the island pharisees-第37节

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



A　message　came　from　Mrs。　Dennant；　so　he　took　the　traveller　to　the

dining…room　and　left　him　there；　while　he　himself　went　to　the　lady　of

the　house。　　He　met　Antonia　coming　down。



〃How　many　days　did　you　say　he　went　without　food　that　timeyou　know？〃

she　asked　in　passing。



〃Four。〃



〃He　does　n't　look　a　bit　common；　Dick。〃



Shelton　gazed　at　her　dubiously。



〃They're　surely　not　going　to　make　a　show　of　him！〃　he　thought。



Mrs。　Dennant　was　writing；　in　a　dark…blue　dress　starred　over　with

white　spots；　whose　fine　lawn　collar　was　threaded　with　black　velvet。



〃Have　you　seen　the　new　hybrid　Algy's　brought　me　back　from　Kidstone？

Is　n't　it　charmin'？〃　and　she　bent　her　face　towards　this　perfect　rose。

〃They　say　unique；　I'm　awfully　interested　to　find　out　if　that's　true。

I've　told　Algy　I　really　must　have　some。〃



Shelton　thought　of　the　unique　hybrid　breakfasting　downstairs；　he

wished　that　Mrs。　Dennant　would　show　in　him　the　interest　she　had

manifested　in　the　rose。　　But　this　was　absurd　of　him；　he　knew；　for　the

potent　law　of　hobbies　controlled　the　upper　classes；　forcing　them　to

take　more　interest　in　birds；　and　roses；　missionaries；　or　limited　and

highly…bound　editions　of　old　books　（things；　in　a　word；　in　treating

which　you　knew　exactly　where　you　were）　than　in　the　manifestations　of

mere　life　that　came　before　their　eyes。



〃Oh；　Dick；　about　that　young　Frenchman。　　Antonia　says　he　wants　a

tutorship；　now；　can　you　really　recommend　him？　　There's　Mrs。　Robinson

at　the　Gateways　wants　someone　to　teach　her　boys　languages；　and；　if　he

were　quite　satisfactory；　it's　really　time　Toddles　had　a　few　lessons

in　French；　he　goes　to　Eton　next　half。〃



Shelton　stared　at　the　rose；　he　had　suddenly　realised　why　it　was　that

people　take　more　interest　in　roses　than　in　human　beingsone　could　do

it　with　a　quiet　heart。



〃He's　not　a　Frenchman；　you　know；〃　he　said　to　gain　a　little　time。



〃He's　not　a　German；　I　hope；〃　Mrs。　Dennant　answered；　passing　her

forgers　round　a　petal；　to　impress　its　fashion　on　her　brain；　〃I　don't

like　Germans。　　Is　n't　he　the　one　you　wrote　aboutcome　down　in　the

world？　　Such　a　pity　with　so　young　a　fellow！　　His　father　was　a

merchant；　I　think　you　told　us。　　Antonia　says　he　's　quite　refined　to

look　at。〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Shelton；　feeling　on　safe　ground；　〃he's　refined　enough

to　look　at。〃



Mrs。　Dennant　took　the　rose　and　put　it　to　her　nose。



〃Delicious　perfume！　　That　was　a　very　touchin'　story　about　his　goin'

without　food　in　Paris。　　Old　Mrs。　Hopkins　has　a　room　to　let；　I　should

like　to　do　her　a　good　turn。　　I'm　afraid　there's　a　hole　in　the

ceilin'；　though。　　Or　there's　the　room　here　in　the　left　wing　on　the

ground…floor　where　John　the　footman　used　to　sleep。　　It's　quite　nice；

perhaps　he　could　have　that。〃



〃You　're　awfully　kind；〃　said　Shelton；　〃　but…〃



〃I　should　like　to　do　something　to　restore　his　self…respect；〃；　went　on

Mrs。　Dennant；　〃if；　as　you　say；　he　's　clever　and　all　that。　　Seein'　a

little　refined　life　again　might　make　a　world　of　difference　to　him。

It's　so　sad　when　a　young　man　loses　self…respect。〃



Shelton　was　much　struck　by　the　practical　way　in　which　she　looked　at

things。　　Restore　his　self…respect！　　It　seemed　quite　a　splendid

notion！　　He　smiled；　and　said；



〃You're　too　kind。　　I　think…〃



〃I　don't　believe　in　doin'　things　by　halves；〃　said　Mrs。　Dennant；　〃he

does　n't　drink；　I　suppose？〃



〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Shelton。　　〃He's　rather　a　tobacco　maniac；　of　course。〃



〃Well；　that's　a　mercy！　　You　would　n't　believe　the　trouble　I　've　had

with　drink；　especially　over　cooks　and　coachmen。　　And　now　Bunyan's

taken　to　it。〃



〃Oh；　you'd　have　no　trouble　with　Ferrand；〃　returned　Shelton；　〃　you

couldn't　tell　him　from　a　gentleman　as　far　as　manners　go。〃



Mrs。　Dennant　smiled　one　of　her　rather　sweet　and　kindly　smiles。



〃My　dear　Dick；〃　she　said；　〃there's　not　much　comfort　in　that。　　Look　at

poor　Bobby　Surcingle；　look　at　Oliver　Semples　and　Victor　Medallion；

you　could　n't　have　better　families。　　But　if　you　're　sure　he　does　n't

drink！　　Algy　'll　laugh；　of　course；　that　does　n't　matterhe　laughs　at

everything。〃



Shelton　felt　guilty；　being　quite　unprepared　for　so　rapid　an　adoption

of　his　client。



〃I　really　believe　there's　a　lot　of　good　in　him；〃　he　stammered；　〃but；

of　course；　I　know　very　little；　and　from　what　he　tells　me　he's　had　a

very　curious　life。　　I　shouldn't　like…〃



〃Where　was　he　educated？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Dennant。　　〃They　have　no　public

