the island pharisees-第21章

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envied　the　certainty　of　the　convictions　lying　under　that　well…parted

hair。



〃I　would　rather　we　were　men　first　and　then　Englishmen；〃　he　muttered；

〃I　think　it's　all　a　sort　of　national　illusion；　and　I　can't　stand

illusions。〃



〃If　you　come　to　that；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃the　world　lives　by

illusions。　　I　mean；　if　you　look　at　history；　you'll　see　that　the

creation　of　illusions　has　always　been　her　business；　don't　you　know。〃



This　Shelton　was　unable　to　deny。



〃So；〃　continued　the　soldier　（who　was　evidently　a　highly　cultivated

man）；　〃if　you　admit　that　movement；　labour；　progress；　and　all　that

have　been　properly　given　to　building　up　these　illusions；　thaterin

fact；　they're　what　you　might　callerthe　outcome　of　the　world's

crescendo；〃　he　rushed　his　voice　over　this　phrase　as　if　ashamed　of　it

〃why　do　you　want　to　destroy　them？〃



Shelton　thought　a　moment；　then；　squeezing　his　body　with　his　folded

arms；　replied：



〃The　past　has　made　us　what　we　are；　of　course；　and　cannot　be

destroyed；　but　how　about　the　future？　　It　's　surely　time　to　let　in

air。　　Cathedrals　are　very　fine；　and　everybody　likes　the　smell　of

incense；　but　when　they　've　been　for　centuries　without　ventilation　you

know　what　the　atmosphere　gets　like。〃



The　soldier　smiled。



〃By　your　own　admission；〃　he　said；　〃you'll　only　be　creating　a　fresh

set　of　illusions。〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Shelton；　〃but　at　all　events　they'll　be　the　honest

