the island pharisees-第36节

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of　the　evening；　with　its　restless　leaves；　its　grave　young　moon；　and

lighted　campion　flowers；　was　but　a　part　of　her；　the　scents；　the

witchery　and　shadows；　the　quaint　field　noises；　the　yokels'　whistling；

and　the　splash　of　water…fowl；　each　seemed　to　him　enchanted。　　The

flighting　bats；　the　forms　of　the　dim　hayricks；　and　sweet…brier

perfume…she　summed　them　all　up　in　herself。　　The　fingermarks　had

deepened　underneath　her　eyes；　a　languor　came　upon　her；　it　made　her

the　more　sweet　and　youthful。　　Her　shoulders　seemed　to　bear　on　them

the　very　image　of　our　landgrave　and　aspiring；　eager　yet　contained

before　there　came　upon　that　land　the　grin　of　greed；　the　folds　of

wealth；　the　simper　of　content。　　Fair；　unconscious；　free！



And　he　was　silent；　with　a　beating　heart。









CHAPTER　XXVI



THE　BIRD　'OF　PASSAGE



That　night；　after　the　ride；　when　Shelton　was　about　to　go　to　bed；　his

eyes　fell　on　Ferrand's　letter；　and　with　a　sleepy　sense　of　duty　he

began　to　read　it　through　a　second　time。　　In　the　dark；　oak…panelled

bedroom；　his　four…post　bed；　with　back　of　crimson　damask　and　its

dainty　sheets；　was　lighted　by　the　candle　glow；　the　copper　pitcher　of

hot　water　in　the　basin；　the　silver　of　his　brushes；　and　the　line　of

his　well…polished　boots　all　shone；　and　Shelton's　face　alone　was

gloomy；　staring　at　the　yellowish　paper　in　his　hand。



〃The　poor　chap　wants　money；　of　course；〃　he　thought。　　But　why　go　on

for　ever　helping　one　who　had　no　claim　on　him；　a　hopeless　case；

incurableone　whom　it　was　his　duty　to　let　sink　for　the　good　of　the

community　at　large？　　Ferrand's　vagabond　refinement　had　beguiled　him

into　charity　that　should　have　been　bestowed　on　hospitals；　or　any

charitable　work　but　foreign　missions。　　To　give　a　helping　hand；　a　bit

of　himself；　a　nod　of　fellowship　to　any　fellow…being　irrespective　of　a

claim；　merely　because　he　happened　to　be　down；　was　sentimental

nonsense！　　The　line　must　be　drawn！　　But　in　the　muttering　of　this

conclusion　he　experienced　a　twinge　of　honesty。　　〃Humbug！　　You　don't

want　to　part　with　your　money；　that's　all！〃



So；　sitting　down　in　shirt…sleeves　at　his　writing　table；　he　penned　the

following　on　paper　stamped　with　the　Holm　Oaks　address　and　crest：



MY　DEAR　FERRAND；



I　am　sorry　you　are　having　such　a　bad　spell。　　You　seem　to　be　dead　out

of　luck。　　I　hope　by　the　time　you　get　this　things　will　have　changed

for　the　better。　　I　should　very　much　like　to　see　you　again　and　have　a

talk；　but　shall　be　away　for　some　time　longer；　and　doubt　even　when　I

get　back　whether　I　should　be　able　to　run　down　and　look　you　up。　　Keep

me　'au　courant'　as　to　your　movements。　　I　enclose　a　cheque。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　sincerely；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　RICHARD　SHELTON。





Before　he　had　written　out　the　cheque；　a　moth　fluttering　round　the

candle　distracted　his　attention；　and　by　the　time　he　had　caught　and

put　it　out　he　had　forgotten　that　the　cheque　was　not　enclosed。　　The

letter；　removed　with　his　clothes　before　he　was　awake；　was　posted　in

an　empty　state。



One　morning　a　week　later　he　was　sitting　in　the　smoking…room　in　the

company　of　the　gentleman　called　Mabbey；　who　was　telling　him　how　many

grouse　he　had　deprived　of　life　on　August　12　last　year；　and　how　many

he　intended　to　deprive　of　life　on　August　12　this　year；　when　the　door

was　opened；　and　the　butler　entered；　carrying　his　head　as　though　it

held　some　fatal　secret。



〃A　young　man　is　asking　for　you；　sir；〃　he　said　to　Shelton；　bending

down　discreetly；　〃I　don't　know　if　you　would　wish　to　see　him；　sir。〃



〃A　young　man！　　〃repeated　Shelton；　〃what　sort　of　a　young　man？〃



〃I　should　say　a　sort　of　foreigner；　sir；〃　apologetically　replied　the

butler。　　〃He's　wearing　a　frock…coat；　but　he　looks　as　if　he　had　been

walking　a　good　deal。〃



Shelton　rose　with　haste；　the　description　sounded　to　him　ominous。



〃Where　is　he？〃



〃I　put　him　in　the　young　ladies'　little　room；　sir。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Shelton；　〃I　'll　come　and　see　him。　　Now；　what　the

