the island pharisees-第15章

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

neighbours；　and　made　love　to　his　dinner；　which；　surviving　the

incoherence　of　the　atmosphere；　emerged　as　a　work　of　art。　　It　was　with

surprise　that　he　found　Miss　Casserol　addressing　him。



〃I　always　say　that　the　great　thing　is　to　be　jolly。　　If　you　can't　find

anything　to　make　you　laugh；　pretend　you　do；　it's　so　much　'smarter　to

be　amusin'。　　Now　don't　you　agree？〃



The　philosophy　seemed　excellent。



〃We　can't　all　be　geniuses；　but　we　can　all　look　jolly。〃



Shelton　hastened　to　look　jolly。



〃I　tell　the　governor；　when　he　's　glum；　that　I　shall　put　up　the

shutters　and　leave　him。　　What's　the　good　of　mopin'　and　lookin'

miserable？　　Are　you　going　to　the　Four…in…Hand　Meet？　　We're　making　a

party。　　Such　fun；　all　the　smart　people！〃



The　splendour　of　her　shoulders；　her　frizzy　hair　（clearly　not　two

hours　out　of　the　barber's　hands）；　might　have　made　him　doubtful；　but

the　frank　shrewdness　in　her　eyes；　and　her　carefully　clipped　tone　of

voice；　were　guarantees　that　she　was　part　of　the　element　at　the　table

which　was　really　quite　respectable。　　He　had　never　realised　before　how

〃smart〃　she　was；　and　with　an　effort　abandoned　himself　to　a　sort　of

gaiety　that　would　have　killed　a　Frenchman。



And　when　she　left　him；　he　reflected　upon　the　expression　of　her　eyes

when　they　rested　on　a　lady　opposite；　who　was　a　true　bird…of…prey。

〃What　is　it；〃　their　envious；　inquisitive　glance　had　seemed　to　say；

〃that　makes　you　so　really　'　smart'？〃　　And　while　still　seeking　for　the

reason；　he　noticed　his　host　pointing　out　the　merits　of　his　port　to

the　hawk…like　man；　with　a　deferential　air　quite　pitiful　to　see；　for

the　hawk…like　man　was　clearly　a　〃bad　hat。〃　　What　in　the　name　of

goodness　did　these　staid　bourgeois　mean　by　making　up　to　vice？　　Was　it

a　craving　to　be　thought　distinguished；　a　dread　of　being　dull；　or

merely　an　effect　of　overfeeding？　　Again　he　looked　at　his　host；　who

had　not　yet　enumerated　all　the　virtues　of　his　port；　and　again　felt

sorry　for　him。



〃So　you're　going　to　marry　Antonia　Dennant？　　said　a　voice　on　his

right；　with　that　easy　coarseness　which　is　a　mark　of　caste。　　〃Pretty

girl！　　They've　a　nice　place；　the；　Dennants。　　D'　ye　know；　you're　a

lucky　feller！〃



The　speaker　was　an　old　baronet；　with　small　eyes；　a　dusky；　ruddy　face；

and　peculiar　hail…fellow…well…met　expression；　at　once　morose　and　sly。

He　was　always　hard　up；　but　being　a　man　of　enterprise　knew　all　the

best　people；　as　well　as　all　the　worst；　so　that　he　dined　out　every

night。



〃You're　a　lucky　feller；〃　he　repeated；　〃he's　got　some　deuced　good

shootin'；　Dennant！　　They　come　too　high　for　me；　though；　never　touched

a　feather　last　time　I　shot　there。　　She's　a　pretty　girl。　　You　're　a

lucky　feller！〃



〃I　know　that；〃　said　Shelton　humbly。



〃Wish　I　were　in　your　shoes。　　Who　was　that　sittin'　on　the　other　side

of　you？　　I'm　so　dashed　short…sighted。　　Mrs。　Carruther？　　Oh；　ay！〃　　An

expression　which；　if　he　had　not　been　a　baronet；　would　have　been　a

leer；　came　on　his　lips。



Shelton　felt　that　he　was　referring　to　the　leaf　in　his　mental　pocket…

book　covered　with　the　anecdotes；　figures；　and　facts　about　that　lady。

〃The　old　ogre　means；〃　thought　he；　〃that　I'm　lucky　because　his　leaf　is

blank　about　Antonia。〃　　But　the　old　baronet　had　turned；　with　his

smile；　and　his　sardonic；　well…bred　air；　to　listen　to　a　bit　of　scandal

on　the　other　side。



The　two　men　to　Shelton's　left　were　talking。



〃What！　　You　don't　collect　anything？　　How's　that？　　Everybody　collects

something。　　I　should　be　lost　without　my　pictures。〃



〃No；　I　don't　collect　anything。　　Given　it　up；　I　was　too　awfully　had

over　my　Walkers。〃



Shelton　had　expected　a　more　lofty　reason；　he　applied　himself　to　the

Madeira　in　his　glass。　　That；　had　been　〃collected〃　by　his　host；　and

its　price　was　going　up！　　You　couldn't　get　it　every　day；　worth　two

guineas　a　bottle！　　How　precious　the　idea　that　other　people　couldn't

