the island pharisees-第31节
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later。
〃I 'll go on；〃 he said； 〃I don't mind the rain。 But you'd better get
back； sir。〃
〃Dear me！ I've 'a tenant in this cottage；' said Mr。 Dennant in his；
leisurely； dry manner 〃and a beggar he is to poach； too。 Least we
can do 's to ask for a little shelter； what do you think？ 〃and
smiling sarcastically； as though deprecating his intention to keep
dry； he rapped on the door of a prosperous…looking cottage。
It was opened by a girl of Antonia's age and height。
〃Ah； Phoebe！ Your father in？〃
〃No；〃 replied the girl； fluttering； 〃father's out； Mr。 Dennant。〃
〃So sorry！ Will you let us bide a bit out of the rain？〃
The sweet…looking Phoebe dusted them two chairs； and； curtseying；
left them in the parlour。
〃What a pretty girl！ 〃 said Shelton。
〃Yes； she's a pretty girl； half the young fellows are after her； but
she won't leave her father。 Oh； he 's a charming rascal is that
fellow！〃
This remark suddenly brought home to Shelton the conviction that he
was further than ever from avoiding the necessity for speaking。 He
walked over to the window。 The rain。 was coming down with fury；
though a golden line far down the sky promised the shower's quick
end。 〃For goodness' sake；〃 he thought； 〃let me say something；
however idiotic； and get it over！〃 But he did not turn； a kind of
paralysis had seized on him。
〃Tremendous heavy rain！〃 he said at last； 〃coming down in
waterspouts。〃
It would have been just as easy to say： 〃I believe your daughter to
be the sweetest thing on earth； I love her； and I 'm going to make
her happy！〃 Just as easy； just about the same amount of breath
required； but he couldn't say it！ He watched the rain stream and
hiss against the leaves and churn the dust on the parched road with
its insistent torrent； and he noticed with precision all the details
of the process going on outside how the raindrops darted at the
leaves like spears； and how the leaves shook themselves free a
hundred times a minute； while little runnels of water； ice…clear；
rolled over their edges； soft and quick。 He noticed； too； the
mournful head of a sheltering cow that was chewing at the hedge。
Mr。 Dennant had not replied to his remark about the rain。 So
disconcerting was this silence that Shelton turned。 His future
father…in…law； upon his wooden chair； was staring at his well…blacked
boots； bending forward above his parted knees； and prodding at the
carpet； a glimpse at his face disturbed Shelton's resolution。 It was
not forbidding； stern； discouragingnot in the least； it had merely
for the moment ceased to look satirical。 This was so startling that
Shelton lost his chance of speaking。 There seemed a heart to Mr。
Dennant's gravity； as though for once he were looking grave because
he felt so。 But glancing up at Shelton； his dry jocosity reappeared
at once。
〃What a day for ducks！〃 he said； and again there was unmistakable
alarm about the eye。 Was it possible that he； too； dreaded
something？
〃I can't express…〃 began Shelton hurriedly。
〃Yes； it's beastly to get wet；〃 said Mr。 Dennant； and he sang
For we can wrestle and fight； my boys；
And jump out anywhere。
〃You 'll be with us for that dinner…party next week； eh？ Capital！
There's the Bishop of Blumenthal and old Sir Jack Buckwell； I must
get my wife to put you between them…〃
For it's my delight of a starry night
〃The Bishop's a great anti…divorce man； and old Buckwell 's been in
the court at least twice…'
In the season of the year！
〃Will you please to take some tea； gentlemen？〃 said the voice of
Phoebe in the doorway。
〃No； thank you； Phoebe。 That girl ought to get married；〃 went on Mr。
Dennant； as Phoebe blushingly withdrew。 A flush showed queerly on
his sallow cheeks。 〃A shame to keep her tied like this to her
father's apron…stringsselfish fellow； that！〃 He looked up sharply；
as if he had made a dangerous remark。
The keeper he was watching us；
For him we did n't care！
Shelton suddenly felt certain that Antonia's father was just as
anxious to say something expressive of his feelings； and as unable as
himself。 And this was comforting。
〃You know； sir…〃 he began。
But Mr。 Dennant's eyebrows rose； his crow's…feet twinkled； his
personality seemed to shrink together。
〃By Jove！〃 he said； 〃it's stopped！ Now's our chance！ Come along；
