the island pharisees-第12章

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〃Now；　my　dear；〃　he　continued；　as　they　went　on；　〃do　you　tell　me　that

it's　decent　for　men　and　women　on　the　stage　to　writhe　about　like　eels？

Is　n't　life　bad　enough　already？〃



It　suddenly　struck　Shelton　that；　for　all　his　smile；　his　uncle's　face

had　a　look　of　crucifixion。　　It　was；　perhaps；　only　the　stronger

sunlight　in　the　open　spaces　of　Trafalgar　Square。



〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　I　prefer　the　truth。〃



〃Bad　endings　and　the　rest；〃　said　Mr。　Paramor；　pausing　under　one　of

Nelson's　lions　and　taking　Shelton　by　a　button。　　〃Truth　's　the　very

devil！〃



He　stood　there；　very　straight；　his　eyes　haunting　his　nephew's　face；

there　seemed　to　Shelton　a　touching　muddle　in　his　optimisma　muddle

of　tenderness　and　of　intolerance；　of　truth　and　second…handedness。

Like　the　lion　above　him；　he　seemed　to　be　defying　Life　to　make　him

look　at　her。



〃No；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　handing　sixpence　to　a　sweeper；　〃feelings　are

snakes！　only　fit　to　be　kept　in　bottles　with　tight　corks。　　You　won't

come　to　my　club？　　Well；　good…bye；　old　boy；　my　love　to　your　mother

when　you　see　her〃；　and　turning　up　the　Square；　he　left　Shelton　to　go

on　to　his　own　club；　feeling　that　he　had　parted；　not　from　his　uncle；

but　from　the　nation　of　which　they　were　both　members　by　birth　and

blood　and　education。









CHAPTER　VII



THE　CLUB



He　went　into　the　library　of　his　club；　and　took　up　Burke's　Peerage。

The　words　his　uncle　had　said　to　him　on　hearing　his　engagement　had

been　these：　〃Dennant！　　Are　those　the　Holm　Oaks　Dennants　？　　She　was　a

Penguin。〃



No　one　who　knew　Mr。　Paramor　connected　him　with　snobbery；　but　there

had　been　an　〃Ah！　that　's　right；　this　is　due　to　us〃　tone　about　the

saying。



Shelton　hunted　for　the　name　of　Baltimore：　〃Charles　Penguin；　fifth

Baron　Baltimore。　　Issue：　Alice；　b。　　184…；　m。　186…　Algernon　Dennant；

Esq。；　of　Holm　Oaks；　Cross　Eaton；　Oxfordshire。〃　　He　put　down　the

Peerage　and　took　up　the　'Landed　Gentry'：　〃Dennant；　Algernon　Cuffe；

eldest　son　of　the　late　Algernon　Cuffe　Dennant；　Esq。；　J。　P。；　and

Irene；　2nd　daur。　of　the　Honble。　Philip　and　Lady　Lillian　March　Mallow；

ed。　Eton　and　Ch。　Ch。；　Oxford；　J。　P。　for　Oxfordshire。　　Residence；　Holm

Oaks；〃　etc。；　etc。　　Dropping　the　'Landed　Gentry'；　he　took　up　a　volume

of　the　'Arabian　Nights'；　which　some　member　had　left　reposing　on　the

book…rest　of　his　chair；　but　instead　of　reading　he　kept　looking　round

the　room。　　In　almost　every　seat；　reading　or　snoozing；　were　gentlemen

who；　in　their　own　estimation；　might　have　married　Penguins。　　For　the

first　time　it　struck　him　with　what　majestic　leisureliness　they　turned

the　pages　of　their　books；　trifled　with　their　teacups；　or　lightly

snored。　　Yet　no　two　were　alikea　tall　man…with　dark　moustache；　thick

hair；　and　red；　smooth　cheeks；　another；　bald；　with　stooping　shoulders；

a　tremendous　old　buck；　with　a　grey；　pointed　beard　and　large　white

waistcoat；　a　clean…shaven　dapper　man　past　middle　age；　whose　face　was

like　a　bird's；　a　long；　sallow；　misanthrope；　and　a　sanguine　creature

fast　asleep。　　Asleep　or　awake；　reading　or　snoring；　fat　or　thin；　hairy

or　bald；　the　insulation　of　their　red　or　pale　faces　was　complete。

They　were　all　the　creatures　of　good　form。　　Staring　at　them　or　reading

the　Arabian　Nights　Shelton　spent　the　time　before　dinner。　　He　had　not

been　long　seated　in　the　dining…room　when　a　distant　connection

strolled　up　and　took　the　next　table。



〃Ah；　Shelton！　　Back？　　Somebody　told　me　you　were　goin'　round　the

world。〃　　He　scrutinised　the　menu　through　his　eyeglass。　　〃Clear　soup！

。　　。　　。　　Read　Jellaby's　speech？　　Amusing　the　way　he　squashes　all

those　fellows。　　Best　man　in　the　House；　he　really　is。〃



Shelton　paused　in　the　assimilation　of　asparagus；　he；　too；　had　been　in

the　habit　of　admiring　Jellaby；　but　now　he　wondered　why。　　The　red　and

shaven　face　beside　him　above　a　broad；　pure　shirt…front　was　swollen　by

good　humour；　his　small；　very　usual；　and　hard　eyes　were　fixed

introspectively　on　the　successful　process　of　his　eating。



〃Success！〃　　thought　Shelton；　suddenly　enlightened〃success　is　what

we　admire　in　Jellaby。　　We　all　want　success　。　　。　　。　　。　　Yes；〃　he

admitted；　〃a　successful　beast。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　his　neighbour；　〃I　forgot。　　You're　in　the　other　camp？〃



