the island pharisees-第4章
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in her cheeks； her young bosom heaved； her eyes shone； and the
flowing droop of her long； full sleeves gave to her poised figure the
look of one who flies。 He pulled himself up and stood beside her；
his heart choked him； all the colour had left his cheeks。
〃Antonia；〃 he said； 〃I love you。〃
She started； as if his whisper had intruded on her thoughts； but his
face must have expressed his hunger； for the resentment in her eyes
vanished。
They stood for several minutes without speaking； and then went home。
Shelton painfully revolved the riddle of the colour in her face。 Had
he a chance then？ Was it possible？ That evening the instinct
vouchsafed at times to lovers in place of reason caused him to pack
his bag and go to Cannes。 On returning； two days later； and
approaching the group in the centre of the Winter Garden； the voice
of the maiden aunt reading aloud an extract from the Morning Post
reached him across the room。
〃Don't you think that's rather nice？〃 he heard her ask； and then：
〃Oh； here you aye！ It's very nice to see you back！〃
Shelton slipped into a wicker chair。 Antonia looked up quickly from
her sketch…book； put out a hand； but did not speak。
He watched her bending head； and his eagerness was changed to gloom。
With desperate vivacity he sustained the five intolerable minutes of
inquiry； where had he been； what had he been doing？ Then once again
the maiden aunt commenced her extracts from the Morning Post。
A touch on his sleeve startled him。 Antonia was leaning forward； her
cheeks were crimson above the pallor of her neck。
〃Would you like to see my sketches？〃
To Shelton； bending above those sketches； that drawl of the well…bred
maiden aunt intoning the well…bred paper was the most pleasant sound
that he had ever listened to。
〃My dear Dick；〃 Mrs。 Dennant said to him a fortnight later； 〃we would
rather； after you leave here； that you don't see each other again
until July。 Of course I know you count it an engagement and all
that； and everybody's been writin' to congratulate you。 But Algie
thinks you ought to give yourselves a chance。 Young people don't
always know what they're about； you know； it's not long to wait。〃
〃Three months！〃 gasped Shelton。
He had to swallow down this pill with what grace he could command。
There was no alternative。 Antonia had acquiesced in the condition
with a queer； grave pleasure； as if she expected it to do her good。
〃It'll be something to look forward to； Dick；〃 she said。
He postponed departure as long as possible； and it was not until the
end of April that he left for England。 She came alone to see him
off。 It was drizzling； but her tall； slight figure in the golf cape
looked impervious to cold and rain amongst the shivering natives。
Desperately he clutched her hand； warm through the wet glove； her
smile seemed heartless in its brilliancy。 He whispered 〃You will
write？〃
〃Of course； don't be so stupid； you old Dick！〃
She ran forward as the train began to move； her clear 〃Good…bye！〃
sounded shrill and hard above the rumble of the wheels。 He saw her
raise her hand； an umbrella waving； and last of all； vivid still
amongst receding shapes； the red spot of her scarlet tam…o'…shanter。
CHAPTER III
A ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN
After his journey up from Dover； Shelton was still fathering his
luggage at Charing Cross； when the foreign girl passed him； and； in
spite of his desire to say something cheering； he could get nothing
out but a shame…faced smile。 Her figure vanished； wavering into the
hurly…burly； one of his bags had gone astray； and so all thought of
her soon faded from his mind。 His cab； however； overtook the foreign
vagrant marching along towards Pall Mall with a curious； lengthy
stridean observant； disillusioned figure。
The first bustle of installation over； time hung heavy on his hands。
July loomed distant； as in some future century； Antonia's eyes
beckoned him faintly； hopelessly。 She would not even be coming back
to England for another month。
。 。 。 I met a young foreigner in the train from Dover ＇he wrote to
her＇a curious sort of person altogether； who seems to have infected
me。 Everything here has gone flat and unprofitable； the only good
things in life are your letters 。 。 。 。 John Noble dined with me
yesterday； the poor fellow tried to persuade me to stand for
Parliament。 Why should I think myself fit to legislate for the
unhappy wretches one sees about in the streets？ If people's faces
are a fair test of their happiness； I' d rather not feel in any way
responsible 。 。 。 。
The streets； in fact； after his long absence in the East； afforded
him much food for thought： the curious smugness of the passers…by；
the utterly unending bustle； the fearful medley of miserable； over…
driven women； and full…fed men； with leering； bull…beef eyes； whom he
saw everywherein club windows； on their beats； on box seats； on the
steps of hotels； discharging dilatory duties； the appalling choas of
hard…eyed； capable dames with defiant clothes； and white…cheeked
hunted…looking men； of splendid creatures in their cabs； and cadging
creatures in their broken hatsthe callousness and the monotony！
One afternoon in May he received this letter couched in French：
3； BLANK ROW
WESTMINSTER。
MY DEAR SIR；
Excuse me for recalling to your memory the offer of assistance you so
kindly made me during the journey from Dover to London； in which I
was so fortunate as to travel with a man like you。 Having beaten the
whole town； ignorant of what wood to make arrows； nearly at the end
of my resources； my spirit profoundly discouraged； I venture to avail
myself of your permission； knowing your good heart。 Since I saw you
I have run through all the misfortunes of the calendar； and cannot
tell what door is left at which I have not knocked。 I presented
myself at the business firm with whose name you supplied me； but
being unfortunately in rags； they refused to give me your address。
Is this not very much in the English character？ They told me to
write； and said they would forward the letter。 I put all my hopes in
you。
Believe me； my dear sir；
（whatever you may decide）
Your devoted
LOUIS FERRAND。
Shelton looked at the envelope； and saw； that it； bore date a week
ago。 The face of the young vagrant rose before him； vital； mocking；
sensitive； the sound of his quick French buzzed in his ears； and；
oddly； the whole whiff of him had a power of raising more vividly
than ever his memories of Antonia。 It had been at the end of the
journey from Hyeres to London that he had met him； that seemed to
give the youth a claim。
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
