the island pharisees-第40章

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〃Darling；　I　can't　help　it　if　things　are　n't　cheerful。　　We　have　eyes；〃

he　added；　quoting　from　the　letter。



Antonia　did　not　look　at　him；　but　touched　her　horse　again。



〃Well；　I　don't　want　to　see　the　gloomy　side；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　can't

see　why　YOU　should。　　It's　wicked　to　be　discontented〃；　and　she

galloped　off。



It　was　not　his　fault　if　there　were　a　thousand　different　kinds　of　men；

a　thousand　different　points　of　view；　outside　the　fence　of　her

experience！　　〃What　business；〃　he　thought；　digging　in　his　dummy　spurs；

〃has　our　class　to　patronise？　　We　're　the　only　people　who　have　n't　an

idea　of　what　life　really　means。〃　　Chips　of　dried　turf　and　dust　came

flying　back；　stinging　his　face。　　He　gained　on　her；　drew　almost　within

reach；　then；　as　though　she　had　been　playing　with　him；　was　left

hopelessly　behind。



She　stooped　under　the　far　hedge；　fanning　her　flushed　face　with　dock…

leaves：



〃Aha；　Dick！　　I　knew　you'd　never　catch　me〃　and　she　patted　the　chestnut

mare；　who　turned　her　blowing　muzzle　with　contemptuous　humour　towards

Shelton's　steed；　while　her　flanks　heaved　rapturously；　gradually

darkening　with　sweat。



〃We'd　better　take　them　steadily；〃　grunted　Shelton；　getting　off　and

loosening　his　girths；　〃if　we　mean　to　get　home　at　all。〃



〃Don't　be　cross；　Dick！〃



〃We　oughtn't　to　have　galloped　them　like　this；　they　're　not　in

condition。　　〃We'd　better　go　home　the　way　we　came。〃



Antonia　dropped　the　reins；　and　straightened　her　back　hair。



〃There　's　no　fun　in　that；〃　she　said。　　〃Out　and　back　again；　I　hate　a

dog's　walk。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Shelton；　he　would　have　her　longer　to　himself！