get　it；　made　it　seem！　　Liquid　delight；　the　price　was　going　up！　　Soon

there　would　be　none　left；　immense！　　Absolutely　no　one；　then；　could

drink　it！



〃Wish　I　had　some　of　this；〃　said　the　old　baronet；　〃but　I　have　drunk

all　mine。〃



〃Poor　old　chap！〃　　thought　Shelton；　〃after　all；　he's　not　a　bad　old

boy。　　I　wish　I　had　his　pluck。　　His　liver　must　be　splendid。〃



The　drawing…room　was　full　of　people　playing　a　game　concerned　with

horses　ridden　by　jockeys　with　the　latest　seat。　　And　Shelton　was

compelled　to　help　in　carrying　on　this　sport　till　early　in　the

morning。　　At　last　he　left；　exhausted　by　his　animation。



He　thought　of　the　wedding；　he　thought　over　his　dinner　and　the　wine

that　he　had　drunk。　　His　mood　of　satisfaction　fizzled　out。　　These

people　were　incapable　of　being　real；　even　the　smartest；　even　the　most

respectable；　they　seemed　to　weigh　their　pleasures　in　the　scales　and

to　get　the　most　that　could　be　gotten　for　their　money。



Between　the　dark；　safe　houses　stretching　for　miles　and　miles；　his

thoughts　were　of　Antonia；　and　as　he　reached　his　rooms　he　was

overtaken　by　the　moment　when　the　town　is　born　again。　　The　first　new

air　had　stolen　down；　the　sky　was　living；　but　not　yet　alight；　the

trees　were　quivering　faintly；　no　living　creature　stirred；　and　nothing

spoke　except　his　heart。　　Suddenly　the　city　seemed　to　breathe；　and

Shelton　saw　that　he　was　not　alone；　an　unconsidered　trifle　with

inferior　boots　was　asleep　upon　his　doorstep。









CHAPTER　X



AN　ALIEN



The　individual　on　the　doorstep　had　fallen　into　slumber　over　his　own

knees。　　No　greater　air　of　prosperity　clung　about　him　than　is　conveyed

by　a　rusty　overcoat　and　wisps　of　cloth　in　place　of　socks。　　Shelton

endeavoured　to　pass　unseen；　but　the　sleeper　woke。



〃Ah；　it's　you；　monsieur！〃　he　said　〃I　received　your　letter　this

evening；　and　have　lost　no　time。〃　　He　looked　down　at　himself　and

tittered；　as　though　to　say；　〃But　what　a　state　I　'm　in！〃



The　young　foreigner's　condition　was　indeed　more　desperate　than　on　the

occasion　of　their　first　meeting；　and　Shelton　invited　him　upstairs。



〃You　can　well　understand；〃　stammered　Ferrand；　following　his　host；

〃that　I　did　n't　want　to　miss　you　this　time。　　When　one　is　like　this〃

and　a　spasm　gripped　his　face。



〃I　'm　very　glad　you　came；〃　said　Shelton　doubtfully。



His　visitor's　face　had　a　week's　growth　of　reddish　beard；　the　deep　tan

of　his　cheeks　gave　him　a　robust　appearance　at　variance　with　the　fit

of；　trembling　which　had　seized　on　him　as　soon　as　he　had　entered。



〃Sit　down…sit　down；〃　said　Shelton；　〃you　're　feeling　ill！〃



Ferrand　smiled。　　〃It's　nothing；〃　said　he；　〃bad　nourishment。〃



Shelton　left　him　seated　on　the　edge　of　an　armchair；　and　brought　him

in　some　whisky。



〃Clothes；〃　said　Ferrand；　when　he　had　drunk；　〃are　what　I　want。　　These

are　really　not　good　enough。〃



The　statement　was　correct；　and　Shelton；　placing　some　garments　in　the

bath…room；　invited　his　visitor　to　make　himself　at　home。　　While　the

latter；　then；　was　doing　this；　Shelton　enjoyed　the　luxuries　of　self…

denial；　hunting　up　things　he　did　not　want；　and　laying　them　in　two

portmanteaus。　　This　done；　he　waited　for　his　visitor's　return。



The　young　foreigner　at　length　emerged；　unshaved　indeed；　and　innocent

of　boots；　but　having　in　other　respects　an　air　of　gratifying

affluence。



〃This　is　a　little　different；〃　he　said。　　〃The　boots；　I　fear〃and；

pulling　down　his；　or　rather　Shelton's；　socks　he　exhibited　sores　the

size　of　half　a　crown。　　〃One　does　n't　sow　without　reaping　some　harvest

or　another。　　My　stomach　has　shrunk；〃　he　added　simply。　　〃To　see　things

one　must　suffer。　　'Voyager；　c'est　plus　fort　que　moi'！〃



Shelton　failed　to　perceive　that　this　was　one　way　of　disguising　the

human　animal's　natural　dislike　of　workthere　was　a　touch　of　pathos；

a　suggestion　of　God…knows…what…might…have…been；　about　this　fellow。





〃I　have　eaten　my　illusions；〃　said　the　young　foreigner；　smoking　a

cigarette。　　〃When　you've　starved　a　few　times；　your　eyes　are　opened。

'Savoir；　c'est　m