the island pharisees-第39节
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himself； I'm afraid。〃
〃In one sense I'm afraid not；〃 admitted Shelton。
〃Do you know his story？ I will bet you sixpence〃and Mr。 Dennant
paused to swing his mallet with a proper accuracy 〃that he's been in
prison。〃
〃Prison！〃 ejaculated Shelton。
〃I think；〃 said Mr。 Dennant； with bent knees carefully measuring his
next shot； 〃that you ought to make inquiriesah！ missed it！
Awkward these hoops！ One must draw the line somewhere。〃
〃I never could draw；〃 returned Shelton； nettled and uneasy； 〃but I
understandI 'll give him a hint to go。〃
〃Don't；〃 said Mr。 Dennant； moving after his second ball； which
Shelton had smitten to the farther end； 〃be offended； my dear
Shelton； and by no means give him a hint； he interests me very much
a very clever； quiet young fellow。〃
That this was not his private view Shelton inferred by studying Mr。
Dennant's manner in the presence of the vagabond。 Underlying the
well…bred banter of the tranquil voice； the guarded quizzicality of
his pale brown face； it could be seen that Algernon Cuffe Dennant；
Esq。； J。P。； accustomed to laugh at other people； suspected that he
was being laughed at。 What more natural than that he should grope
about to see how this could be？ A vagrant alien was making himself
felt by an English Justice of the Peaceno small tribute； this； to
Ferrand's personality。 The latter would sit silent through a meal；
and yet make his effect。 He； the object of their kindness；
education； patronage； inspired their fear。 There was no longer any
doubt； it was not of Ferrand that they were afraid； but of what they
did not understand in him； of horrid subtleties meandering in the
brain under that straight； wet…looking hair； of something bizarre
popping from the curving lips below that thin； lopsided nose。
But to Shelton in this； as in all else； Antonia was what mattered。
At first； anxious to show her lover that she trusted him； she seemed
never tired of doing things for his young protege； as though she too
had set her heart on his salvation； but； watching her eyes when they
rested on the vagabond； Shelton was perpetually reminded of her
saying on the first day of his visit to Holm Oaks； 〃I suppose he 's
really goodI mean all these things you told me about were only。。。。〃
Curiosity never left her glance； nor did that story of his four days'
starving leave her mind； a sentimental picturesqueness clung about
that incident more valuable by far than this mere human being with
whom she had so strangely come in contact。 She watched Ferrand； and
Shelton watched her。 If he had been told that he was watching her；
he would have denied it in good faith； but he was bound to watch her；
to find out with what eyes she viewed this visitor who embodied all
the rebellious under…side of life； all that was absent in herself。
〃Dick；〃 she said to him one day； 〃you never talk to me of Monsieur
Ferrand。〃
〃Do you want to talk of him？〃
〃Don't you think that he's improved？〃
〃He's fatter。〃
Antonia looked grave。
〃No； but really？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Shelton； 〃I can't judge him。〃
Antonia turned her face away； and something in her attitude alarmed
him。
〃He was once a sort of gentleman；〃 she said； 〃why shouldn't he become
one again？〃
Sitting on the low wall of the kitchen…garden； her head was framed by
golden plums。 The sun lay barred behind the foliage of the holm oak；
but a little patch filtering through a gap had rested in the plum…
tree's heart。 It crowned the girl。 Her raiment； the dark leaves；
the red wall； the golden plums； were woven by the passing glow to a
block of pagan colour。 And her face above it； chaste； serene； was
like the scentless summer evening。 A bird amongst the currant bushes
kept a little chant vibrating； and all the plum…tree's shape and
colour seemed alive。
〃Perhaps he does n't want to be a gentleman；〃 said Shelton。
Antonia swung her foot。
〃How can he help wanting to？〃
〃He may have a different philosophy of life。〃
Antonia was slow to answer。
〃I know nothing about philosophies of life；〃 she said at last。
Shelton answered coldly；
〃No two people have the same。〃
With the falling sun…glow the charm passed off the tree。 Chilled and
