the island pharisees-第38章

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〃That's　all　very　well；　but　you　want　something　more　than　that。　　Why

don't　you　take　up　woodcarving？〃



〃Wood…carving？〃



〃The　moment　I　get　fagged　with　office　papers　and　that　sort　of　thing　I

take　up　my　wood…carving；　good　as　a　game　of　hockey。〃



〃I　have　n't　the　enthusiasm。〃



The　eyebrows　of　the　stained…glass　man　twitched；　he　twisted　his

moustache。



〃You　'll　find　not　having　a　hobby　does　n't　pay；〃　he　said；　〃you　'll　get

old；　then　where　'll　you　be？〃



It　came　as　a　surprise　that　he　should　use　the　words　〃it　does　n't　pay；〃

for　he　had　a　kind　of　partially　enamelled　look；　like　that　modern

jewellery　which　really　seems　unconscious　of　its　market　value。



〃You've　given　up　the　Bar？　　Don't　you　get　awfully　bored　having　nothing

to　do？〃　pursued　the　stained…glass　man；　stopping　before　an　ancient

sundial。



Shelton　felt　a　delicacy；　as　a　man　naturally　would；　in　explaining　that

being　in　love　was　in　itself　enough　to　do。　　To　do　nothing　is　unworthy

of　a　man！　　But　he　had　never　felt　as　yet　the　want　of　any　occupation。

His　silence　in　no　way　disconcerted　his　acquaintance。



〃That's　a　nice　old　article　of　virtue；〃　he　said；　pointing　with　his

chin；　and；　walking　round　the　sundial；　he　made　its　acquaintance　from

the　other　side。　　Its　grey　profile　cast　a　thin　and　shortening　shadow

on　the　turf；　tongues　of　moss　were　licking　at　its　sides；　the　daisies

clustered　thick　around　its　base；　it　had　acquired　a　look　of　growing

from　the　soil。　　〃I　should　like　to　get　hold　of　that；〃　the　stained…

glass　man　remarked；　〃I　don't　know　when　I　've　seen　a　better　specimen；〃

and　he　walked　round　it　once　again。



His　eyebrows　were　still　ironically　arched；　but　below　them　his　eyes

were　almost　calculating；　and　below　them；　again；　his　mouth　had　opened

just　a　little。　　A　person　with　a　keener　eye　would　have　said　his　face

looked　greedy；　and　even　Shelton　was　surprised；　as　though　he　had　read

in　the　Spectator　a　confession　of　commercialism。



〃You　could　n't　uproot　a　thing　like　that；〃　he　said；　〃it　would　lose　all

its　charm。〃



His　companion　turned　impatiently；　and　his　countenance　looked

wonderfully　genuine。



〃Couldn't　I？〃　he　said。　　〃By　Jove！　　I　thought　so。　　1690！　　The　best

period。〃　　He　ran　his　forger　round　the　sundial's　edge。　　〃Splendid

line…clean　as　the　day　they　made　it。　　You　don't　seem　to　care　much

about　that　sort　of　thing〃；　and　once　again；　as　though　accustomed　to

the　indifference　of　Vandals；　his　face　regained　its　mask。



They　strolled　on　towards　the　kitchen　gardens；　Shelton　still　busy

searching　every　patch　of　shade。　　He　wanted　to　say　〃Can't　stop；〃　and

hurry　off；　but　there　was　about　the　stained…glass　man　a　something

that；　while　stinging　Shelton's　feelings；　made　the　showing　of　them

quite　impossible。　　〃Feelings！〃　　that　person　seemed　to　say；　〃all　very

well；　but　you　want　more　than　that。　　Why　not　take　up　wood…carving？

　。　　　。　　。　　。　　Feelings！　　I　was　born　in　England；　and　have　been　at

Cambridge。〃



〃Are　you　staying　long？〃　he　asked　Shelton。　　〃I　go　on　to　Halidome's

to…morrow；　suppose　I　sha'n't　see　you　there？　　Good；　chap；　old

Halidome！　　Collection　of　etchings　very　fine！〃



〃No；　I　'm　staying　on；〃　said　Shelton。



〃Ah！〃　　said　the　stained…glass　man；　〃charming　people；　the　Dennants！〃



Shelton；　reddening　slowly；　turned　his　head　away；　he　picked　a

gooseberry；　and　muttered；　〃Yes。〃



〃The　eldest　girl　especially；　no　nonsense　about　her。　　I　thought　she

was　a　particularly　nice　girl。〃



Shelton　heard　this　praise　of　Antonia　with　an　odd　sensation；　it　gave

him　the　reverse　of　pleasure；　as　though　the　words　had　cast　new　light

upon　her。　　He　grunted　hastily；



〃I　suppose　you　know　that　we　're　engaged？〃



〃Really！〃　　said　the　stained…glass　man；　and　again　his　bright；　clear；

iron…committal　glance　swept　over　Shelton〃really！　　I　didn't　know。

Congratulate　you！〃



It　was　as　if　he　said：　〃You're　a　man　of　taste；　I　should　say　she　would

go　well　in　almost　any　drawing…room！〃



