the island pharisees-第34节
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His silence in no way disconcerted his acquaintance。
〃That's a nice old article of virtue；〃 he said； pointing with his
chin； and； walking round the sundial； he made its acquaintance from
the other side。 Its grey profile cast a thin and shortening shadow
on the turf； tongues of moss were licking at its sides； the daisies
clustered thick around its base； it had acquired a look of growing
from the soil。 〃I should like to get hold of that；〃 the stained…
glass man remarked； 〃I don't know when I 've seen a better specimen；〃
and he walked round it once again。
His eyebrows were still ironically arched； but below them his eyes
were almost calculating； and below them； again； his mouth had opened
just a little。 A person with a keener eye would have said his face
looked greedy； and even Shelton was surprised； as though he had read
in the Spectator a confession of commercialism。
〃You could n't uproot a thing like that；〃 he said； 〃it would lose all
its charm。〃
His companion turned impatiently； and his countenance looked
wonderfully genuine。
〃Couldn't I？〃 he said。 〃By Jove！ I thought so。 1690！ The best
period。〃 He ran his forger round the sundial's edge。 〃Splendid
line…clean as the day they made it。 You don't seem to care much
about that sort of thing〃； and once again； as though accustomed to
the indifference of Vandals； his face regained its mask。
They strolled on towards the kitchen gardens； Shelton still busy
searching every patch of shade。 He wanted to say 〃Can't stop；〃 and
hurry off； but there was about the stained…glass man a something
that； while stinging Shelton's feelings； made the showing of them
quite impossible。 〃Feelings！〃 that person seemed to say； 〃all very
well； but you want more than that。 Why not take up wood…carving？
。 。 。 。 Feelings！ I was born in England； and have been at
Cambridge。〃
〃Are you staying long？〃 he asked Shelton。 〃I go on to Halidome's
to…morrow； suppose I sha'n't see you there？ Good； chap； old
Halidome！ Collection of etchings very fine！〃
〃No； I 'm staying on；〃 said Shelton。
〃Ah！〃 said the stained…glass man； 〃charming people； the Dennants！〃
Shelton； reddening slowly； turned his head away； he picked a
gooseberry； and muttered； 〃Yes。〃
〃The eldest girl especially； no nonsense about her。 I thought she
was a particularly nice girl。〃
Shelton heard this praise of Antonia with an odd sensation； it gave
him the reverse of pleasure； as though the words had cast new light
upon her。 He grunted hastily；
〃I suppose you know that we 're engaged？〃
〃Really！〃 said the stained…glass man； and again his bright； clear；
iron…committal glance swept over Shelton〃really！ I didn't know。
Congratulate you！〃
It was as if he said： 〃You're a man of taste； I should say she would
go well in almost any drawing…room！〃
〃Thanks；〃 said Shelton； 〃there she' is。 If you'll excuse me； I want
to speak to her。〃
CHAPTER XXIV
PARADISE
Antonia； in a sunny angle of the old brick wall； amid the pinks and
poppies and cornflowers； was humming to herself。 Shelton saw the
stained…glass man pass out of sight； then； unobserved； he watched her
smelling at the flowers； caressing her face with each in turn；
casting away spoiled blossoms； and all the time humming that soft
tune。
In two months； or three； all barriers between himself and this
inscrutable young Eve would break； she would be a part of him； and he
a part of her； he would know all her thoughts； and she all his；
together they would be as one； and all would think of them； and talk
of them； as one； and this would come about by standing half an hour
together in a church； by the passing of a ring； and the signing of
their names。
The sun was burnishing her hairshe wore no hat flushing her cheeks；
sweetening and making sensuous her limbs； it had warmed her through
and through； so that； like the flowers and bees； the sunlight and the
air； she was all motion； light； and colour。
She turned and saw Shelton standing there。
〃Oh； Dick！〃 she said： 〃Lend me your hand…kerchief to put these
flowers in； there 's a good boy！〃
Her candid eyes； blue as the flowers in her hands； were clear and
cool as ice； but in her smile was all the warm profusion of that
corner； the sweetness had soaked into her； and was welling forth
