the island pharisees-第19节

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〃Dick；　may　I　introduce　you　to　Mr。　Wilfrid　Curly？〃　said　his　cousin's

voice　behind；　and　he　found　his　hand　being　diffidently　shaken　by　a

fresh…cheeked　youth　with　a　dome…like　forehead；　who　was　saying

nervously：



〃How　do　you　do？　　Yes；　I　am　very　well；　thank　you！〃



He　now　remembered　that　when　he　had　first　come　in　he　had　watched　this

youth；　who　had　been　standing　in　a　corner　indulging　himself　in　private

smiles。　　He　had　an　uncommon　look；　as　though　he　were　in　love　with

lifeas　though　he　regarded　it　as　a　creature　to　whom　one　could　put

questions　to　the　very　endinteresting；　humorous；　earnest　questions。

He　looked　diffident；　and　amiable；　and　independent；　and　he；　too；　was

evidently　English。



〃Are　you　good　at　argument？〃　said　Shelton；　at　a　loss　for　a　remark。



The　youth　smiled；　blushed；　and；　putting　back　his　hair；　replied：



〃YesnoI　don't　know；　I　think　my　brain　does　n't　work　fast　enough

for　argument。　　You　know　how　many　motions　of　the　brain…cells　go　to

each　remark。　　It　's　awfully　interesting〃；　and；　bending　from　the　waist

in　a　mathematical　position；　he　extended　the　palm　of　one　hand；　and

started　to　explain。



Shelton　stared　at　the　youth's　hand；　at　his　frowns　and　the　taps　he

gave　his　forehead　while　he　found　the　expression　of　his　meaning；　he

was　intensely　interested。　　The　youth　broke　off；　looked　at　his　watch；

and；　blushing　brightly；　said：



〃I　'm　afraid　I　have　to　go；　I　have　to　be　at　the　'Den'　before　eleven。〃



〃I　must　be　off；　too；〃　said　Shelton。　　Making　their　adieux　together；

they　sought　their　hats　and　coats。









CHAPTER　XIV



THE　NIGHT　CLUB



〃May　I　ask；〃　said　Shelton；　as　he　and　the　youth　came　out　into　the

chilly　street；　〃What　it　is　you　call　the　'Den'？〃



His　companion　smilingly　answered：



〃Oh；　the　night　club。　　We　take　it　in　turns。　　Thursday　is　my　night。

Would　you　like　to　come？　　You　see　a　lot　of　types。　　It's　only　round　the

corner。〃



Shelton　digested　a　momentary　doubt；　and　answered：



〃Yes；　immensely。〃



They　reached　the　corner　house　in　an　angle　of　a；　dismal　street；

through　the　open　door　of　which　two　men　had　just　gone　in。　　Following；

they　ascended　some　wooden；　fresh…washed　stairs；　and　entered　a　large

boarded　room　smelling　of　sawdust；　gas；　stale　coffee；　and　old　clothes。

It　was　furnished　with　a　bagatelle　board；　two　or　three　wooden　tables；

some　wooden　forms；　and　a　wooden　bookcase。　　Seated　on　these　wooden

chairs；　or　standing　up；　were　youths；　and　older　men　of　the　working

class；　who　seemed　to　Shelton　to　be　peculiarly　dejected。　　One　was

reading；　one　against　the　wall　was　drinking　coffee　with　a

disillusioned　air；　two　were　playing　chess；　and　a　group　of　four　made　a

ceaseless　clatter　with　the　bagatelle。



A　little　man　in　a　dark　suit；　with　a　pale　face；　thin　lips；　and　deep…

set；　black…encircled　eyes；　who　was　obviously　in　charge；　came　up　with

an　anaemic　smile。



〃You　're　rather　late；〃　he　said　to　Curly；　and；　looking　ascetically　at

Shelton；　asked；　without　waiting　for　an　introduction：　〃Do　you　play

chess？　　There　's　young　Smith　wants　a　game。〃



A　youth　with　a　wooden　face；　already　seated　before　a　fly…blown　chess…

board；　asked　him　drearily　if　he　would　have　black　or　white。　　Shelton

took　white；　he　was　oppressed　by　the　virtuous　odour　of　this　room。



The　little　man　with　the　deep　blue　eyes　came　up；　stood　in　an　uneasy

attitude；　and　watched：



〃Your　play's　improving；　young　Smith；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　think　you'd

