the island pharisees-第6章

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He　took　his　hat　and　hurried；　to　Blank　Row。　　Dismissing　his　cab　at　the

corner　of　Victoria　Street　he　with　difficulty　found　the　house　in

question。　　It　was　a　doorless　place；　with　stone…flagged　corridorin

other　words；　a　〃doss…house。〃　　By　tapping　on　a　sort　of　ticket…office

with　a　sliding　window；　he　attracted　the　attention　of　a　blowsy　woman

with　soap…suds　on　her　arms；　who　informed　him　that　the　person　he　was

looking　for　had　gone　without　leaving　his　address。



〃But　isn't　there　anybody；〃　asked　Shelton；　〃of　whom　I　can　make

inquiry？〃



〃Yes；　there's　a　Frenchman。〃　　And　opening　an　inner　door　she　bellowed：

〃Frenchy！　　Wanted！〃　and　disappeared。



A　dried…up；　yellow　little　man；　cynical　and　weary　in　the　face；　as　if　a

moral　steam…roller　had　passed　over　it；　answered　this　call；　and　stood；

sniffing；　as　it　were；　at　Shelton；　on　whom　he　made　the　singular

impression　of　some　little　creature　in　a　cage。



〃He　left　here　ten　days　ago；　in　the　company　of　a　mulatto。　　What　do　you

want　with　him；　if　I　may　ask？〃　　The　little　man's　yellow　cheeks　were

wrinkled　with　suspicion。



Shelton　produced　the　letter。



〃Ah！　now　I　know　you〃a　pale　smile　broke　through　the　Frenchman's

crow's…feet〃he　spoke　of　you。　　'If　I　can　only　find　him；'　he　used　to

say；　'I　'm　saved。'　　I　liked　that　young　man；　he　had　ideas。〃



〃Is　there　no　way　of　getting　at　him　through　his　consul？〃



The　Frenchman　shook　his　head。



〃Might　as　well　look　for　diamonds　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。〃



〃Do　you　think　he　will　come　back　here？　　But　by　that　time　I　suppose；

you'll　hardly　be　here　yourself？〃



A　gleam　of　amusement　played　about　the　Frenchman's　teeth：



〃I？　Oh；　yes；　sir！　　Once　upon　a　time　I　cherished　the　hope　of　emerging；

I　no　longer　have　illusions。　　I　shave　these　specimens　for　a　living；

and　shall　shave　them　till　the　day　of　judgment。　　But　leave　a　letter

with　me　by　all　means；　he　will　come　back。　　There's　an　overcoat　of　his

here　on　which　he　borrowed　moneyit's　worth　more。　　Oh；　yes；　he　will

come　backa　youth　of　principle。　　Leave　a　letter　with　me；　I'm　always

here。〃



Shelton　hesitated；　but　those　last　three　words；　〃I'm　always　here；〃

touched　him　in　their　simplicity。　　Nothing　more　dreadful　could　be

said。



〃Can　you　find　me　a　sheet　of　paper；　then？〃　he　asked；　〃please　keep　the

change　for　the　trouble　I　am　giving　you。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　Frenchman　simply；　〃he　told　me　that　your　heart

was　good。　　If　you　don't　mind　the　kitchen；　you　could　write　there　at

your　ease。〃



Shelton　wrote　his　letter　at　the　table　of　this　stone…flagged　kitchen

in　company　with　an　aged；　dried…up　gentleman；　who　was　muttering　to

himself；　and　Shelton　tried　to　avoid　attracting　his　attention；

suspecting　that　he　was　not　sober。　　Just　as　he　was　about　to　take　his

leave；　however；　the　old　fellow　thus　accosted　him：



〃Did　you　ever　go　to　the　dentist；　mister？〃　he　said；　working　at　a　loose

tooth　with　his　shrivelled　fingers。　　〃I　went　to　a　dentist　once；　who

professed　to　stop　teeth　without　giving　pain；　and　the　beggar　did　stop

my　teeth　without　pain；　but　did　they　stay　in；　those　stoppings？　　No；　my

bhoy；　they　came　out　before　you　could　say　Jack　Robinson。　Now；　I

shimply　ask　you；　d'you　call　that　dentistry？〃　　Fixing　his　eyes　on

Shelton's　collar；　which　had　the　misfortune　to　be　high　and　clean；　he

resumed　with　drunken　scorn：　〃Ut's　the　same　all　over　this　pharisaical

counthry。　　Talk　of　high　morality　and　Anglo…Shaxon　civilisation！　　The

world　was　never　at　such　low　ebb！　　Phwhat's　all　this　morality？　　Ut

stinks　of　the　shop。　　Look　at　the　condition　of　Art　in　this　counthry！

look　at　the　fools　you　see　upon　th'　stage！　look　at　the　pictures　and

books　that　sell！　　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about；　though　I　am　a

sandwich　man。　　Phwhat's　the　secret　of　ut　all？　　Shop；　my　bhoy！　　Ut

don't　pay　to　go　below　a　certain　depth！　　Scratch　the　skin；　but　pierce

utOh！　dear；　no！　　We　hate　to　see　the　blood　fly；　eh？〃



Shelton　stood　disconcerted；　not　knowing　if　he　were　expected　to　reply；

but　the　old　gentleman；　pursing　up　his　lips；　went　on：



〃Sir；　there　are　no　extremes　in　this　fog…smitten　land。　Do　ye　think

blanks　loike　me　ought　to　exist？　　Whoy　don't　they　kill　us　off？

Palliativespalliativesand　whoy？　　Because　they　object　to　th'