again。 The sight of those sun…warmed cheeks； and fingers twining
round the flower…stalks； her pearly teeth； and hair all fragrant；
stole the reason out of Shelton。 He stood before her； weak about the
knees。
〃Found you at last！〃 he said。
Curving back her neck； she cried out； 〃Catch！〃 and with a sweep of
both her hands flung the flowers into Shelton's arms。
Under the rain of flowers； all warm and odorous； he dropped down on
his knees； and put them one by one together； smelling at the pinks；
to hide the violence of his feelings。 Antonia went on picking
flowers； and every time her hand was full she dropped them on his
hat； his shoulder； or his arms； and went on plucking more； she
smiled； and on her lips a little devil danced； that seemed to know
what he was suffering。 And Shelton felt that she did know。
〃Are you tired？〃 she asked； 〃there are heaps more wanted。 These are
the bedroom…flowersfourteen lots。 I can't think how people can
live without flowers； can you？〃 and close above his head she buried
her face in pinks。
He kept his eyes on the plucked flowers before him on the grass； and
forced himself to answer；
〃I think I can hold out。〃
〃Poor old Dick！〃 She had stepped back。 The sun lit the clear…cut
profile of her cheek； and poured its gold over the bosom of her
blouse。 〃Poor old Dick！ Awfully hard luck； is n't it？〃 Burdened
with mignonette； she came so close again that now she touched his
shoulder； but Shelton did not look； breathless； with wildly beating
heart； he went on sorting out the flowers。 The seeds of mignonette
rained on his neck； and as she let the blossoms fall； their perfume
fanned his face。 〃You need n't sort them out！〃 she said。
Was she enticing him？ He stole a look； but she was gone again；
swaying and sniffing at the flowers。
〃I suppose I'm only hindering you；〃 he growled； 〃I 'd better go。〃
She laughed。
〃I like to see you on your knees； you look so funny！〃 and as she
spoke she flung a clove carnation at him。 〃Does n't it smell good？〃
〃Too good Oh； Antonia！ why are you doing this？〃
〃 Why am I doing what？〃
〃Don't you know what you are doing？〃
〃Why； picking flowers！〃 and once more she was back； bending and
sniffing at the blossoms。
〃That's enough。〃
〃Oh no；〃 she called； 〃it's not not nearly。
〃Keep on putting them together； if you love me。〃
〃You know I love you；〃 answered Shelton； in a smothered voice。
Antonia gazed at him across her shoulder； puzzled and inquiring was
her face。
〃I'm not a bit like you；〃 she said。 〃What will you have for your
room？〃
〃Choose！〃
〃Cornflowers and clove pinks。 Poppies are too frivolous； and pinks
too…〃
〃White；〃 said Shelton。
〃And mignonette too hard and…〃
〃Sweet。 Why cornflowers？〃
Antonia stood before him with her hands against her sides； her figure
was so slim and young； her face uncertain and so grave。
〃Because they're dark and deep。〃
〃And why clove pinks？〃
Antonia did not answer。
〃And why clove pinks？〃
〃Because；〃 she said； and； flushing； touched a bee that had settled on
her skirt； 〃because of something in you I don't understand。〃
〃Ah！ And what flowers shall t give YOU？〃
She put her hands behind her。
〃There are all the other flowers for me。〃
Shelton snatched from the mass in front of him an Iceland poppy with
straight stem and a curved neck； white pinks； and sprigs of hard；
sweet mignonette； and held it out to her。
〃There；〃 he said； 〃that's you。〃 But Antonia did not move。
〃Oh no； it is n't！〃 and behind her back her fingers slowly crushed
the petals of a blood…red poppy。 She shook her head； smiling a
brilliant smile。 The blossoms fell； he flung his arms around her；
and kissed her on the lips。
But his hands dropped； not fear exactly； nor exactly shame； had come
to him。 She had not resisted； but he had kissed the smile away； had
kissed a strange； cold； frightened look； into her eyes。
〃She did n't mean to tempt me； then；〃 he thought； in surprise and
anger。 〃What did she mean？〃 and； like a scolded dog； he kept his
troubled watch upon her face。
CHAPTER XXV
THE RIDE
〃Where now？〃 Antonia asked； wheeling her chestnut mare； as they
turned up High Street； Oxford City。 〃I won't go back the same way；
Dick！〃
〃We could have a gallop on Port Meadow； cross the Upper River twice；
and get home that way； but you 'll be tired。〃
Antonia shook her head。 Aslant her cheek the