be　able　to　give　Banks　a　knight。〃　　His　eyes　rested　on　Shelton；

fanatical　and　dreary；　his　monotonous　voice　was　suffering　and　nasal；

he　was　continually　sucking　in　his　lips；　as　though　determined　to

subdue　'the　flesh。　　〃You　should　come　here　often；〃　he　said　to　Shelton；

as　the　latter　received　checkmate；　〃you　'd　get　some　good　practice。

We've　several　very　fair　players。　　You're　not　as　good　as　Jones　or

Bartholomew；〃　he　added　to　Shelton's　opponent；　as　though　he　felt　it　a

duty　to　put　the　latter　in　his　place。　　〃You　ought　to　come　here　often；〃

he　repeated　to　Shelton；　〃we　have　a　lot　of　very　good　young　fellows〃；

and；　with　a　touch　of　complacence；　he　glanced　around　the　dismal　room。

〃There　are　not　so　many　here　tonight　as　usual。　　Where　are　Toombs　and

Body？〃



Shelton；　too；　looked　anxiously　around。　　He　could　not　help　feeling

sympathy　with　Toombs　and　Body。



〃They　're　getting　slack；　I'm　afraid；〃　said　the　little　deep…eyed　man。

〃Our　principle　is　to　amuse　everyone。　　Excuse　me　a　minute；　I　see　that

Carpenter　is　doing　nothing。〃　　He　crossed　over　to　the　man　who　had　been

drinking　coffee；　but　Shelton　had　barely　time　to　glance　at　his

opponent　and　try　to　think　of　a　remark；　before　the　little　man　was

back。　　〃Do　you　know　anything　about　astronomy？〃　he　asked　of　Shelton。

〃We　have　several　very　interested　in　astronomy；　if　you　could　talk　to

them　a　little　it　would　help。〃



Shelton　made　a　motion　of　alarm。



〃Please…no；〃　said　he；　〃I…〃



〃I　wish　you'd　come　sometimes　on　Wednesdays；　we　have　most　interesting

talks；　and　a　service　afterwards。　　We're　always　anxious　to　get　new

blood〃；　and　his　eyes　searched　Shelton's　brown；　rather　tough…looking

face；　as　though　trying　to　see　how　much　blood　there　was　in　it。　　〃Young

Curly　says　you　've　just　been　around　the　world；　you　could　describe

your　travels。〃



〃May　I　ask；〃　said　Shelton；　〃how　your　club　is　made　up？〃



Again　a　look　of　complacency；　and　blessed　assuagement；　visited　the

little　man。



〃Oh；〃　he　said；　〃we　take　anybody；　unless　there　's　anything　against

them。　　The　Day　Society　sees　to　that。　　Of　course；　we　shouldn't　take

anyone　if　they　were　to　report　against　them。　　You　ought　to　come　to　our

committee　meetings；　they're　on　Mondays　at　seven。　　The　women's　side；

too…〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Shelton；　〃you　're　very　kind…〃



〃We　should　be　pleased；〃　said　the　little　man；　and　his　face　seemed　to

suffer　more　than　ever。　　〃They　're　mostly　young　fellows　here　to…night；

but　we　have　married　men；　too。　　Of　course；　we　're　very　careful　about

that；〃　he　added　hastily；　as　though　he　might　have　injured　Shelton's

prejudices〃that；　and　drink；　and　anything　criminal；　you　know。〃



〃And　do　you　give　pecuniary　assistance；　too？〃



〃Oh　yes；〃　replied　the　little　man；　〃if　you　were　to　come　to　our

committee　meetings　you　would　see　for　yourself。　　Everything　is　most

carefully　gone　into；　we　endeavour　to　sift　the　wheat　from　the　chaff。〃



〃I　suppose；〃　said　Shelton；　〃you　find　a　great　deal　of　chaff？〃



The　little　man　smiled　a　suffering　smile。　　The　twang　of　his　toneless

voice　sounded　a　trifle　shriller。



〃I　was　obliged　to　refuse　a　man　to…daya　man　and　a　woman；　quite　young

people；　with　three　small　children。　　He　was　ill　and　out　of　work；　but

on　inquiry　we　found　that　they　were　not　man　and　wife。〃



There　was　a　slight　pause；　the　little　man's　eyes　were　fastened　on　his

nails；　and；　with　an　appearance　of　enjoyment；　he　began　to　bite　them。

Shelton's　face　had　grown　a　trifle　red。



〃And　what　becomes　of　the　woman　and　the　children　in　a　case　like　that？〃

he　said。



The　little　man's　eyes　began　to　smoulder。



〃We　make　a　point　of　not　encouraging　sin；　of　course。　　Excuse　me　a

minute；　I　see　they've　finished　bagatelle。〃



He　hurried　off；　and　in　a　moment　the　clack　of　bagatelle　began　again。

He　himself　was　playing　with　a　cold　and　spurious　energy；　running　after

the　balls　and　exhorting　the　other　players；　upon　whom　a　wooden

acquiescence　seemed　to　fall。



Shelton　crossed　the　room；　and　went　up　to　young　Curly。　　He　was　sitting

on　a　bench；　smiling　to　himself　his　private　smiles。



〃Are　you　staying　here　much　longer？〃　Shelton　asked。



Young　Curly　rose　with　nervous　haste。



〃I　'm　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃　there　's　nobody　very　interesting　here　to…

night。〃



〃Oh；　not　at　all！〃　　said　Shelton；　〃on　the　contrary。　　Only　I　've　had　a

rather　tiring　day；　and　somehow　I　don't　feel　up　to　the　standard　here。〃



His　new　acquaintance　smiled。



〃Oh；　really！　　do　you　thinkthat　is〃



But　he　had　not　time　to　finish　before　the　clack　of　bagatelle　balls

ceased；　and　the　voice　of　the　little　deep…eyed　man　was　heard　saying：

〃Anybody　who　wants　a　book　will　put　his　name　down。　　There　will　be　the

usual　prayer…meeting　on　Wednesday　next。　　Will　you　all　go　quietly？

I　am　going　to　turn　the　lights　out。〃



One　gas…jet　vanished；　and　the　remaining　jet　flared　suddenly。　　By　its

harder　glare　the　wooden　room　looked　harder　too；　and　disenchanting。

The　figures　of　its　occupants　began　filing　through　the　door。　　The

little　man　was　left　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　his　deep　eyes

smouldering　upon　the　backs　of　the　retreating　members；　his　thumb　and

finger　raised　to　the　turncock　of　the　metre。



〃Do　you　know　this　part？〃　asked　young　Curly　as　they　emerged　into　the

street。　　〃It　's　really　jolly；　one　of　the　darkest　bits　in　Londonit

is　really。　　If　you　care；　I　can　take　you　through　an　awfully　dangerous

place　where　the　police　never　go。〃　　He　seemed　so　anxious　for　the

honour　that　Shelton　was　loath　to　disappoint　him。　　〃I　come　here　pretty

often；〃　he　went　on；　as　they　ascended　a　sort　of　alley　rambling　darkly

between