〃Thanks；〃　said　Shelton；　〃there　she'　is。　　If　you'll　excuse　me；　I　want

to　speak　to　her。〃









CHAPTER　XXIV



PARADISE



Antonia；　in　a　sunny　angle　of　the　old　brick　wall；　amid　the　pinks　and

poppies　and　cornflowers；　was　humming　to　herself。　　Shelton　saw　the

stained…glass　man　pass　out　of　sight；　then；　unobserved；　he　watched　her

smelling　at　the　flowers；　caressing　her　face　with　each　in　turn；

casting　away　spoiled　blossoms；　and　all　the　time　humming　that　soft

tune。



In　two　months；　or　three；　all　barriers　between　himself　and　this

inscrutable　young　Eve　would　break；　she　would　be　a　part　of　him；　and　he

a　part　of　her；　he　would　know　all　her　thoughts；　and　she　all　his；

together　they　would　be　as　one；　and　all　would　think　of　them；　and　talk

of　them；　as　one；　and　this　would　come　about　by　standing　half　an　hour

together　in　a　church；　by　the　passing　of　a　ring；　and　the　signing　of

their　names。



The　sun　was　burnishing　her　hairshe　wore　no　hat　flushing　her　cheeks；

sweetening　and　making　sensuous　her　limbs；　it　had　warmed　her　through

and　through；　so　that；　like　the　flowers　and　bees；　the　sunlight　and　the

air；　she　was　all　motion；　light；　and　colour。



She　turned　and　saw　Shelton　standing　there。



〃Oh；　Dick！〃　　she　said：　〃Lend　me　your　hand…kerchief　to　put　these

flowers　in；　there　's　a　good　boy！〃



Her　candid　eyes；　blue　as　the　flowers　in　her　hands；　were　clear　and

cool　as　ice；　but　in　her　smile　was　all　the　warm　profusion　of　that

corner；　the　sweetness　had　soaked　into　her；　and　was　welling　forth

again。　　The　sight　of　those　sun…warmed　cheeks；　and　fingers　twining

round　the　flower…stalks；　her　pearly　teeth；　and　hair　all　fragrant；

stole　the　reason　out　of　Shelton。　　He　stood　before　her；　weak　about　the

knees。



〃Found　you　at　last！〃　　he　said。



Curving　back　her　neck；　she　cried　out；　〃Catch！〃　　and　with　a　sweep　of

both　her　hands　flung　the　flowers　into　Shelton's　arms。



Under　the　rain　of　flowers；　all　warm　and　odorous；　he　dropped　down　on

his　knees；　and　put　them　one　by　one　together；　smelling　at　the　pinks；

to　hide　the　violence　of　his　feelings。　　Antonia　went　on　picking

flowers；　and　every　time　her　hand　was　full　she　dropped　them　on　his

hat；　his　shoulder；　or　his　arms；　and　went　on　plucking　more；　she

smiled；　and　on　her　lips　a　little　devil　danced；　that　seemed　to　know

what　he　was　suffering。　　And　Shelton　felt　that　she　did　know。



〃Are　you　tired？〃　she　asked；　〃there　are　heaps　more　wanted。　　These　are

the　bedroom…flowersfourteen　lots。　　I　can't　think　how　people　can

live　without　flowers；　can　you？〃　and　close　above　his　head　she　buried

her　face　in　pinks。



He　kept　his　eyes　on　the　plucked　flowers　before　him　on　the　grass；　and

forced　himself　to　answer；



〃I　think　I　can　hold　out。〃



〃Poor　old　Dick！〃　　She　had　stepped　back。　　The　sun　lit　the　clear…cut

profile　of　her　cheek；　and　poured　its　gold　over　the　bosom　of　her

blouse。　　〃Poor　old　Dick！　　Awfully　hard　luck；　is　n't　it？〃　　Burdened

with　mignonette；　she　came　so　close　again　that　now　she　touched　his

shoulder；　but　Shelton　did　not　look；　breathless；　with　wildly　beating

heart；　he　went　on　sorting　out　the　flowers。　　The　seeds　of　mignonette

rained　on　his　neck；　and　as　she　let　the　blossoms　fall；　their　perfume

fanned　his　face。　　〃You　need　n't　sort　them　out！〃　she　said。



Was　she　enticing　him？　　He　stole　a　look；　but　she　was　gone　again；

swaying　and　sniffing　at　the　flowers。



〃I　suppose　I'm　only　hindering　you；〃　he　growled；　〃I　'd　better　go。〃



She　laughed。



〃I　like　to　see　you　on　your　knees；　you　look　so　funny！〃　　and　as　she

spoke　she　flung　a　clove　carnation　at　him。　　〃Does　n't　it　smell　good？〃



〃Too　good　Oh；　Antonia！　　why　are　you　doing　this？〃



〃　Why　am　I　doing　what？〃



〃Don't　you　know　what　you　are　doing？〃



〃Why；　picking　flowers！〃　　and　once　more　she　was　back；　bending　and

sniffing　at　the　blossoms。



〃That's　enough。〃



〃Oh　no；〃　she　called；　〃it's　not　not　nearly。



〃Keep　on　putting　them　together；　if　you　love　me。〃



〃You　know　I　love　you；〃　answered　Shelton；　in　a　smothered　voice。



Antonia　gazed　at　him　across　her　shoulder；　puzzled　and　inquiring