the island pharisees-第32章

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perjury　that　mattered　（all　this　he　made　quite　clear）it　was　Antonia。

It　was　not　fair　to　her　to　put　himself　in　such　a　false　position；　in

fact；　not　decent。



He　breakfasted。　　In　the　room　were　some　Americans；　and　the　face　of　one

young　girl　reminded　him　a　little　of　Antonia。　　Fainter　and　fainter

grew　the　incident；　it　seemed　to　have　its　right　proportions。



Two　hours　later；　looking　at　the　clock；　he　found　that　it　was　lunch…

time。　　He　had　not　gone；　had　not　committed　perjury；　but　he　wrote　to　a

daily　paper；　pointing　out　the　danger　run　by　the　community　from　the

power　which　a　belief　in　their　infallibility　places　in　the　hands　of

the　policehow；　since　they　are　the　sworn　abettors　of　right　and

justice；　their　word　is　almost　necessarily　taken　to　be　gospel；　how　one

and　all　they　hang　together；　from　mingled　interest　and　esprit　de

corps。　　Was　it　not；　he　said；　reasonable　to　suppose　that　amongst

thousands　of　human　beings　invested　with　such　opportunities　there

would　be　found　bullies　who　would　take　advantage　of　them；　and　rise　to

distinction　in　the　service　upon　the　helplessness　of　the　unfortunate

and　the　cowardice　of　people　with　anything　to　lose？　　Those　who　had　in

their　hands　the　sacred　duties　of　selecting　a　practically

irresponsible　body　of　men　were　bound；　for　the　sake　of　freedom　and

humanity；　to　exercise　those　duties　with　the　utmost　care　and

thoroughness　。　　。　　。　　。



However　true；　none　of　this　helped　him　to　think　any　better　of　himself

at　heart；　and　he　was　haunted　by　the　feeling　that　a　stout　and　honest

bit　of　perjury　was　worth　more　than　a　letter　to　a　daily　paper。



He　never　saw　his　letter　printed；　containing；　as　it　did；　the　germs　of

an　unpalatable　truth。



In　the　afternoon　he　hired　a　horse；　and　galloped　on　Port　Meadow。　　The

strain　of　his　indecision　over；　he　felt　like　a　man　recovering　from　an

illness；　and　he　carefully　abstained　from　looking　at　the　local　papers。

There　was　that　within　him；　however；　which　resented　the　worsting　of

his　chivalry。









CHAPTER　XX



HOLM　OAKS



Holm　Oaks　stood　back　but　little　from　the　roadan　old　manor…house；

not　set　upon　display；　but　dwelling　close　to　its　barns；　stables；　and

walled　gardens；　like　a　good　mother；　long；　flat…roofed；　red；　it　had

Queen　Anne　windows；　on　whose　white…framed　diamond　panes　the　sunbeams

glinted。



In　front　of　it　a　fringe　of　elms；　of　all　trees　the　tree　of　most

established　principle；　bordered　the　stretch　of　turf　between　the

gravel　drive　and　road；　and　these　elms　were　the　homes　of　rooks　of　all

birds　the　most　conventional。　　A　huge　aspenimpressionable　creature

shivered　and　shook　beyond；　apologising　for　appearance　among　such

imperturbable　surroundings。　　It　was　frequented　by　a　cuckoo；　who　came

once　a　year　to　hoot　at　the　rules　of　life；　but　seldom　made　long　stay；

for　boys　threw　stones　at　it；　exasperated　by　the　absence　of　its

morals。



The　village　which　clustered　in　the　dip　had　not　yet　lost　its　dread　of

motor…cars。　　About　this　group　of　flat…faced　cottages　with　gabled

roofs　the　scent　of　hay；　manure；　and　roses　clung　continually；　just　now

the　odour　of　the　limes　troubled　its　servile　sturdiness。　　Beyond　the

dip；　again；　a　square…towered　church　kept　within　grey　walls　the　record

of　the　village　flock；　births；　deaths；　and　marriageseven　the　births

of　bastards；　even　the　deaths　of　suicidesand　seemed　to　stretch　a

hand　invisible　above　the　heads　of　common　folk　to　grasp　the　forgers　of

the　manor…house。　　Decent　and　discreet；　the　two　roofs　caught　the　eye

to　the　exclusion　of　all　meaner　dwellings；　seeming　to　have　joined　in　a

conspiracy　to　keep　them　out　of　sight。



The　July　sun　had　burned　his　face　all　the　way　from　Oxford；　yet　pale

was　Shelton　when　he　walked　up　the　drive　and　rang　the　bell。



〃Mrs。　Dennant　at　home；　Dobson？〃　he　asked　of　the　grave　butler；　who；

old　servant　that　he　was；　still　wore　coloured　trousers　（for　it　was　not

yet　twelve　o'clock；　and　he　regarded　coloured　trousers　up　to　noon　as　a

