit　of

a　cad；　but　if　his　wife　were　to　tell　him　she　couldn't　stand　him；　he'd

still　consider　himself　a　perfect　gentleman　if　he　persisted　in　giving

her　the　burden　of　his　society；　and　he　has　the　cheek　to　bring　religion

into　ita　religion　that　says；　'Do　unto　others！'〃



But　in　this　he　was　unjust　to　Halidome；　forgetting　how　impossible　it

was　for　him　to　believe　that　a　woman　could　not　stand　him。　　He　reached

his　rooms；　and；　the　more　freely　to　enjoy　the　clear　lamplight；　the

soft；　gusty　breeze；　and　waning　turmoil　of　the　streets；　waited　a

moment　before　entering。



〃I　wonder；〃　thought　he；　〃if　I　shall　turn　out　a　cad　when　I　marry；　like

that　chap　in　the　play。　　It's　natural。　　We　all　want　our　money's　worth；

our　pound　of　…flesh！　　Pity　we　use　such　fine　words'Society；

Religion；　Morality。'　　Humbug！〃



He　went　in；　and；　throwing　his　window　open；　remained　there　a　long

time；　his　figure　outlined　against　the　lighted　room　for　the　benefit　of

the　dark　square　below；　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　his　head　down；　a

reflective　frown　about　his　eyes。　　A　half…intoxicated　old　ruffian；　a

policeman；　and　a　man　in　a　straw　hat　had　stopped　below；　and　were

holding　a　palaver。



〃Yus；〃　the　old　ruffian　said；　〃I'm　a　rackety　old　blank；　but　what　I　say

is；　if　we　wus　all　alike；　this　would　n't　be　a　world！〃



They　went　their　way；　and　before　the　listener's　eyes　there　rose

Antonia's　face；　with　its　unruffled　brow；　Halidome's；　all　health　and

dignity；　the　forehead　of　the　goggle…eyed　man；　with　its　line　of　hair

parted　in　the　centre；　and　brushed　across。　　A　light　seemed　to　illumine

the　plane　of　their　existence；　as　the　electric　lamp　with　the　green

shade　had　illumined　the　pages　of　the　Matthew　Arnold；　serene　before

Shelton's　vision　lay　that　Elysium；　untouched　by　passion　or　extremes

of　any　kind；　autocratic；　complacent；　possessive；　and　well…kept　as　any

Midland　landscape。　　Healthy；　wealthy；　wise！　　No　room　but　for

perfection；　self…preservation；　the　survival　of　the　fittest！　　〃The

part　of　the　good　citizen