the island pharisees-第26章

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was　stealing　again　upon　the　moor。　　They　were　nearing　the　outskirt

fields　of　cultivation。　　It　was　past　five　when；　dropping　from　the

level　of　the　tors；　they　came　into　the　sunny　vale　of　Monkland。



〃They　say；〃　said　Crocker；　reading　from　his　guide…book〃they　say　this

place　occupies　a　position　of　unique　isolation。〃



The　two　travellers；　in　tranquil　solitude；　took　their　seats　under　an

old　lime…tree　on　the　village　green。　　The　smoke　of　their　pipes；　the

sleepy　air；　the　warmth　from　the　baked　ground；　the　constant　hum；　made

Shelton　drowsy。



〃Do　you　remember；〃　his　companion　asked；　〃those　'jaws'　you　used　to

have　with　Busgate　and　old　Halidome　in　my　rooms　on　Sunday　evenings？

How　is　old　Halidome？〃



〃Married；〃　replied　Shelton。



Crocker　sighed。　〃And　are　you？〃　he　asked。



〃Not　yet；〃　said　Shelton　grimly；　〃I　'mengaged。〃



Crocker　took　hold　of　his　arm　above　the　elbow；　and；　squeezing　it；　he

grunted。　　Shelton　had　not　received　congratulations　that　pleased　him

more；　there　was　the　spice　of　envy　in　them。



〃I　should　like　to　get　married　while　I　'm　home；〃　said　the　civilian

after　a　long　pause。　　His　legs　were　stretched　apart；　throwing　shadows

on　the　green；　his　hands　deep　thrust　into　his　pockets；　his　head　a

little　to　one　side。　　An　absent…minded　smile　played　round　his　mouth。



The　sun　had　sunk　behind　a　tor；　but　the　warmth　kept　rising　from　the

ground；　and　the　sweet…briar　on　a　cottage　bathed　them　with　its　spicy

perfume。　　From　the　converging　lanes　figures　passed　now　and　then；

lounged　by；　staring　at　the　strangers；　gossiping　amongst　themselves；

and　vanished　into　the　cottages　that　headed　the　incline。　　A　clock

struck　seven；　and　round　the　shady　lime…tree　a　chafer　or　some　heavy

insect　commenced　its　booming　rushes。　　All　was　marvellously　sane　and

slumbrous。　　The　soft　air；　the　drawling　voices；　the　shapes　and

murmurs；　the　rising　smell　of　wood…smoke　from　fresh…kindled　fires

were　full　of　the　spirit　of　security　and　of　home。　　The　outside　world

was　far　indeed。　　Typical　of　some　island　nation　was　this　nest　of

refugewhere　men　grew　quietly　tall；　fattened；　and　without　fuss

dropped　off　their　perches；　where　contentment　flourished；　as

sunflowers　flourished　in　the　sun。



Crocker's　cap　slipped　off；　he　was　nodding；　and　Shelton　looked　at　him。

》From　a　manor　house　in　some　such　village　he　had　issued；　to　one　of　a

thousand　such　homes　he　would　find　his　way　at　last；　untouched　by　the

struggles　with　famines　or　with　plagues；　uninfected　in　his　fibre；　his

prejudices；　and　his　principles；　unchanged　by　contact　with　strange

peoples；　new　conditions；　odd　feelings；　or　queer　points　of　view！



The　chafer　buzzed　against　his　shoulder；　gathered　flight　again；　and

boomed　away。　　Crocker　roused　himself；　and；　turning　his　amiable　face；

jogged　Shelton's　arm。



〃What　are　you　thinking　about；　Bird？〃　he　asked。









CHAPTER　XVII



A　PARSON



Shelton　continued　to　travel　with　his　college　friend；　and　on　Wednesday

night；　four　days　after　joining　company；　they　reached　the　village　of

Dowdenhame。　　All　day　long　the　road　had　lain　through　pastureland；　with

thick　green　hedges　and　heavily　feathered　elms。　　Once　or　twice　they

had　broken　the　monotony　by　a　stretch　along　the　towing…path　of　a

canal；　which；　choked　with　water…lily　plants　and　shining　weeds；

brooded　sluggishly　beside　the　fields。　　Nature；　in　one　of　her　ironic

moods；　had　cast　a　grey　and　iron…hard　cloak　over　all　the　country's

bland　luxuriance。　　From　dawn　till　darkness　fell　there　had　been　no

movement　in　the　steely　distant　sky；　a　cold　wind　ruffed　in　the　hedge…

tops；　and　sent　shivers　through　the　branches　of　the　elms。　　The　cattle；

dappled；　pied；　or　bay；　or　white；　continued　grazing　with　an　air　of

grumbling　at　their　birthright。　　In　a　meadow　close　to　the　canal

Shelton　saw　five　magpies；　and　about　five　o'clock　the　rain　began；　a

steady；　coldly…sneering　rain；　which　Crocker；　looking　at　the　sky；

declared　was　going　to　be　over　in　a　minute。　　But　it　was　not　over　in　a

