the island pharisees-第12节

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friend　of　his　father's：　〃Yes；　Dick；　all　sorts　of　fellows　belong　here；

and　they　come　here　for　all　sorts　o'　reasons；　and　a　lot　of　em　come

because　they've　nowhere　else　to　go；　poor　beggars〃；　and；　glancing　from

the　man　with　the　〃game　leg〃　to　Stroud；　it　occurred　to　Shelton　that

even　he；　old　Stroud；　might　be　one　of　these　poor　beggars。　　One　never

knew！　　A　look　at　Benjy；　contained　and　cheery；　restored　him。　　Ah；　the

lucky　devil！　　He　would　not　have　to　come　here　any　more！　and　the

thought　of　the　last　evening　he　himself　would　be　spending　before　long

flooded　his　mind　with　a　sweetness　that　was　almost　pain。



〃Benjy；　I'll　play　you　a　hundred　up！〃　　said　young　Bill　Dennant。



Stroud　and　the　racing　man　went　to　watch　the　game；　Shelton　was　left

once　more　to　reverie。



〃Good　form！〃　thought　he；　〃that　fellow　must　be　made　of　steel。　　They'll

go　on　somewhere；　stick　about　half　the　night　playing　poker；　or　some

such　foolery。〃



He　crossed　over　to　the　window。　　Rain　had　begun　to　fall；　the　streets

looked　wild　and　draughty。　　The　cabmen　were　putting　on　their　coats。

Two　women　scurried　by；　huddled　under　one　umbrella；　and　a　thin…

clothed；　dogged…looking　scarecrow　lounged　past　with　a　surly；

desperate　step。　　Shelton；　returning　to　his　chair；　threaded　his　way

amongst　his　fellow…members。　　A　procession　of　old　school　and　college

friends　came　up　before　his　eyes。　　After　all；　what　had　there　been　in

his　own　education；　or　theirs；　to　give　them　any　other　standard　than

this　〃good　form〃？　　What　had　there　been　to　teach　them　anything　of

life？　　Their　imbecility　was　incredible　when　you　came　to　think　of　it。

They　had　all　the　air　of　knowing　everything；　and　really　they　knew

nothingnothing　of　Nature；　Art；　or　the　Emotions；　nothing　of　the

bonds　that　bind　all　men　together。　　Why；　even　such　words　were　not

〃good　form〃；　nothing　outside　their　little　circle　was　〃good　form。〃

They　had　a　fixed　point　of　view　over　life　because　they　came　of　certain

schools；　and　colleges；　and　regiments！　　And　they　were　those　in　charge

of　the　state；　of　laws；　and　science；　of　the　army；　and　religion。　　Well；

it　was　their　systemthe　system　not　to　start　too　young；　to　form

healthy　fibre；　and　let　the　after…life　develop　it！



〃Successful！〃　he　thought；　nearly　stumbling　over　a　pair　of　patent…

leather　boots　belonging　to　a　moon…faced；　genial…looking　member　with

gold　nose…nippers；　〃oh；　it　's　successful！〃



Somebody　came　and　picked　up　from　the　table　the　very　volume　which　had

originally　inspired　this　train　of　thought；　and　Shelton　could　see　his

solemn　pleasure　as　he　read。　　In　the　white　of　his　eye　there　was　a

torpid　and　composed　abstraction。　　There　was　nothing　in　that　book　to

startle　him　or　make　him　think。



The　moon…faced　member　with　the　patent　boots　came　up　and　began　talking

of　his　recent　visit　to　the　south　of　France。　　He　had　a　scandalous

anecdote　or　two　to　tell；　and　his　broad　face　beamed　behind　his　gold

nose…nippers；　he　was　a　large　man　with　such　a　store　of　easy；　worldly

humour　that　it　was　impossible　not　to　appreciate　his　gossip；　he　gave

so　perfect　an　impression　of　enjoying　life；　and　doing　himself　well。

〃Well；　good…night！〃　　he　murmured〃　An　engagement！〃and　the

certainty　he　left　behind　that　his　engagement　must　be　charming　and

illicit　was　pleasant　to　the　soul。



And；　slowly　taking　up　his　glass；　Shelton　drank；　the　sense　of　well…

being　was　upon　him。　　His　superiority　to　these　his　fellow…members

soothed　him。　　He　saw　through　all　the　sham　of　this　club　life；　the

meanness　of　this　worship　of　success；　the　sham　of　kid…gloved

novelists；　〃good　form；〃　and　the　terrific　decency　of　our　education。

It　was　soothing　thus　to　see　through　things；　soothing　thus　to　be

superior；　and　from　the　soft　recesses　of　his　chair　he　puffed　out　smoke

and　stretched　his　limbs　toward　the　fire；　and　the　fire　burned　back　at

him　with　a　discreet　and　venerable　glow。









CHAPTER　VIII



THE　WEDDING



Puncutal　to　his　word；　Bill　Dennant　called　for　Shelton　at　one　o'clock。



〃I　bet　old　Benjy's　feeling　a　bit　cheap；〃　said　he；　as　they　got　out　of

their　cab　at　the　church　door　and　passed　between　the　crowded　files　of

unelect；　whose　eyes；　so　curious　and　pitiful；　devoured　them　from　the

pavement。



The　ashen　face　of　a　woman；　with　a　baby　in　her　arms　and　two　more　by

her　side；　looked　as　eager　as　if　she　had　never　experienced　the　pangs

of　ragged　matrimony。　　Shelton　went　in　inexplicably　uneasy；　the　price

of　his　tie　was　their　board　and　lodging　for　a　week。　　He　followed　his

