the island pharisees-第14章

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uniformity　of　his　shaven　face；　but　the　well…bred；　artificial　smile　he

bent　upon　the　guests　had　its　wonted　steely　suavity。　　About　his　dress

and　his　neat　figure　was　that　studied　ease　which　lifts　men　from　the

ruck　of　common　bridegrooms。　　There　were　no　holes　in　his　armour

through　which　the　impertinent　might　pry。



〃Good　old　Benjy！〃　　whispered　young　Dennant；　〃I　say；　they　look　a　bit

short　of　class；　those　Casserols。〃



Shelton；　who　was　acquainted　with　this　family；　smiled。　　The　sensuous

sanctity　all　round　had　begun　to　influence　him。　　A　perfume　of　flowers

and　dresses　fought　with　the　natural　odour　of　the　church；　the　rustle

of　whisperings　and　skirts　struck　through　the　native　silence　of　the

aisles；　and　Shelton　idly　fixed　his　eyes　on　a　lady　in　the　pew　in

front；　without　in　the　least　desiring　to　make　a　speculation　of　this

sort；　he　wondered　whether　her　face　was　as　charming　as　the　lines　of

her　back　in　their　delicate；　skin…tight　setting　of　pearl　grey；　his

glance　wandered　to　the　chancel　with　its　stacks　of　flowers；　to　the

grave；　business　faces　of　the　presiding　priests；　till　the　organ　began

rolling　out　the　wedding　march。



〃They're　off！〃　　whispered　young　Dermant。



Shelton　was　conscious　of　a　shiver　running　through　the　audience　which

reminded　him　of　a　bullfight　he　had　seen　in　Spain。　　The　bride　came

slowly　up　the　aisle。　　〃Antonia　will　look　like　that；〃　he　thought；　〃and

the　church　will　be　filled　with　people　like　this　。　　。　　。　　。　　She'll　be

a　show　to　them！〃　　The　bride　was　opposite　him　now；　and　by　an　instinct

of　common　chivalry　he　turned　away　his　eyes；　it　seemed　to　him　a　shame

to　look　at　that　downcast　head　above　the　silver　mystery　of　her　perfect

raiment；　the　modest　head　full；　doubtless；　of　devotion　and　pure

yearnings；　the　stately　head　where　no　such　thought　as　〃How　am　I

looking；　this　day　of　all　days；　before　all　London？〃　had　ever　entered；

the　proud　head；　which　no　such　fear　as　〃How　am　I　carrying　it　off？〃

could　surely　be　besmirching。



He　saw　below　the　surface　of　this　drama　played　before　his　eyes；　and

set　his　face；　as　a　man　might　who　found　himself　assisting　at　a

sacrifice。　　The　words　fell；　unrelenting；　on　his　ears：　〃For　better；

for　worse；　for　richer；　for　poorer；　in　sickness　and　in　health〃　and

opening　the　Prayer　Book　he　found　the　Marriage　Service；　which　he　had

not　looked　at　since　he　was　a　boy；　and　as　he　read　he　had　some　very

curious　sensations。



All　this　would　soon　be　happening　to　himself！　　He　went　on　reading　in　a

kind　of　stupor；　until　aroused　by　his　companion　whispering；　〃No　luck！〃

All　around　there　rose　a　rustling　of　skirts；　he　saw　a　tall　figure

mount　the　pulpit　and　stand　motionless。　　Massive　and　high…featured；

sunken　of　eye；　he　towered；　in　snowy　cambric　and　a　crimson　stole；

above　the　blackness　of　his　rostrum；　it　seemed　he　had　been　chosen　for

his　beauty。　　Shelton　was　still　gazing　at　the　stitching　of　his　gloves；

when　once　again　the　organ　played　the　Wedding　March。　　All　were

smiling；　and　a　few　were　weeping；　craning　their　heads　towards　the

bride。　　〃Carnival　of　second…hand　emotions！〃　　thought　Shelton；　and　he；

too；　craned　his　head　and　brushed　his　hat。　　Then；　smirking　at　his

friends；　he　made　his　way　towards　the　door。



In　the　Casserols'　house　he　found　himself　at　last　going　round　the

presents　with　the　eldest　Casserol　surviving；　a　tall　girl　in　pale

violet；　who　had　been　chief　bridesmaid。



〃Did　n't　it　go　off　well；　Mr。　Shelton？〃　she　was　saying



〃Oh；　awfully！〃



〃I　always　think　it's　so　awkward　for　the　man　waiting　up　there　for　the

bride　to　come。〃



〃Yes；〃　murmured　Shelton。



〃Don't　you　think　it's　smart；　the　bridesmaids　having　no　hats？〃



Shelton　had　not　noticed　this　improvement；　but　he　agreed。



〃That　was　my　idea；　I　think　it　's　very　chic。　　They　've　had　fifteen

tea…sets…so　dull；　is　n't　it？〃



〃By　Jove！〃　　Shelton　hastened　to　remark。



〃Oh；　its　fearfully　useful　to　have　a　lot　of　things　you　don't　want；　of

course；　you　change　them　for　those　you　do。〃



