the island pharisees-第47章

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could　hear　her　practising　her　scales　with　a　cold　fury　that　cast　an

added　gloom　upon　his　spirit。　　He　did　not　see　her　until　lunch；　and

then　she　again　sat　next　the　Connoisseur。　　Her　cheeks　were　pale；　but

there　was　something　feverish　in　her　chatter　to　her　neighbour；　she

still　refused　to　look　at　Shelton。　　He　felt　very　miserable。　　After

lunch；　when　most　of　them　had　left　the　table；　the　rest　fell　to

discussing　country　neighbours。



〃Of　course；〃　said　Mrs。　Dennant；　〃there　are　the　Foliots；　but　nobody

calls　on　them。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　Connoisseur；　〃the　Foliotsthe　Foliotsthe　people

erwhoquite　so！〃



〃It's　really　distressin'；　she　looks　so　sweet　ridin'　about。　　Many

people　with　worse　stories　get　called　on；〃　continued　Mrs。　Dennant；

with　that　large　frankness　of　intrusion　upon　doubtful　subjects　which

may　be　made　by　certain　people　in　a　certain　way；〃　but；　after　all；　one

couldn't　ask　them　to　meet　anybody。〃



〃No；〃　the　Connoisseur　assented。　　〃I　used　to　know　Foliot。　　Thousand

pities。　　They　say　she　was　a　very　pretty　woman。〃



〃Oh；　not　pretty！〃　　said　Mrs。　Dennant！　〃more　interestin　than　pretty；　I

should　say。〃



Shelton；　who　knew　the　lady　slightly；　noticed　that　they　spoke　of　her

as　in　the　past。　　He　did　not　look　towards　Antonia；　for；　though　a

little　troubled　at　her　presence　while　such　a　subject　was　discussed；

he　hated　his　conviction　that　her　face；　was　as　unruffled　as　though　the

Foliots　had　been　a　separate　species。　　There　was；　in　fact；　a　curiosity

about　her　eyes；　a　faint　impatience　on　her　lips；　she　was　rolling

little　crumbs　of　bread。　　Suddenly　yawning；　she　muttered　some　remark；

and　rose。　　Shelton　stopped　her　at　the　door。



〃Where　are　you　going？〃



〃For　a　walk。〃



〃May　n't　I　come？〃。



She　shook　her　head。



〃I　'm　going　to　take　Toddles。〃



Shelton　held　the　door　open；　and　went　back　to　the　table。



〃Yes；〃　the　Connoisseur　said；　sipping　at　his　sherry；　〃I　'm　afraid　it's

all　over　with　young　Foliot。〃



〃Such　a　pity！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Dennant；　and　her　kindly　face　looked

quite　disturbed。　　〃I've　known　him　ever　since　he　was　a　boy。　　Of

course；　I　think　he　made　a　great　mistake　to　bring　her　down　here。　　Not

even　bein'　able　to　get　married　makes　it　doubly　awkward。　　Oh；　I　think

he　made　a　great　mistake！〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　Connoisseur；　〃but　d'　you　suppose　that　makes　much