The　road　led　up　and　up　a　hill；　and　from　the　top　a　vision　of　Saxonia

lay　disclosed　in　waves　of　wood　and　pasture。　　Their　way　branched　down

a　gateless　glade；　and　Shelton　sidled　closer　till　his　knee　touched　the

mare's　off…flank。



Antonia's　profile　conjured　up　visions。　　She　was　youth　itself；　her

eyes　so　brilliant；　and　so　innocent；　her　cheeks　so　glowing；　and　her

brow　unruffled；　but　in　her　smile　and　in　the　setting　of　her　jaw　lurked

something　resolute　and　mischievous。　　Shelton　put　his　hand　out　to　the

mare's　mane。



〃What　made　you　promise　to　marry　me？〃　he　said。



She　smiled。



〃Well；　what　made　you？〃



〃I？〃　cried　Shelton。



She　slipped　her　hand　over　his　hand。



〃Oh；　Dick！〃　　she　said。



〃I　want；〃　he　stammered；　〃to　be　everything　to　you。　　Do　you　think　I

shall？〃



〃Of　course！〃



Of　course！　　The　words　seemed　very　much　or　very　little。



She　looked　down　at　the　river；　gleaming　below　the　glade　in　a　curving

silver　line。　　〃Dick；　there　are　such　a　lot　of　splendid　things　that　we

might　do。〃



Did　she　mean；　amongst　those　splendid　things；　that　they　might

understand　each　other；　or　were　they　fated　to　pretend　to　only；　in　the

old　time…honoured　way？



They　crossed　the　river　by　a　ferry；　and　rode　a　long　time　in　silence；

while　the　twilight　slowly　fell　behind　the　aspens。　　And　all　the　beauty

of　the　evening；　with　its　restless　leaves；　its　grave　young　moon；　and

lighted　campion　flowers；　was　but　a　part　of　her；　the　scents；　the

witchery　and　shadows；　the　quaint　field　noises；　the　yokels'　whistling；

and　the　splash　of　water…fowl；　each　seemed　to　him　enchanted。　　The

flighting　bats；　the　forms　of　the　dim　hayricks；　and　sweet…brier

perfume…she　summed　them　all　up　in　herself。　　The　fingermarks　had

deepened　underneath　her　eyes；　a　languor　came　upon　her；　it　made　her

the　more　sweet　and　youthful。　　Her　shoulders　seemed　to　bear　on　them

the　very　image　of　our　landgrave　and　aspiring；　eager　yet　contained

before　there　came　upon　that　land　the　grin　of　greed；　the　folds　of

wealth；　the　simper　of　content。　　Fair；　unconscious；　free！



And　he　was　silent；　with　a　beating　heart。









CHAPTER　XXVI



THE　BIRD　'OF　PASSAGE



That　night；　after　the　ride；　when　Shelton　was　about　to　go　to　bed；　his

eyes　fell　on　Ferrand's　letter；　and　with　a　sleepy　sense　of　duty　he

began　to　read　it　through　a　second　time。　　In　the　dark；　oak…panelled

bedroom；　his　four…post　bed；　with　back　of　crimson　damask　and　its

dainty　sheets；　was　lighted　by　the　candle　glow；　the　copper　pitcher　of

hot　water　in　the　basin；　the　silver　of　his　brushes；　and　the　line　of

his　well…polished　boots　all　shone；　and　Shelton's　face　alone　was

gloomy；　staring　at　the　yellowish　paper　in　his　hand。



〃The　poor　chap　wants　money；　of　course；〃　he　thought。　　But　why　go　on

for　ever　helping　one　who　had　no　claim　on　him；　a　hopeless　case；

incurableone　whom　it　was　his　duty　to　let　sink　for　the　good　of　the

community　at　large？　　Ferrand's　vagabond　refinement　had　beguiled　him

into　charity　that　should　have　been　bestowed　on　hospitals；　or　any

charitable　work　but　foreign　missions。　　To　give　a　helping　hand；　a　bit

of　himself；　a　nod　of　fellowship　to　any　fellow…being　irrespective　of　a

claim；　merely　because　he　happened　to　be　down；　was　sentimental

nonsense！　　The　line　must　be　drawn！　　But　in　the　muttering　of　this

conclusion　he　experienced　a　twinge　of　honesty。　　〃Humbug！　　You　don't

want　to　part　with　your　money；　that's　all！〃



So；　sitting　down　in　shirt…sleeves　at　his　writing　table；　he　penned　the

following　on　paper　stamped　with　the　Holm　Oaks　address　and　crest：



MY　DEAR　FERRAND；



I　am　sorry　you　are　having　such　a　bad　spell。　　You　seem　to　be　dead　out

of　luck。　　I　hope　by　the　time　you　get　this　things　will　have　changed

for　the　better。　　I　should　very　much　like　to　see　you　again　and　have　a

talk；　but　shall　be　away　for　some　time　longer；　and　doubt　even　when　I

get　back　whether　I　should　be　able　to　run　down　and　look　you　up。　　Keep

me　'au　courant'　as　to　your　movements。　　I　enclose　a　cheque。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　sincerely；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　RICHARD　SHELTON。





Before　he　had　written　out　the　cheque；　a　moth　fluttering　round　the

candle　distracted　his　attention；　and　by　the　time　he　had　caught　and

put　it　out　he　had　forgotten　that　the　cheque　was　not　enclosed。　　The

letter；　removed　with　his　clothes　before　he　was　awake；　was　posted　in

an　empty　state。



One　morning　a　week　later　he　was　sitting　in　the　smoking…room　in　the

company　of　the　gentleman　called　Mabbey；　who　was　telling　him　how　many

grouse　he　had　deprived　of　life　on　August　12　last　year；　and　how　many

he　intended　to　deprive　of　life　on　August　12　this　year；　when　the　door

was　opened；　and　the　butler　entered；　carrying　his　head　as　though　it

held　some　fatal　secret。



〃A　young　man　is　asking　for　you；　sir；〃　he　said　to　Shelton；　bending

down　discreetly；　〃I　don't　know　if　you　would　wish　to　see　him；　sir。〃



〃A　young　man！　　〃repeated　Shelton；　〃what　sort　of　a　young　man？〃



〃I　should　say　a　sort　of　foreigner；　sir；〃　apologetically　replied　the

butler。　　〃He's　wearing　a　frock…coat；　but　he　looks　as　if　he　had　been

walking　a　good　deal。〃



Shelton　rose　with　haste；　the　description　sounded　to　him　ominous。



〃Where　is　he？〃



〃I　put　him　in　the　young　ladies'　little　room；　sir。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Shelton；　〃I　'll　come　and　see　him。　　Now；　what　the

deuce！〃　　he　thought；　running　down　the　stairs。



It　was　with　a　queer　commingling　of　pleasure　and　vexation　that　he

entered　the　little　chamber　sacred　to　the　birds；　beasts；　racquets；

golf…clubs；　and　general　young　ladies'　litter。　　Ferrand　was　standing

underneath　the　cage　of　a　canary；　his　hands　folded　on　his　pinched…up

hat；　a　nervous　smile　upon　his　lips。　　He　was　dressed　in　Shelton's　old

frock…coat；　tightly　buttoned；　and　would　have　cut　a　stylish　figure　but

far　his　look　of　travel。　　He　wore　a　pair　of　pince…nez；　too；　which

somewhat　veiled　his　cynical　blue　eyes；　and　clashed　a　little　with　the

pagan　look　of　him。　　In　the　midst　of　the　strange　surroundings　he　still

preserved　that　air　of　knowing；　and　being　master　of；　his　fate；　which

was　his　chief　attraction。



〃I　'm　glad　to　see　you；〃　said　Shelton；　holding　out　his　hand。



〃Forgive　this　liberty；〃　began　Ferrand；　〃but　I　thought　it　due　to　you

after　all　you've　done　for　me　not　to　throw　up　my　efforts　to　get

employment　in　England　without　letting　you　know　first。　　I'm　entirely