The　whole　of　London　seemed　to　have　disgorged　its　shops　into　this

room；　he　looked　at　Miss　Casserol's　face；　and　was　greatly　struck　by

the　shrewd　acquisitiveness　of　her　small　eyes。



〃Is　that　your　future　brother…in…law？〃　she　asked；　pointing　to　Bill

Dennant　with　a　little　movement　of　her　chin；　〃I　think　he's　such　a

bright　boy。　　I　want　you　both　to　come　to　dinner；　and　help　to　keep

things　jolly。　　It's　so　deadly　after　a　wedding。〃



And　Shelton　said　they　would。



They　adjourned　to　the　hall　now；　to　wait　for　the　bride's　departure。

Her　face　as　she　came　down　the　stairs　was　impassive；　gay；　with　a

furtive　trouble　in　the　eyes；　and　once　more　Shelton　had　the　odd

sensation　of　having　sinned　against　his　manhood。　　Jammed　close　to　him

was　her　old　nurse；　whose　puffy；　yellow　face　was　pouting　with　emotion；

while　tears　rolled　from　her　eyes。　　She　was　trying　to　say　something；

but　in　the　hubbub　her　farewell　was　lost。　　There　was　a　scamper　to　the

carriage；　a　flurry　of　rice　and　flowers；　the　shoe　was　flung　against

the　sharply　drawn…up　window。　　Then　Benjy's　shaven　face　was　seen　a

moment；　bland　and　steely；　the　footman　folded　his　arms；　and　with　a

solemn　crunch　the　brougham　wheels　rolled　away。　　〃How　splendidly　it

went　off！〃　　said　a　voice　on　Shelton's　right。　　〃She　looked　a　little

pale；〃　said　a　voice　on　Shelton's　left。　　He　put　his　hand　up　to　his

forehead；　behind　him　the　old　nurse　sniffed。



〃Dick；〃　said　young　Dennant　in　his　ear；　〃this　isn't　good　enough；　I

vote　we　bolt。〃



Shelton　assenting；　they　walked　towards　the　Park；　nor　could　he　tell

whether　the　slight　nausea　he　experienced　was　due　to　afternoon

champagne　or　to　the　ceremony　that　had　gone　so　well。



〃What's　up　with　you？〃　asked　Dennant；　〃you　look　as　glum　as　any

m…monkey。〃



〃Nothing；〃　said　Shelton；　〃I　was　only　thinking　what　humbugs　we　all

are！〃



Bill　Dennant　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　crossing；　and　clapped　his

future　brother…in…law　upon　the　shoulder。



〃Oh；〃　said　he；　〃if　you're　going　to　talk　shop；　I　'm　off。〃









CHAPTER　IX



THE　DINNER



The　dinner　at　the　Casserols'　was　given　to　those　of　the　bride's

friends　who　had　been　conspicuous　in　the　day's　festivities。　　Shelton

found　himself　between　Miss　Casserol　and　a　lady　undressed　to　much　the

same　degree。　　Opposite　sat　a　man　with　a　single　diamond　stud；　a　white

waistcoat；　black　moustache；　and　hawk…like　face。　　This　was；　in　fact；

one　of　those　interesting　houses　occupied　by　people　of　the　upper

middle　class　who　have　imbibed　a　taste　for　smart　society。　　Its

inhabitants；　by　nature　acquisitive　and　cautious；　economical；

tenacious；　had　learnt　to　worship　the　word　〃smart。〃　　The　result　was　a

kind　of　heavy　froth；　an　air　of　thoroughly　domestic　vice。　　In　addition

to　the　conventionally　fast；　Shelton　had　met　there　one　or　two　ladies；

who；　having　been　divorced；　or　having　yet　to　be；　still　maintained

their　position　in　〃society。〃　　Divorced　ladies　who　did　not　so　maintain

their　place　were　never　to　be　found；　for　the　Casserols　had　a　great

respect　for　marriage。　　He　had　also　met　there　American　ladies　who　were

〃too　amusing〃never；　of　course；　American　men；　Mesopotamians　of　the

financial　or　the　racing　type；　and　several　of　those　gentlemen　who　had

been；　or　were　about　to　be；　engaged　in　a　transaction　which　might　or

again　might　not；　〃come　off；〃　and　in　conduct　of　an　order　which　might；

or　again　might　not　be　spotted。　　The　line　he　knew；　was　always　drawn　at

those　in　any　category　who　were　actually　found　out；　for　the　value　of

these　ladies　and　these　gentlemen　was　not　their　claim　to　pitynothing

so　sentimentalbut　their　〃smartness；〃　clothes；　jokes；　racing　tips；

their　〃bridge　parties；〃　and　their　motors。



In　sum；　the　house　was　one　whose　fundamental　domesticity　attracted　and

sheltered　those　who　were　too　〃smart〃　to　keep　their　heads　for　long

above　the　water。



His　host；　a　grey；　clean…shaven　city　man；　with　a　long　upper　lip；　was

trying　to　understand　a　lady　the　audacity　of　whose　speech　came　ringing

down　the　table。　　Shelton　himself　had　given　up　the　effort　with　his

neighbours；　and　m