〃Not　particularly。　　Where　did　you　get　that　idea？〃



His　neighbour　looked　round　negligently。



〃Oh；〃　said　he；　〃I　somehow　thought　so〃；　and　Shelton　almost　heard　him

adding；　〃There's　something　not　quite　sound　about　you。〃



〃Why　do　you　admire　Jellaby？〃　he　asked。



〃Knows　his　own　mind；〃　replied　his　neighbour；　〃it　's　more　than　the

others　do　。　　。　　。　　。　　This　whitebait　is　n't　fit　for　cats！　　Clever

fellow；　Jellaby！　　No　nonsense　about　him！　　Have　you　ever　heard　him

speak？　　Awful　good　sport　to　watch　him　sittin'　on　the　Opposition。　　A

poor　lot　they　are！〃　　and　he　laughed；　either　from　appreciation　of

Jellaby　sitting　on　a　small　minority；　or　from　appreciation　of　the

champagne　bubbles　in　his　glass。



〃Minorities　are　always　depressing；〃　said　Shelton　dryly。



〃Eh？　　what？〃



〃I　mean；〃　said　Shelton；　〃it's　irritating　to　look　at　people　who　have

n't　a　chance　of　successfellows　who　make　a　mess　of　things；　fanatics；

and　all　that。〃



His　neighbour　turned　his　eyes　inquisitively。



〃Eryes；　quite；〃　said　he；　〃　don't　you　take　mint　sauce？　　It's　the

best　part　of　lamb；　I　always　think。〃



The　great　room　with　its　countless　little　tables；　arranged　so　that

every　man　might　have　the　support　of　the　gold　walls　to　his　back；　began

to　regain　its　influence　on　Shelton。　　How　many　times　had　he　not　sat

there；　carefully　nodding　to　acquaintances；　happy　if　he　got　the　table

he　was　used　to；　a　paper　with　the　latest　racing；　and　someone　to　gossip

with　who　was　not　a　bounder；　while　the　sensation　of　having　drunk

enough　stole　over　him。　　Happy！　　That　is；　happy　as　a　horse　is　happy

who　never　leaves　his　stall。



〃Look　at　poor　little　Bing　puffin'　about；〃　said　his　neighbour；

pointing　to　a　weazened；　hunchy　waiter。　　〃His　asthma's　awf'ly　bad；　you

can　hear　him　wheezin'　from　the　street。〃



He　seemed　amused。



〃There　's　no　such　thing　as　moral　asthma；　I　suppose？〃　said　Shelton。



His　neighbour　dropped　his　eyeglass。



〃Here；　take　this　away；　it's　overdone；〃　said　he。　　〃Bring　me　some

lamb。〃



Shelton　pushed　his　table　back。



〃Good…night；〃　he　said；　〃the　Stilton's　excellent！〃



His　neighbour　raised　his　brows；　and　dropped　his　eyes　again　upon　his

plate。



In　the　hall　Shelton　went　from　force　of　habit　to　the　weighing…scales

and　took　his　weight。　　〃Eleven　stone！〃　　he　thought；　〃gone　up！〃　and；

clipping　a　cigar；　he　sat　down　in　the　smoking…room　with　a　novel。



After　half　an　hour　he　dropped　the　book。　　There　seemed　something

rather　fatuous　about　this　story；　for　though　it　had　a　thrilling　plot；

and　was　full　of　well…connected　people；　it　had　apparently　been

contrived　to　throw　no　light　on　anything　whatever。　　He　looked　at　the

author's　name；　everyone　was　highly　recommending　it。　　He　began

thinking；　and　staring　at　the　fire　。　　。　　。　　。



Looking　up；　he　saw　Antonia's　second　brother；　a　young　man　in　the

Rifles；　bending　over　him　with　sunny　cheeks　and　lazy　smile；　clearly

just　a　little　drunk。



〃Congratulate　you；　old　chap！　　I　say；　what　made　you　grow　that

b…b…eastly　beard？〃



Shelton　grinned。



〃Pillbottle　of　the　Duchess！〃　　read　young　Dennant；　taking　up　the　book。

〃You　been　reading　that？　　Rippin'；　is　n't　it？〃



〃Oh；　ripping！〃　replied　Shelton。



〃Rippin'　plot！　　When　you　get　hold　of　a　novel　you　don't　want　any　rot

aboutwhat　d'you　call　it？psychology；　you　want　to　be　amused。〃



〃Rather！〃　　murmured　Shelton。



〃That's　an　awfully　good　bit　where　the　President　steals　her　diamonds

There's　old　Benjy！　　Hallo；　Benjy！〃



〃Hallo；　Bill；　old　man！〃



This　Benjy　was　a　young；　clean…shaven　creature；　whose　face　and　voice

and　manner　were　a　perfect　blend　of　steel　and　geniality。



In　addition　to　this　young　man　who　was　so　smooth　and　hard　and　cheery；

a　grey；　short…bearded　gentleman；　with　misanthropic　eyes；　called

Stroud；　came