extreme　course。　　Look　at　women：　the　streets　here　are　a　scandal　to　the

world。　　They　won't　recognise　that　they　existtheir　noses　are　so　dam

high！　They　blink　the　truth　in　this　middle…class　counthry。　　My　bhoy〃　…

…and　he　whispered　confidentially〃ut　pays　'em。　　Eh？　you　say；　why

shouldn't　they；　then？〃　　（But　Shelton　had　not　spoken。）　　〃Well；　let'em！

let　'em！。　　But　don't　tell　me　that'sh　morality；　don't　tell　me　that'sh

civilisation！　　What　can　you　expect　in　a　counthry　where　the　crimson；

emotions　are　never　allowed　to　smell　the　air？　　And　what'sh　the　result？

My　bhoy；　the　result　is　sentiment；　a　yellow　thing　with　blue　spots；

like　a　fungus　or　a　Stilton　cheese。　　Go　to　the　theatre；　and　see　one　of

these　things　they　call　plays。　　Tell　me；　are　they　food　for　men　and

women？　　Why；　they're　pap　for　babes　and　shop…boys！　　I　was　a　blanky

actor　moyself！〃



Shelton　listened　with　mingled　feelings　of　amusement　and　dismay；　till

the　old　actor；　having　finished；　resumed　his　crouching　posture　at　the

table。



〃You　don't　get　dhrunk；　I　suppose？〃　he　said　suddenly〃too　much　of　'n

Englishman；　no　doubt。〃



〃Very　seldom；〃　said　Shelton。



〃Pity！　　Think　of　the　pleasures　of　oblivion！　　Oi　'm　dhrunk　every

night。〃



〃How　long　will　you　last　at　that　rate？〃



〃There　speaks　the　Englishman！　　Why　should　Oi　give　up　me　only　pleasure

to　keep　me　wretched　life　in？　　If　you've　anything　left　worth　the

keeping　shober　for；　keep　shober　by　all　means；　if　not；　the　sooner　you

are　dhrunk　the　betterthat　stands　to　reason。〃



In　the　corridor　Shelton　asked　the　Frenchman　where　the　old　man　came

from。



〃Oh；　and　Englishman！　　Yes；　yes；　from　Belfast　very　drunken　old　man。

You　are　a　drunken　nation〃he　made　a　motion　with　his　hands　〃he　no

longer　eatsno　inside　left。　　It　is　unfortunate…a　man　of　spirit。　　If

you　have　never　seen　one　of　these　palaces；　monsieur；　I　shall　be　happy

to　show　you　over　it。〃



Shelton　took　out　his　cigarette　case。



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　Frenchman；　making　a　wry　nose　and　taking　a

cigarette；　〃I'm　accustomed　to　it。　　But　you're　wise　to　fumigate　the

air；　one　is　n't　in　a　harem。〃



And　Shelton　felt　ashamed　of　his　fastidiousness。



〃This；〃　said　the　guide；　leading　him　up…stairs　and　opening　a　door；　〃is

a　specimen　of　the　apartments　reserved　for　these　princes　of　the

blood。〃　　There　were　four　empty　beds　on　iron　legs；　and；　with　the　air

of　a　showman；　the　Frenchman　twitched　away　a　dingy　quilt。　　〃They　go

out　in　the　mornings；　earn　enough　to　make　them　drunk；　sleep　it　off；

and　then　begin　again。　　That's　their　life。　　There　are　people　who　think

they　ought　to　be　reformed。　　'Mon　cher　monsieur'；　one　must　face

reality　a　little；　even　in　this　country。　　It　would　be　a　hundred　times

better　for　these　people　to　spend　their　time　reforming　high　Society。

Your　high　Society　makes　all　these　creatures；　there's　no　harvest

without　cutting　stalks。　　'Selon　moi'；〃　he　continued；　putting　back　the

quilt；　and　dribbling　cigarette　smoke　through　his　nose；　〃there's　no

grand　difference　between　your　high　Society　and　these　individuals

here；　both　want　pleasure；　both　think　only　of　themselves；　which　is

very　natural。　　One　lot　have　had　the　luck；　the　otherwell；　you　see。〃

He　shrugged。　　〃A　common　set！　　I've　been　robbed　here　half　a　dozen

times。　　If　you　have　new　shoes；　a　good　waistcoat；　an　overcoat；　you

want　eyes　in　the　back　of　your　head。　　And　they　are　populated！　　Change

your　bed；　and　you'll　run　all　the　dangers　of　not　sleeping　alone。

'V'la　ma　clientele'！　　The　half　of　them　don't　pay　me！〃　　He；　snapped

his　yellow　sticks　of　fingers。　　〃A　penny　for　a　shave；　twopence　a　cut！

'Quelle　vie'！　　Here；〃　he　continued；　standing　by　a　bed；　〃is　a

gentleman　who　owes　me　fivepence。　　Here's　one　who　was　a　soldier；　he's

done　for！　　All　brutalised；　not　one　with　any　courage　left！　　But；

believe　me；　monsieur；〃　he　went　on；　opening　another　door；　〃w