necessities　of　the　present。〃



The　pupils　of　the　soldier's　eyes　contracted；　he　evidently　felt　the

conversation　slipping　into　generalities；　he　answered：



〃I　can't　see　how　thinking　small　beer　of　ourselves　is　going　to　do　us

any　good！〃



An　〃　At　Home〃



Shelton　felt　in　danger　of　being　thought　unpractical　in　giving　vent　to

the　remark：



〃One　must　trust　one's　reason；　I　never　can　persuade　myself　that　I

believe　in　what　I　don't。〃



A　minute　later；　with　a　cordial　handshake；　the　soldier　left；　and

Shelton　watched　his　courteous　figure　shepherding　his　wife　away。



〃Dick；　may　I　introduce　you　to　Mr。　Wilfrid　Curly？〃　said　his　cousin's

voice　behind；　and　he　found　his　hand　being　diffidently　shaken　by　a

fresh…cheeked　youth　with　a　dome…like　forehead；　who　was　saying

nervously：



〃How　do　you　do？　　Yes；　I　am　very　well；　thank　you！〃



He　now　remembered　that　when　he　had　first　come　in　he　had　watched　this

youth；　who　had　been　standing　in　a　corner　indulging　himself　in　private

smiles。　　He　had　an　uncommon　look；　as　though　he　were　in　love　with

lifeas　though　he　regarded　it　as　a　creature　to　whom　one　could　put

questions　to　the　very　endinteresting；　humorous；　earnest　questions。

He　looked　diffident；　and　amiable；　and　independent；　and　he；　too；　was

evidently　English。



〃Are　you　good　at　argument？〃　said　Shelton；　at　a　loss　for　a　remark。



The　youth　smiled；　blushed；　and；　putting　back　his　hair；　replied：



〃YesnoI　don't　know；　I　think　my　brain　does　n't　work　fast　enough

for　argument。　　You　know　how　many　motions　of　the　brain…cells　go　to

each　remark。　　It　's　awfully　interesting〃；　and；　bending　from　the　waist

in　a　mathematical　position；　he　extended　the　palm　of　one　hand；　and

started　to　explain。



Shelton　stared　at　the　youth's　hand；　at　his　frowns　and　the　taps　he

gave　his　forehead　while　he　found　the　expression　of　his　meaning；　he

was　intensely　interested。　　The　youth　broke　off；　looked　at　his　watch；

and；　blushing　brightly；　said：



〃I　'm　afraid　I　have　to　go；　I　have　to　be　at　the　'Den'　before　eleven。〃



〃I　must　be　off；　too；〃　said　Shelton。　　Making　their　adieux　together；

they　sought　their　hats　and　coats。









CHAPTER　XIV



THE　NIGHT　CLUB



〃May　I　ask；〃　said　Shelton；　as　he　and　the　youth　came　out　into　the

chilly　street；　〃What　it　is　you　call　the　'Den'？〃



His　companion　smilingly　answered：



〃Oh；　the　night　club。　　We　take　it　in　turns。　　Thursday　is　my　night。

Would　you　like　to　come？　　You　see　a　lot　of　types。　　It's　only　round　the

corner。〃



Shelton　digested　a　momentary　doubt；　and　answered：



〃Yes；　immensely。〃



They　reached　the　corner　house　in　an　angle　of　a；　dismal　street；

through　the　open　door　of　which　two　men　had　just　gone　in。　　Following；

they　ascended　some　wooden；　fresh…washed　stairs；　and　entered　a　large

boarded　room　smelling　of　sawdust；　gas；　stale　coffee；　and　old　clothes。

It　was　furnished　with　a　bagatelle　board；　two　or　three　wooden　tables；

some　wooden　forms；　and　a　wooden　bookcase。　　Seated　on　these　wooden

chairs；　or　standing　up；　were　youths；　and　older　men　of　the　working

class；　who　seemed　to　Shelton　to　be　peculiarly　dejected。　　One　was

reading；　one　against　the　wall　was　drinking　coffee　with　a

disillusioned　air；　two　were　playing　chess；　and　a　group　of　four　made　a

ceaseless　clatter　with　the　bagatelle。



A　little　man　in　a　dark　suit；　with　a　pale　face；　thin　lips；　and　deep…

set；　black…encircled　eyes；　who　was　obviously　in　charge；　came　up　with

an　anaemic　smile。



〃You　're　rather　late；〃　he　said　to　Curly；　and；　looking　ascetically　at

Shelton；　asked；　without　waiting　for　an　introduction：　〃Do　you　play

chess？　　There　's　young　Smith　wants　a　game。〃



A　youth　with　a　wooden　face；　already　seated　before　a　fly…blown　chess…

board；　asked　him　drearily　if　he　would　have　black　or　white。　　Shelton

took　white；　he　was　oppressed　by　the　virtuous　odour　of　this　room。



The　little　man　with　the　deep　blue　eyes　came　up；　stood　in　an　uneasy

attitude；　and　watched：



〃Your　play's　improving；　young　Smith；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　think　you'd

be　able　to　give　Banks　a　knight。〃　　His　eyes　rested　on　Shelton；

fanatical　and　dreary；　his　monotonous　voice　was　suffering　and　nasal；

he　was　continually　sucking　in　his　lips；　as　though　determined　to

subdue　'the　flesh。　　〃You　should　come　here　often；〃　he　said　to　Shelton；

as　the　latter　received　checkmate；　〃you　'd　get　some　good　practice。

We've　several　very　fair　players。　　You're　not　as　good　as　Jones　or

Bartholomew；〃　he　added　to　Shelton's　opponent；　as　though　he　felt　it　a

duty　to　put　the　latter　in　his　place。　　〃You　ought　to　come　here　often；〃

he　repeated　to　Shelton；　〃we　have　a　lot　of　very　good　young　fellows〃；

and；　with　a　touch　of　complacence；　he　glanced　around　the　dismal　room。

〃There　are　not　so　many　here　tonight　as　usual。　　Where　are　Toombs　and

Body？〃



Shelton；　too；　looked　anxiously　around。　　He　could　not　help　feeling

sympathy　with　Toombs　and　Body。



〃They　're　getting　slack；　I'm　afraid；〃　said　the　little　deep…eyed　man。

〃Our　principle　is　to　amuse　everyone。　　Excuse　me　a　minute；　I　see　that

Carpenter　is　doing　nothing。〃　　He　crossed　over　to　the　man　who　had　been

drinking　coffee；　but　Shelton　had　barely　time　to　glance　at　his

opponent　and　try　to　think　of　a　remark；　before　the　little　man　was

back。　　〃Do　you　know　anything　about　astronomy？〃　he　asked　of　Shelton。

〃We　have　several　very　interested　in　astronomy；　if　you　could　talk　to

them　a　little　it　would　help。〃



Shelton　made　a　motion　of　alarm。



〃Please…no；〃　said　he；　〃I…〃



〃I　wish　you'd　come　sometimes　on　Wednesdays；　we　have　most　interesting

talks；　and　a　service　afterwards。　　We're　always　anxious　to　get　new

blood〃；　and　his　eyes　searched　Shelton's　brown；　rather　tough…looking

face；　as　though　trying　to　see　how　much　blood　there　was　in　it。　　〃Young

Curly　says　you　've　just　been　around　the　world；　you　could　describe

your　travels。〃



〃May　I　ask；〃　said　Shelton；　〃how　your　club　is　made　up？〃



Again　a　look　of　complacency；　and　blessed　assuagement；　visited　the

little　man。



〃Oh；〃　he　said；　〃we　take　anybody；　unless　there　's　anything　against

them。　　The　Day　Society　sees　to　that。　　Of　course；　we　shouldn't　take

anyone　if　they　were　to　report　against　them。　　You　ought　to　come　to　our

committee　meetings；　they're　on　Mondays　at　seven。　　The　women's　side；

too…〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Shelton；　〃you　're　very　kind…〃



〃We　should　be　pleased；〃　said　the　little　man；　and　his　face　seemed　to

suffer　more　than　ever。　　〃They　're　mostly　young　fellows　here　to…night；

but　we　have　married　men；　too。　　Of　course；　we　're　very　careful　about

that；〃　he　added　hastily；　as　though　he　might　have　injured　Shelto