minute；　they　were　soon　drenched。　　Shelton　was　tired；　and　it　annoyed

him　very　much　that　his　companion；　who　was　also　tired；　should　grow

more　cheerful。　　His　thoughts　kept　harping　upon　Ferrand：　〃This　must　be

something　like　what　he　described　to　me；　tramping　on　and　on　when

you're　dead…beat；　until　you　can　cadge　up　supper　and　a　bed。〃　　And

sulkily　he　kept　on　ploughing　through　the　mud　with　glances　at　the

exasperating　Crocker；　who　had　skinned　one　heel　and　was　limping

horribly。　　It　suddenly　came　home　to　him　that　life　for　three　quarters

of　the　world　meant　physical　exhaustion　every　day；　without　a

possibility　of　alternative；　and　that　as　soon　as；　for　some　cause

beyond　control；　they　failed　thus　to　exhaust　themselves；　they　were

reduced　to　beg　or　starve。　　〃And　then　we；　who　don't　know　the　meaning

of　the　word　exhaustion；　call　them　'idle　scamps；'〃　he　said　aloud。



It　was　past　nine　and　dark　when　they　reached　Dowdenhame。　　The　street

yielded　no　accommodation；　and　while　debating　where　to　go　they　passed

the　church；　with　a　square　tower；　and　next　to　it　a　house　which　was

certainly　the　parsonage。



〃Suppose；〃　said　Crocker；　leaning　on　his　arms　upon　the　gate；　〃we　ask

him　where　to　go〃；　and；　without　waiting　for　Shelton's　answer；　he　rang

the　bell。



The　door　was　opened　by　the　parson；　a　bloodless　and　clean…shaven　man；

whose　hollow　cheeks　and　bony　hands　suggested　a　perpetual　struggle。

Ascetically　benevolent　were　his　grey　eyes；　a　pale　and　ghostly　smile

played　on　the　curves　of　his　thin　lips。



〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　he　asked。　　〃Inn？　yes；　there's　the　Blue

Chequers；　but　I　'm　afraid　you　'll　find　it　shut。　　They　're　early

people；　I　'm　glad　to　say〃；　and　his　eyes　seemed　to　muse　over　the

proper　fold　for　these　damp　sheep。　　〃Are　you　Oxford　men；　by　any

chance？〃　he　asked；　as　if　that　might　throw　some　light　upon　the　matter。

〃Of　Mary's？　　Really！　　I'm　of　Paul's　myself。　　LadymanBillington

Ladyman；　you　might　remember　my　youngest　brother。　　I　could　give　you　a

room　here　if　you　could　manage　without　sheets。　　My　housekeeper　has　two

days'　holiday；　she's　foolishly　taken　the　keys。〃



Shelton　accepted　gladly；　feeling　that　the　intonation　in　the　parson's

voice　was　necessary　unto　his　calling；　and　that　he　did　not　want　to

patronise。



〃You　're　hungry；　I　expect；　after　your　tramp。　　I'm　very　much　afraid

there　'sernothing　in　the　house　but　bread；　I　could　boil　you　water；

hot　lemonade　is　better　than　nothing。



Conducting　them　into　the　kitchen；　he　made　a　fire；　and　put　a　kettle　on

to　boil；　then；　after　leaving　them　to　shed　their　soaking　clothes；

returned　with　ancient；　greenish　coats；　some　carpet　slippers；　and　some

blankets。　　Wrapped　in　these；　and　carrying　their　glasses；　the

travellers　followed　to　the　study；　where；　by　doubtful　lamp…light；　he

seemed；　from　books　upon　the　table；　to　have　been　working　at　his

sermon。



〃We　're　giving　you　a　lot　of　trouble；〃　said　Shelton；　〃it's　really　very

good　of　you。〃



〃Not　at　all；〃　the　parson　answered；　I'm　only　grieved　the　house　is

empty。〃



It　was　a　truly　dismal　contrast　to　the　fatness　of　the　land　they　had

been　passing　through；　and　the　parson's　voice　issuing　from　bloodless

lips；　although　complacent；　was　pathetic。　　It　was　peculiar；　that　voice

of　his；　seeming　to　indicate　an　intimate　acquaintanceship　with　what

was　fat　and　fine；　to　convey　contempt　for　the　vulgar　need　of　money；

while　all　the　time　his　eyesthose　watery；　ascetic　eyesas　plain　as

speech　they　said；　〃Oh；　to　know　what　it　must　be　like　to　have　a　pound

or　two　to　spare　just　once　a　year；　or　so！〃



Everything　in　the　room　had　been　bought　for　cheapness；　no　luxuries

were　there；　and　necessaries　not　enough。　　It　was　bleak　and　bare；　the

ceiling　cracked；　the　wall…paper　discoloured；　and　those　booksprim；

shining　books；　fat…backed；　with　arms　stamped　on　themglared　in　the

surrounding　barrenness。



〃My　predecessor；〃　said　the　parson；　〃played　rather　havoc　with　the

house。　　The　poor　fellow　had　a　dreadful　struggle；　I　was　told。　　You

can；　unfortunately；　expect　nothing　else　these　days；　when　livings　have

come　down　so　terri