sacred　distinction　between　the　footmen　and　himself）。



〃Mrs。　Dennant；〃　replied　this　personage；　raising　his　round　and

hairless　face；　while　on　his　mouth　appeared　that　apologetic　pout　which

comes　of　living　with　good　families〃Mrs。　Dennant　has　gone　into　the

village；　sir；　but　Miss　Antonia　is　in　the　morning…room。〃



Shelton　crossed　the　panelled；　low…roofed　hall；　through　whose　far　side

the　lawn　was　visible；　a　vision　of　serenity。　　He　mounted　six　wide；

shallow　steps；　and　stopped。　　From　behind　a　closed　door　there　came　the

sound　of　scales；　and　he　stood；　a　prey　to　his　emotions；　the　notes

mingling　in　his　ears　with　the　beating　of　his　heart。　　He　softly　turned

the　handle；　a　fixed　smile　on　his　lips。



Antonia　was　at　the　piano；　her　head　was　bobbing　to　the　movements　of

her　fingers；　and　pressing　down　the　pedals　were　her　slim　monotonously

moving　feet。　　She　had　been　playing　tennis；　for　a　racquet　and　her　tam…

o'…shanter　were　flung　down；　and　she　was　dressed　in　a　blue　skirt　and

creamy　blouse；　fitting　collarless　about　her　throat。　　Her　face　was

flushed；　and　wore　a　little　frown；　and　as　her　fingers　raced　along　the

keys；　her　neck　swayed；　and　the　silk　clung　and　shivered　on　her　arms。



Shelton's　eyes　fastened　on　the　silent；　counting　lips；　on　the　fair

hair　about　her　forehead；　the　darker　eyebrows　slanting　down　towards

the　nose；　the　undimpled　cheeks　with　the　faint　finger…marks　beneath

the　ice…blue　eyes；　the　softly…pouting　and　undimpled　chin；　the　whole

remote；　sweet；　suntouched；　glacial　face。



She　turned　her　head；　and；　springing　up；　cried：



〃Dick！　　What　fun！〃　　She　gave　him　both　her　hands；　but　her　smiling　face

said　very　plainly；　〃Oh；　don't　let　us　be　sentimental！〃



〃Are　n't　you　glad　to　see　me？〃　muttered　Shelton。



〃Glad　to　see　you！　　You　are　funny；　Dick！as　if　you　did　n't　know！

Why；　you　've　shaved　your　beard！　　Mother　and　Sybil　have　gone　into　the

village　to　see　old　Mrs。　Hopkins。　　Shall　we　go　out？　　Thea　and　the　boys

are　playing　tennis。　　It's　so　jolly　that　you　've　come！　　〃She　caught　up

the　tam…o'…shanter；　and　pinned　it　to　her　hair。　　Almost　as　tall　as

Shelton；　she　looked　taller；　with　arms　raised　and　loose　sleeves

quivering　like　wings　to　the　movements　of　her　fingers。　　〃We　might　have

a　game　before　lunch；　you　can　have　my　other　racquet。〃



〃I've　got　no　things；〃　said　Shelton　blankly。



Her　calm　glance　ran　over　him。



〃You　can　have　some　of　old　Bernard's；　he's　got　any　amount。　　I'll　wait

for　you。〃　　She　swung　her　racquet；　looked　at　Shelton；　cried；　〃Be

quick！〃　　and　vanished。



Shelton　ran　up…stairs；　and　dressed　in　the　undecided　way　of　men

assuming　other　people's　clothes。　　She　was　in　the　hall　when　he

descended；　humming　a　tune　and　prodding　at　her　shoe；　her　smile　showed

all　her　pearly　upper　teeth。　　He　caught　hold　of　her　sleeve　and

whispered：



〃Antonia！〃



The　colour　rushed　into　her　cheeks；　she　looked　back　across　her

shoulder。



〃Come　along；　old　Dick！〃　　she　cried；　and；　flinging　open　the　glass

door；　ran　into　the　garden。



Shelton　followed。



The　tennis…ground　was　divided　by　tall　netting　from　a　paddock。　　A　holm

oak　tree　shaded　one　corner；　and　its　thick　dark　foliage　gave　an

unexpected　depth　to　the　green　smoothness　of　the　scene。　　As　Shelton

and　Antonia　carne　up；　Bernard　Dennant　stopped　and　cordially　grasped

Shelton's　hand。　　From　the　far　side　of　the　net　Thea；　in　a　shortish

skirt；　tossed　back　her　straight　fair　hair；　and；　warding　off　the　sun；

came　strolling　up　to　them。　The　umpire；　a　small　boy　of　twelve；　was

lying　on　his　stomach；　squealing　and　tickling　a　collie。　　Shelton　bent

and　pulled　his　hair。



〃Hallo；　Toddles！　you　young　ruffian！〃



One　and　all　they　stood　round　Shelton；　and　there　was　a　frank　and

pitiless　inquiry　in　their　eyes；　in　the　angle　of　their　noses　something

chaffing　and　distrustful；　as　though　about　him　were　some　subtle

poignant　scent　exciting　curiosity　and　disapproval。



When　the　setts　were　over；　and　the　girls　resting　in　the　double　hammock

underneath　the　holm　oak；　Shelton　went　with　Bernard　to　the　paddock　to

hunt　for　the　lost　balls。



〃I　say；　old　c