deuce！〃　　he　thought；　running　down　the　stairs。



It　was　with　a　queer　commingling　of　pleasure　and　vexation　that　he

entered　the　little　chamber　sacred　to　the　birds；　beasts；　racquets；

golf…clubs；　and　general　young　ladies'　litter。　　Ferrand　was　standing

underneath　the　cage　of　a　canary；　his　hands　folded　on　his　pinched…up

hat；　a　nervous　smile　upon　his　lips。　　He　was　dressed　in　Shelton's　old

frock…coat；　tightly　buttoned；　and　would　have　cut　a　stylish　figure　but

far　his　look　of　travel。　　He　wore　a　pair　of　pince…nez；　too；　which

somewhat　veiled　his　cynical　blue　eyes；　and　clashed　a　little　with　the

pagan　look　of　him。　　In　the　midst　of　the　strange　surroundings　he　still

preserved　that　air　of　knowing；　and　being　master　of；　his　fate；　which

was　his　chief　attraction。



〃I　'm　glad　to　see　you；〃　said　Shelton；　holding　out　his　hand。



〃Forgive　this　liberty；〃　began　Ferrand；　〃but　I　thought　it　due　to　you

after　all　you've　done　for　me　not　to　throw　up　my　efforts　to　get

employment　in　England　without　letting　you　know　first。　　I'm　entirely

at　the　end　of　my　resources。〃



The　phrase　struck　Shelton　as　one　that　he　had　heard　before。



But　I　wrote　to　you；〃　he　said；　〃did　n't　you　get　my　letter？〃



A　flicker　passed　across　the　vagrant's　face；　he　drew　the　letter　from

his　pocket　and　held　it　out。



〃Here　it　is；　monsieur。〃



Shelton　stared　at　it。



〃Surely；〃　said　he；　〃I　sent　a　cheque？〃



Ferrand　did　not　smile；　there　was　a　look　about　him　as　though　Shelton

by　forgetting　to　enclose　that　cheque　had　done　him　a　real　injury。



Shelton　could　not　quite　hide　a　glance　of　doubt。



〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　〃IImeant　to　enclose　a　cheque。〃



Too　subtle　to　say　anything；　Ferrand　curled　his　lip。；　〃I　am　capable　of

much；　but　not　of　that；〃　he　seemed　to　say；　and　at　once　Shelton　felt

the　meanness　of　his　doubt。



〃Stupid　of　me；〃　he　said。



〃I　had　no　intention　of　intruding　here；〃　said　Ferrand；　〃I　hoped　to　see

you　in　the　neighbourhood；　but　I　arrive　exhausted　with　fatigue。　　I've

eaten　nothing　since　yesterday　at　noon；　and　walked　thirty　miles。〃　　He

shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃You　see；　I　had　no　time　to　lose　before

assuring　myself　whether　you　were　here　or　not。〃



〃Of　course…〃　began　Shelton；　but　again　he　stopped。



〃I　should　very　much　like；〃　the　young　foreigner　went　on；　〃for　one　of

your　good　legislators　to　find　himself　in　these　country　villages　with

a　penny　in　his　pocket。　　In　other　countries　bakers　are　obliged　to　sell

you　an　equivalent　of　bread　for　a　penny；　here　they　won't　sell　you　as

much　as　a　crust　under　twopence。　　You　don't　encourage　poverty。〃



〃What　is　your　idea　now？〃　asked　Shelton；　trying　to　gain　time。



〃As　I　told　you；〃　replied　Ferrand；　〃there　's　nothing　to　be　done　at

Folkestone；　though　I　should　have　stayed　there　if　I　had　had　the　money

to　defray　certain　expenses〃；　and　again　he　seemed　to　reproach　his

patron　with　the　omission　of　that　cheque。　　〃They　say　things　will

certainly　be　better　at　the　end　of　the　month。　　Now　that　I　know　English

well；　I　thought　perhaps　I　could　procure　a　situation　for　teaching

languages。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Shelton。



As　a　fact；　however；　he　was　far　from　seeing；　he　literally　did　not　know

what　to　do。　　It　seemed　so　brutal　to　give　Ferrand　money　and　ask　him　to

clear　out；　besides；　he　chanced　to　have　none　in　his　pocket。



〃It　needs　philosophy　to　support　what　I　've　gone　through　this　week；〃

said　Ferrand；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　　〃On　Wednesday　last；　when　I

received　your　letter；　I　had　just　eighteen…pence；　and　at　once　I　made　a

resolution　to　come　and　see　you；　on　that　sum　I　've　done　the　journey。

My　strength　is　nearly　at　an　end。〃



Shelton　stroked　his　chin。



〃Well；〃　he　had　just　begun；　〃we　must　think　it　over；〃　when　by　Ferrand's

face　he　saw　that　some　one　had　come　in。　　He　turned；　and　saw　Antonia　in

the　doorway。　　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　stammered；　and；　going　to　Antonia；　drew

her　from　the　room。



With　a　smile　she　said　at　once：　〃It's　the　young　foreigner；　I'm

certain。　　Oh；　what　fun！〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Shelton　slowly；　〃he's　come　to　see　me　about　getting

some　sort　of　tutorship　or　other。　　Do　you　think　your　mother　would　mind

if　I　took　him　up　to　have　a　wash？　　He's　had　a　longish　walk。　　And　might

he　have　some　breakfast？　　He　must　be　hungry。〃



〃Of　course！　　I'll　tell　Dobson。　　Shall　I　speak　to　mother？　　He　looks

nice；　Dick。〃



He　gave　her　a　grateful；　furtive　look；　and　went　back　to　his　guest；　an

impulse　had　made　him　hide　from　her　the　true　condition　of　affairs。



Ferrand　was　standing　where　he　had　been　left　his　face　still　clothed　in

mordant　impassivity。



〃Come　up　to　my　room！〃　　said　Shelton；　and　while　his　guest　was　washing；

brushing；　and　otherwise　embellishing　his　person；　he　stood　reflecting

that　Ferrand　was　by　no　means　unpresentable；　and　he　felt　quite

grateful　to　him。



He　took　an　opportunity；　when　the　young　man's　back　was　turned；　of

examining　his　counterfoils。　　There　was　no　record；　naturally；　of　a

cheque　drawn　in　Ferrand's　favour。　　Shelton　felt　more　mean　than　ever。



A　message　ca