schools　in　France；　so　I　've　been　told；　but；　of　course；　he　can't　help

that；　poor　young　fellow！　　Oh；　and；　Dick；　there　's　one　thinghas　he

relations？　　One　has　always　to　be　so　careful　about　that。　　It　's　one

thing　to　help　a　young　fellow；　but　quite　another　to　help　his　family

too。　　One　sees　so　many　cases　of　that　where　men　marry　girls　without

money；　don't　you　know。〃



〃He　has　told　me；〃　answered　Shelton；　〃his　only　relations　are　some

cousins；　and　they　are　rich。〃



Mrs。　Dennant　took　out　her　handkerchief；　and；　bending　above　the　rose；

removed　a　tiny　insect。



〃These　green…fly　get　in　everywhere；〃　she　said。



〃Very　sad　story；　can't　they　do　anything　for　him？〃　and　she　made

researches　in　the　rose's　heart。



〃He's　quarrelled　with　them；　I　believe；〃　said　Shelton；　〃I　have　n't

liked　to　press　him；　about　that。〃



〃No；　of　course　not；〃　assented　Mrs。　Dennant　absentlyshe　had　found

another　green…fly　〃I　always　think　it's　painful　when　a　young　man　seems

so　friendless。〃



Shelton　was　silent；　he　was　thinking　deeply。　　He　had　never　before　felt

so　distrustful　of　the　youthful　foreigner。



〃I　think；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃the　best　thing　would　be　for　you　to　see

him　for　yourself。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Mrs。　Dennant。　　〃I　should　be　so　glad　if　you　would

tell　him　to　come　up。　　I　must　say　I　do　think　that　was　a　most　touchin'

story　about　Paris。　　I　wonder　whether　this　light's　strong　enough　now

for　me　to　photograph　this　rose。〃



Shelton　withdrew　and　went　down…stairs。　　Ferrand　was　still　at

breakfast。　　Antonia　stood　at　the　sideboard　carving　beef　for　him；　and

in　the　window　sat　Thea　with　her　Persian　kitten。



Both　girls　were　following　the　traveller's　movements　with　inscrutable

blue　eyes。　　A　shiver　ran　down　Shelton's　spine。　　To　speak　truth；　he

cursed　the　young　man's　coming；　as　though　it　affected　his　relations

with　Antonia。









CHAPTER　XXVII



SUB　ROSA



》From　the　interview；　which　Shelton　had　the　mixed　delight　of　watching；

between　Ferrand　and　the　Honourable　Mrs。　Dennant；　certain　definite

results　accrued；　the　chief　of　which　was　the　permission　accorded　the

young　wanderer　to　occupy　the　room　which　had　formerly　been　tenanted　by

the　footman　John。　　Shelton　was　lost　in　admiration　of　Ferrand's　manner

in　this　scene。。　　Its　subtle　combination　of　deference　and　dignity　was

almost　paralysing；　paralysing；　too；　the　subterranean　smile　upon　his

lips。



〃Charmin'　young　man；　Dick；〃　said　Mrs。　Dennant；　when　Shelton　lingered

to　say　once　more　that　he　knew　but　very　little　of　him；　〃I　shall　send　a

note　round　to　Mrs。　Robinson　at　once。　　They're　rather　common；　you

knowthe　Robinsons。　　I　think　they'll　take　anyone　I　recommend。〃



〃I　'm　sure　they　will；〃　said　Shelton；　〃that's　why　I　think　you　ought　to

know…〃



But　Mrs。　Dennant's　eyes；　fervent；　hare…like；　were　fixed　on　something

far　away；　turning；　he　saw　the　rose　in　a　tall　vase　on　a　tall　and

spindly　stool。　　It　seemed　to　nod　towards　them　in　the　sunshine。　　Mrs。

Dennant　dived　her　nose　towards　her　camera。



〃The　light's　perfect　now；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　muffled　by　the　cloth。

〃I　feel　sure　that　livin'　with　decent　people　will　do　wonders　for　him。

Of　course；　he　understands　that　his　meals　will　be　served　to　him

apart。〃



Shelton；　doubly　anxious；　now　that　his　efforts　had　lodged　his　client

in　a　place　of　trust；　fell；　back　on　hoping　for　the　best；　his　instinct

told　him　that；　vagabond　as　Ferrand　was；　he　had　a　curious　self…

respect；　that　would　save　him　from　a　mean　ingratitude。



In　fact；　as　Mrs。　Dennant；　who　was　by　no　means　void　of　common…sense；

foresaw；　the　arrangement　worked　all　right。　　Ferrand　entered　on　his

duties　as　French　tutor　to　the　little　Robinsons。　　In　the　Dennants'

household　he　kept　himself　to　his　own　room；　which；　day　and　night；　he

perfumed　with　tobacco；　emerging　at　noon　into　the　garden；　or；　if　wet；

into　the　study；　to　teach　young　Toddles　French。　　After　a　time　it

became　customary　for　him　to　lunch　with　the　house…party；　partly

through　a　mistake　of　Toddles；　who　seemed　to　think　that　it　was

natural；　and　partly　through　John　Noble；　one　of　Shelton's　friends；　who

had　come　to　stay；　and　discovered　Ferrand　to　be　a　most　awfully

interesting　person　he　was　always；　indeed；　discovering　the　most

awfully　interesting　persons。　　In　his　grave　and　toneless　voice；

brushing　his　hair　from　off　his　brow；　he　descanted　upon　Ferrand　with

enthusiasm；　to　which　was　joined　a　kind　of　shocked　amusement；　as　who

should　say；　〃Of　course；　I　know　it's　very　odd；　but　rea