the island pharisees-第22章

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that；〃　he　added　hastily；　as　though　he　might　have　injured　Shelton's

prejudices〃that；　and　drink；　and　anything　criminal；　you　know。〃



〃And　do　you　give　pecuniary　assistance；　too？〃



〃Oh　yes；〃　replied　the　little　man；　〃if　you　were　to　come　to　our

committee　meetings　you　would　see　for　yourself。　　Everything　is　most

carefully　gone　into；　we　endeavour　to　sift　the　wheat　from　the　chaff。〃



〃I　suppose；〃　said　Shelton；　〃you　find　a　great　deal　of　chaff？〃



The　little　man　smiled　a　suffering　smile。　　The　twang　of　his　toneless

voice　sounded　a　trifle　shriller。



〃I　was　obliged　to　refuse　a　man　to…daya　man　and　a　woman；　quite　young

people；　with　three　small　children。　　He　was　ill　and　out　of　work；　but

on　inquiry　we　found　that　they　were　not　man　and　wife。〃



There　was　a　slight　pause；　the　little　man's　eyes　were　fastened　on　his

nails；　and；　with　an　appearance　of　enjoyment；　he　began　to　bite　them。

Shelton's　face　had　grown　a　trifle　red。



〃And　what　becomes　of　the　woman　and　the　children　in　a　case　like　that？〃

he　said。



The　little　man's　eyes　began　to　smoulder。



〃We　make　a　point　of　not　encouraging　sin；　of　course。　　Excuse　me　a

minute；　I　see　they've　finished　bagatelle。〃



He　hurried　off；　and　in　a　moment　the　clack　of　bagatelle　began　again。

He　himself　was　playing　with　a　cold　and　spurious　energy；　running　after

the　balls　and　exhorting　the　other　players；　upon　whom　a　wooden

acquiescence　seemed　to　fall。



Shelton　crossed　the　room；　and　went　up　to　young　Curly。　　He　was　sitting

on　a　bench；　smiling　to　himself　his　private　smiles。



〃Are　you　staying　here　much　longer？〃　Shelton　asked。



Young　Curly　rose　with　nervous　haste。



〃I　'm　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃　there　's　nobody　very　interesting　here　to…

night。〃



〃Oh；　not　at　all！〃　　said　Shelton；　〃on　the　contrary。　　Only　I　've　had　a

rather　tiring　day；　and　somehow　I　don't　feel　up　to　the　standard　here。〃



His　new　acquaintance　smiled。



〃Oh；　really！　　do　you　thinkthat　is〃



But　he　had　not　time　to　finish　before　the　clack　of　bagatelle　balls

ceased；　and　the　voice　of　the　little　deep…eyed　man　was　heard　saying：

〃Anybody　who　wants　a　book　will　put　his　name　down。　　There　will　be　the

usual　prayer…meeting　on　Wednesday　next。　　Will　you　all　go　quietly？

I　am　going　to　turn　the　lights　out。〃



One　gas…jet　vanished；　and　the　remaining　jet　flared　suddenly。　　By　its

harder　glare　the　wooden　room　looked　harder　too；　and　disenchanting。

The　figures　of　its　occupants　began　filing　through　the　door。　　The

little　man　was　left　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　his　deep　eyes