difference？　　Even　if　What　'shis…name　gave　her　a　divorce；　I　don't

think；　don't　you　know；　that〃



〃Oh；　it　does！　　So　many　people　would　be　inclined　to　look　over　it　in

time。　　But　as　it　is　it's　hopeless；　quite。　　So　very　awkward　for

people；　too；　meetin'　them　about。　　The　Telfords　and　the　Butterwicks

by　the　way；　they're　comin'　here　to　dine　to…nightlive　near　them；

don't　you　know。〃



〃Did　you　ever　meet　her　before…er…before　the　flood？〃　the　Connoisseur

inquired；　and　his　lips　parting　and　unexpectedly　revealing　teeth　gave

him　a　shadowy　resemblance　to　a　goat。



〃Yes；　I　did　meet　her　once　at　the　Branksomes'。　　I　thought　her　quite　a

charmin'　person。〃



〃Poor　fellow！〃　　said　the　Connoisseur；　〃they　tell　me　he　was　going　to

take　the　hounds。〃



〃And　there　are　his　delightful　coverts；　too。　　Algie　often　used　to

shoot　there；　and　now　they　say　he　just　has　his　brother　down　to　shoot

with　him。　　It's　really　quite　too　melancholy！　　Did　you　know　him；

Dick？〃



〃Foliot？〃　replied　Shelton　absently。　　〃No；　I　never　met　him：　I've　seen

her　once　or　twice　at　Ascot。〃



Through　the　window　he　could　see　Antonia　in　her　scarlet　Tam…o'…

shanter；　swinging　her　stick；　and　he　got　up　feigning　unconcern。　　Just

then　Toddles　came　bounding　up　against　his　sister。　　They　went　off　arm

in　arm。　　She　had　seen　him　at　the　window；　yet　she　gave　no　friendly

glance；　Shelton　felt　more　miserable　than　ever。　　He　stepped　out　upon

the　drive。　　There　was　a　lurid；　gloomy　canopy　above；　the　elm…trees

drooped　their　heavy　blackish　green；　the　wonted　rustle　of　the　aspen…

tree　was　gone；　even　the　rooks　were　silent。　　A　store　of　force　lay

heavy　on　the　heart　of　nature。　　He　started　pacing　slowly　up　and　down；

his　pride　forbidding　him　to　follow　her；　and　presently　sat　down　on　an

old　stone　seat　that　faced　the　road。　　He　stayed　a　long　time　staring　at

the　elms；　asking　himself　what　he　had　done　and　what　he　ought　to　do。

And　somehow　he　was　frightened。　　A　sense　of　loneliness　was　on　him；　so

real；　so　painful；　that　he　shivered　in　the　sweltering　heat。　　He　was

there；　perhaps；　an　hour；　alone；　and　saw　nobody　pass　along　the　road。

Then　came　the　sound　of　horse's　hoofs；　and　at　the　same　time　he　heard　a

motor…car　approaching　from　the　opposite　direction。　　The　rider　made

appearance　first；　riding　a　grey　horse　with　an　Arab's　high　set　head

and　tail。　　She　was　holding　him　with　difficulty；　for　the　whirr　of　the

approaching　car　grew　every　moment　louder。　　Shelton　rose；　the　car

flashed　by。　　He　saw　the　horse　stagger　in　the　gate…way；　crushing　its

rider　up　against　the　gatepost。



He　ran；　but　before　he　reached　the　gate　the　lady　was　on　foot；　holding

the　plunging　horse's　bridle。



〃Are　you　hurt？〃　cried　Shelton　breathlessly；　and　he；　too；　grabbed　the

bridle。　　〃Those　beastly　cars！〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　　〃Please　don't；　he　won't　let　strangers

touch　him。〃



Shelton　let　go；　and　watched　her　coax　the　horse。　　She　was　rather　tall；

dressed　in　a　grey　habit；　with　a　grey　Russian　cap　upon　her　head；　and

he　suddenly　recognised　the　Mrs。　Foliot　whom　they　had　been　talking　of

at　lunch。



〃He　'll　be　quiet　now；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　would　n't　mind　holding　him　a

minute。〃



She　gave　the　reins　to　him；　and　leaned　against　the　gate。　　She　was　very

pale。



〃I　do　hope　he　has　n't　hurt　you；〃　Shelton　said。　　He　was　quite　close　to

her；　well　able　to　see　her　facea　curious　face　with　high　cheek…bones

and　a　flatfish　moulding；　enigmatic；　yet　strangely　passionate　for　all

its　listless　pallor。　　Her　smiling；　tightened　lips　were　pallid；

pallid；　too；　her　grey　and　deep…set　eyes　with　greenish　tints；　above

all；　pale　the　ashy　mass　of　hair　coiled　under　her　grey　cap。



〃Th…thanks！〃　　she　said；　〃I　shall　be　all　right　directly。　　I'm　sorry　to

have　made　a　fuss。〃



She　bit　her　lips　and　smiled。



〃I　'm　sure　you're　hurt；　do　let　me　go　for…〃　stammered　Shelton。

〃I　can　easily　get　help。〃



〃Help！〃　　she　said；　with　a　stony　little　laugh；　〃oh；　no；　thanks！〃



She　left　the　gate；　and　crossed　the　road　to　where　he　held　the　horse。

Shelton；　to　conceal　embarrassment；　looked　at　the　horse's　legs；　and

noticed　that　the　grey　was　resting　one　of　them。　　He　ran　his　hand　down。



〃I　'm　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃your　horse　has　knocked　his　off　knee；　it's

swelling。〃



She　smiled　again。



〃Then　we're　both　cripples。〃



〃He'll　be　lame　when　he　gets　cold。　　Would　n't　you　like　to　put　him　in

the　stable　here？　　I　'm　sure　you　ought　to　drive　home。〃



〃No；　thanks；　if　I　'm　able　to　ride　him　he　can　carry　me。　　Give　me　a

hand　up。〃



Her　voice　sounded　as　though　something　had　offended　her。　　Rising　from

inspection　of　the　horse's　leg；　Shelton　saw　Antonia　and　Toddles

standing　by。　　They　had　come　through　a　wicketgate　leading　from　the

fields。



The　latter　ran　up　to　him　at　once。



〃We　saw　it；〃　he　whispered〃jolly　smash…up。　　Can't　I　help？〃



〃Hold　his　bridle；〃　answered　Shelton；　and　he　looked　from　one　lady　to

the　other。



There　are　moments　when　the　expression　of　a　face　fixes　itself　with

painful　clearness；　to　Shelton　this　was　such　a　moment。　　Those　two

faces　close　together；　under　their　coverings　of　scarlet　and　of　grey；

showed　a　contrast　almost　cruelly　vivid。　　Antonia　was　flushed；　her

eyes　had　grown　deep　blue；　her　look　of　startled　doubt　had　passed　and

left　a　question　in　her　face。



〃Would　you　like　to　come　in　and　wait？　　We　could　send　you　home；　in　the

brougham；〃　she　said。



The　lady　called　Mrs。　Foliot　stood；　one　arm　across　the　crupper　of　her

saddle；　biting　her　lips　and　smiling　still　her　enigmatic　smile；　and　it

was　her　face　that　stayed　most　vividly　on　Shelton's　mind；　its　ashy

hail；　its　pallor；　and　fixed；　scornful　eyes。



〃Oh；　no；　thanks！　　You're　very　kind。〃



Out　of　Antonia's　face　the