my dear fellow； delays are dangerous！〃 and with his bantering
courtesy he held the door for Shelton to pass out。 〃I think we'll
part here；〃 he said〃I almost think so。 Good luck to you！〃
He held out his dry； yellow hand。 Shelton seized it； wrung it hard；
and muttered the word：
〃Grateful！〃
Again Mr。 Dennant's eyebrows quivered as if they had been tweaked； he
had been found out； and he disliked it。 The colour in his face had
died away； it was calm； wrinkled； dead…looking under the flattened；
narrow brim of his black hat； his grey moustache drooped thinly； the
crow's…feet hardened round his eyes； his nostrils were distended by
the queerest smile。
〃Gratitude！〃 he said； 〃almost a vice； is n't it？ Good…night！〃
Shelton's face quivered； he raised his hat； and； turning as abruptly
as his senior； proceeded on his way。 He had been playing in a comedy
that could only have been played in England。 He could afford to
smile now at his past discomfort； having no longer the sense of duty
unfulfilled。 Everything had been said that was right and proper to
be said； in the way that we such things should say。 No violence had
been done； he could afford to smilesmile at himself； at Mr。
Dennant； at to…morrow； smile at the sweet aroma of the earth； the
shy； unwilling sweetness that only rain brings forth。
CHAPTER XXII
THE COUNTRY HOUSE
The luncheon hour at Holm Oaks； was； as in many well…bred country
housesout of the shooting season； be it understoodthe soulful
hour。 The ferment of the daily doings was then at its full height；
and the clamour of its conversation on the weather； and the dogs； the
horses； neighbours； cricket； golf； was mingled with a literary
murmur； for the Dennants were superior； and it was quite usual to
hear remarks like these 〃Have you read that charmin' thing of
Poser's？〃 or； 〃Yes； I've got the new edition of old Bablington：
delightfully boundso light。〃 And it was in July that Holm Oaks； as
a gathering…place of the elect； was at its best。 For in July it had
become customary to welcome there many of those poor souls from
London who arrived exhausted by the season； and than whom no
seamstress in a two…pair back could better have earned a holiday。
The Dennants themselves never went to London for the season。 It was
their good pleasure not to。 A week or fortnight of it satisfied
them。 They had a radical weakness for fresh air； and Antonia； even
after her presentation two seasons back； had insisted on returning
home； stigmatising London balls as 〃stuffy things。〃
When Shelton arrived the stream had only just begun； but every day
brought fresh； or rather jaded； people to occupy the old； dark；
sweet…smelling bedrooms。 Individually； he liked his fellow…guests；
but he found himself observing them。 He knew that； if a man judged
people singly； almost all were better than himself； only when judged
in bulk were they worthy of the sweeping criticisms he felt inclined
to pass on them。 He knew this just as he knew that the conventions；
having been invented to prevent man following his natural desires；
were merely the disapproving sums of innumerable individual
approvals。
It was in the bulk； then； that he found himself observing。 But with
his amiability and dread of notoriety he remained to all appearance a
well…bred； docile creature； and he kept his judgments to himself。
In the matter of intellect he made a rough division of the guests
those who accepted things without a murmur； those who accepted them
with carping jocularity； in the matter of morals he found they all
accepted things without the semblance of a kick。 To show sign of
private moral judgment was to have lost your soul； and； worse； to be
a bit of an outsider。 He gathered this by intuition rather than from
conversation； for conversation naturally tabooed such questions； and
was carried on in the loud and cheerful tones peculiar to people of
good breeding。 Shelton had never been able to acquire this tone； and
he could not help feeling that the inability made him more or less an
object of suspicion。 The atmosphere struck him as it never had
before； causing him to feel a doubt of his gentility。 Could a man
suffer from passion； heart…searchings； or misgivings； and remain a
gentleman？ It seemed improbable。 One of his fellow…guests； a man
called Edgbaston； small…eyed and semi…bald； with a dark moustache and
a distinguished air of meanness； disconc