smouldering　upon　the　backs　of　the　retreating　members；　his　thumb　and

finger　raised　to　the　turncock　of　the　metre。



〃Do　you　know　this　part？〃　asked　young　Curly　as　they　emerged　into　the

street。　　〃It　's　really　jolly；　one　of　the　darkest　bits　in　Londonit

is　really。　　If　you　care；　I　can　take　you　through　an　awfully　dangerous

place　where　the　police　never　go。〃　　He　seemed　so　anxious　for　the

honour　that　Shelton　was　loath　to　disappoint　him。　　〃I　come　here　pretty

often；〃　he　went　on；　as　they　ascended　a　sort　of　alley　rambling　darkly

between　a　wall　and　row　of　houses。



〃Why？〃　asked　Shelton；　〃it　does　n't　smell　too　nice。〃



The　young　man　threw　up　his　nose　and　sniffed；　as　if　eager　to　add　any

new　scent　that　might　be　about　to　his　knowledge　of　life。



〃No；　that's　one　of　the　reasons；　you　know；〃　he　said；　〃one　must　find

out。　　The　darkness　is　jolly；　too；　anything　might　happen　here。　　Last

week　there　was　a　murder；　there　's　always　the　chance　of　one。〃



Shelton　stared；　but　the　charge　of　morbidness　would　not　lie　against

this　fresh…cheeked　stripling。



〃There's　a　splendid　drain　just　here；〃　his　guide　resumed；　〃the　people

are　dying　like　flies　of　typhoid　in　those　three　houses〃；　and　under　the

first　light　he　turned　his　grave；　cherubic　face　to　indicate　the

houses。　　〃If　we　were　in　the　East　End；　I　could　show　you　other　places

quite　as　good。　　There's　a　coffee…stall　keeper　in　one　that　knows　all

the　thieves　in　London；　he　's　a　splendid　type；　but；〃　he　added；　looking

a　little　anxiously　at　Shelton；　〃it　might　n't　be　safe　for　you。　　With

me　it's　different；　they　're　beginning　to　know　me。　　I've　nothing　to

take；　you　see。〃



〃I'm　afraid　it　can't　be　to…night；〃　said　Shelton；　〃　I　must　get　back。〃



〃Do　you　mind　if　I　walk　with　you？　　It's　so　jolly　now　the　stars　are

out。〃



〃Delighted；〃　said　Shelton；　〃do　you　often　go　to　that　club？〃



His　companion　raised　his　hat；　and　ran　his　fingers　through　his　hair。



〃They　're　rather　too　high…class　for　me；〃　he　said。　　〃I　like　to　go

where　you　can　see　people　eatschool　treats；　or　somewhere　in　the

country。　　It　does　one　good　to　see　them　eat。　　They　don't　get　enough；

you　see；　as　a　rule；　to　make　bone；　it's　all　used　up　for　brain　and

muscle。　　There　are　some　places　in　the　winter　where　they　give　them

bread　and　cocoa；　I　like　to　go　to　those。〃



〃I　went　once；〃　said　Shelton；　〃　but　I　felt　ashamed　for　putting　my　nose

in。〃



〃Oh；　they　don't　mind；　most　of　them　are　half…dead　with　cold；　you　know。

You　see　splendid　types；　lots　of　dipsomaniacs　。　　。　　。　　。　　It　's　useful

to　me；〃　he　went　on　as　they　passed　a　police…station；　〃to　walk　about　at

night；　one　can　take　so　much　more　notice。　　I　had　a　jolly　night　last

week　in　Hyde　Park；　a　chance　to　study　human　nature　there。〃



〃And　do　you　find　it　interesting？〃　asked　Shelton。



His　companion　smiled。



〃Awfully；〃　he　replied；　〃I　saw　a　fellow　pick　three　pockets。〃



〃　What　did　you　do？〃



〃I　had　a　jolly　talk　with　him。〃



Shelton　thought　of　the　little　deep…eyed　man；　who　made　a　point　of　not

encouraging　sin。



〃He　was　one　of　the　professionals　from　Notting　Hill；　you　know；　told　me

his　life。　　Never　had　a　chance；　of　course。　　The　most　interesting　part

was　telling　him　I　'd　seen　him　pick　three　pocketslike　creeping　into

a　cave；　when　you　can't　tell　what　's　inside。〃



〃Well？〃



〃He　showed　me　what　he　'd　gotonly　fivepence　halfpenny。〃



〃And　what　became　of　your　friend？〃　asked　Shelton。



〃Oh；　went　off；　he　had　a　splendidly　low　forehead。〃



They　had　reached　Shelton's　rooms。



〃Will　you　come　in；〃　said　the　latter；　〃and　have　a　drink？〃



The　youth　smiled；　blushed；　and　shook　his　head。



〃No；　thank　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　to　walk　to　Whitechapel。　　I　'm

living　on　porridge　now；　splendid　stuff　for　making　bone。　　I　generally

live　on　porridge　for　a　week　at　the　end　of　every　month。　　It　's　the

best　diet　if　you're　hard　up〃；　once　more　blushing　and　smiling；　he　was

gone。



Shelton　went　upstairs　and　sat　down　on　his　bed。　　He　felt　a　little

miserable。　　Sitting　there；　slowly　pulling　out　the　ends　of　his　white

tie；　disconsolate；　he　had　a　vision　of　Antonia　with　her　gaze　fixed

wonderingly　on　him。　　And　this　wonder　of　hers　came　as　a　revelation

just　as　that　morning；　when；　looking　from　his　window；　he　had　seen　a

passer…by　stop　suddenly　and　scratch　his　leg；　and　it　had　come　upon　him

in　a　flash　that　that　man　had　thoughts　and　feelings　of　his　own。　　He

would　never　know　what　Antonia　really　felt　and　thought。　　〃Till　I　saw

her　at　the　station；　I　did　n't　know　how　much　I　loved　her　or　how　little

I　knew　her〃；　and；　sighing　deeply；　he　hurried　into　bed。









CHAPTER　XV



POLE　TO　POLE



The　waiting　in　London　for　July　to　come　was　daily　more　unbearable　to

Shelton；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　Ferrand；　who　still　came　to

breakfast；　he　would　have　deserted　the　Metropolis。　　On　June　first　the

latter　presented　himself　rather　later　than　was　his　custom；　and

announced　that；　through　a　friend；　he　had　heard　of　a　position　as

interpreter　to　an　hotel　at　Folkestone。



〃If　I　had　money　to　face　the　first　necessities；　he　said；　swiftly

turning　over　a　collection　of　smeared　papers　with　his　yellow　fingers；

as　if　searching　for　his　own　identity；　〃I　'd　leave　today。　　This　London

blackens　my　spirit。〃



〃Are　you　certain　to　get　this　place；〃　asked　Shelton。



〃I　think　so；〃　the　young　foreigner　replied；　〃I　've　got　some　good

enough　recommendations。〃



Shelton　could　not　help　a　dubious　glance　at　the　papers　in　his　hand。　　A

hurt　look　passed　on　to　Ferrand's