future　brother…in…law　to　a　pew　on　the　bridegroom's　side；　for；　with

intuitive　perception　of　the　sexes'　endless　warfare；　each　of　the

opposing　parties　to　this　contract　had　its　serried　battalion；　the

arrows　of　whose　suspicion　kept　glancing　across　and　across　the　central

aisle。



Bill　Dennant's　eyes　began　to　twinkle。



〃There's　old　Benjy！〃　　he　whispered；　and　Shelton　looked　at　the　hero　of

the　day。　　A　subdued　pallor　was　traceable　under　the　weathered

uniformity　of　his　shaven　face；　but　the　well…bred；　artificial　smile　he

bent　upon　the　guests　had　its　wonted　steely　suavity。　　About　his　dress

and　his　neat　figure　was　that　studied　ease　which　lifts　men　from　the

ruck　of　common　bridegrooms。　　There　were　no　holes　in　his　armour

through　which　the　impertinent　might　pry。



〃Good　old　Benjy！〃　　whispered　young　Dennant；　〃I　say；　they　look　a　bit

short　of　class；　those　Casserols。〃



Shelton；　who　was　acquainted　with　this　family；　smiled。　　The　sensuous

sanctity　all　round　had　begun　to　influence　him。　　A　perfume　of　flowers

and　dresses　fought　with　the　natural　odour　of　the　church；　the　rustle

of　whisperings　and　skirts　struck　through　the　native　silence　of　the

aisles；　and　Shelton　idly　fixed　his　eyes　on　a　lady　in　the　pew　in

front；　without　in　the　least　desiring　to　make　a　speculation　of　this

sort；　he　wondered　whether　her　face　was　as　charming　as　the　lines　of

her　back　in　their　delicate；　skin…tight　setting　of　pearl　grey；　his

glance　wandered　to　the　chancel　with　its　stacks　of　flowers；　to　the

grave；　business　faces　of　the　presiding　priests；　till　the　organ　began

rolling　out　the　wedding　march。



〃They're　off！〃　　whispered　young　Dermant。



Shelton　was　conscious　of　a　shiver　running　through　the　audience　which

reminded　him　of　a　bullfight　he　had　seen　in　Spain。　　The　bride　came

slowly　up　the　aisle。　　〃Antonia　will　look　like　that；〃　he　thought；　〃and

the　church　will　be　filled　with　people　like　this　。　　。　　。　　。　　She'll　be

a　show　to　them！〃　　The　bride　was　opposite　him　now；　and　by　an　instinct

of　common　chivalry　he　turned　away　his　eyes；　it　seemed　to　him　a　shame

to　look　at　that　downcast　head　above　the　silver　mystery　of　her　perfect

raiment；　the　modest　head　full；　doubtless；　of　devotion　and　pure

yearnings；　the　stately　head　where　no　such　thought　as　〃How　am　I

looking；　this　day　of　all　days；　before　all　London？〃　had　ever　entered；

the　proud　head；　which　no　such　fear　as　〃How　am　I　carrying　it　off？〃

could　surely　be　besmirching。



He　saw　below　the　surface　of　this　drama　played　before　his　eyes；　and

set　his　face；　as　a　man　might　who　found　himself　assisting　at　a

sacrifice。　　The　words　fell；　unrelenting；　on　his　ears：　〃For　better；

for　worse；　for　richer；　for　poorer；　in　sickness　and　in　health〃　and

opening　the　Prayer　Book　he　found　the　Marriage　Service；　which　he　had

not　looked　at　since　he　was　a　boy；　and　as　he　read　he　had　some　very

curious　sensations。



All　this　would　soon　be　happening　to　himself！　　He　went　on　reading　in　a

kind　of　stupor；　until　aroused　by　his　companion　whispering；　〃No　luck！〃

All　around　there　rose　a　rustling　of　skirts；　he　saw　a　tall　figure

mount　the　pulpit　and　stand　motionless。　　Massive　and　high…featured；

sunken　of　eye；　he　towered；　in　snowy　cambric　and　a　crimson　stole；

above　the　blackness　of　his　rostrum；　it　seemed　he　had　been　chosen　for

his　beauty。　　Shelton　was　still　gazing　at　the　stitching　of　his　gloves；

when　once　again　the　organ　played　the　Wedding　March。　　All　were

smiling；　and　a　few　were　weeping；　craning　their　heads　towards　the

bride。　　〃Carnival　of　second…hand　emotions！〃　　thought　Shelton；　and　he；

too；　craned　his　head　and　brushed　his　hat。　　Then；　smirking　at　his

friends；　he　made　his　way　towards　the　door。



In　the　Casserols'　house　he　found　himself　at　last　going　round　the

presents　with　the　eldest　Casserol　surviving；　a　tall　girl　in　pale

violet；　who　had　been　chief　bridesmaid。



〃Did　n't　it　go　off　well；　Mr。　Shelton？〃　she　was　saying



〃Oh；　awfully！〃



〃I　always　think　it's　so　awkward　for　the　man　waiting　up　there　for　the

bride　to　come。〃



〃Yes；〃　murmured　Shelton。



〃Don't　you　think　it's　smart；　the　bridesmaids　having　no　hats？〃



Shelton　had　not　noticed　this　improvement；　but　he　agreed。



〃That　was　my　idea；　I　think　it　's　very　chic。　　They　've　had　fifteen

tea…sets…so　dull；　is　n't　it？〃



〃By　Jove！〃　　Shelton　hastened　to　remark。



〃Oh；　its　fearfully　useful　to　have　a　lot　of　things　you　don't　want；　of

course；　you　change　them　for　those　you　do。〃



The　whole　of　London　seemed　to　have　disgorged　its　shops　into　this

room；　he　looked　at　Miss　Casserol's　face；　and　was　greatly