harder； yet less deep； it was no more a block of woven colour； warm
and impassive； like a southern goddess； it was now a northern tree；
with a grey light through its leaves。
〃I don't understand you in the least；〃 she said； 〃everyone wishes to
be good。〃
〃And safe？〃 asked Shelton gently。
Antonia stared。
〃Suppose；〃 he said〃I don't pretend to know； I only supposewhat
Ferrand really cares for is doing things differently from other
people？ If you were to load him with a character and give him money
on condition that he acted as we all act； do you think he would
accept it？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Why are n't cats dogs； or pagans Christians？〃
Antonia slid down from the wall。
〃You don't seem to think there 's any use in trying；〃 she said； and
turned away。
Shelton made a movement as if he would go after her； and then stood
still； watching her figure slowly pass； her head outlined above the
wall； her hands turned back across her narrow hips。 She halted at
the bend； looked back； then； with an impatient gesture； disappeared。
Antonia was slipping from him！
A moment's vision from without himself would have shown him that it
was he who moved and she who was standing still； like the figure of
one watching the passage of a stream with clear； direct； and sullen
eyes。
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE RIVER
One day towards the end of August Shelton took Antonia on the river
the river that； like soft music； soothes the land； the river of the
reeds and poplars； the silver swan…sails； sun and moon； woods； and
the white slumbrous clouds； where cuckoos； and the wind； the pigeons；
and the weirs are always singing； and in the flash of naked bodies；
the play of waterlily leaves； queer goblin stumps； and the twilight
faces of the twisted tree…roots； Pan lives once more。
The reach which Shelton chose was innocent of launches； champagne
bottles and loud laughter； it was uncivilised； and seldom troubled by
these humanising influences。 He paddled slowly； silent and absorbed；
watching Antonia。 An unaccustomed languor clung about her； her eyes
had shadows； as though she had not slept； colour glowed softly in her
cheeks； her frock seemed all alight with golden radiance。 She made
Shelton pull into the reeds； and plucked two rounded lilies sailing
like ships against slow…moving water。
〃Pull into the shade； please；〃 she said； it's too hot out here。〃
The brim of her linen hat kept the sun from her face； but her head
was drooping like a flower's head at noon。
Shelton saw that the heat was really harming her； as too hot a day
will dim the icy freshness of a northern plant。 He dipped his
sculls； the ripples started out and swam in grave diminuendo till
they touched the banks。
He shot the boat into a cleft； and caught the branches of an
overhanging tree。 The skiff rested； balancing with mutinous
vibration； like a living thing。
〃I should hate to live in London；〃 said Antonia suddenly；〃 the slums
must be so awful。 What a pity； when there are places like this！ But
it's no good thinking。〃
〃No；〃 answered Shelton slowly！ 〃I suppose it is no good。〃
〃There are some bad cottages at the lower end of Cross Eaton。 I went
them one day with Miss Truecote。 The people won't help themselves。
It's so discouraging to help people who won't help themselves。〃
She was leaning her elbows on her knees； and； with her chin resting
on her hands； gazed up at Shelton。 All around them hung a tent of
soft； thick leaves； and； below； the water was deep…dyed with green
refraction。 Willow boughs； swaying above the boat； caressed
Antonia's arms and shoulders； her face and hair alone were free。
〃So discouraging；〃 she said again。
A silence fell。。。。 Antonia seemed thinking deeply。
〃Doubts don't help you；〃 she said suddenly； 〃how can you get any good
from doubts？ The thing is to win victories。〃
〃Victories？〃 said Shelton。 〃I 'd rather understand than conquer！〃
He had risen to his feet； and grasped stunted branch； canting the
boat towards the bank。
〃How can you let things slide like that； Dick？ It's like Ferrand。〃
〃Have you such a bad opinion of him； then？〃 asked Shelton。 He felt
on the verge of some； discovery。
She buried her chin deeper in her hands。
〃I liked him at first；〃 she said； 〃I thought that he was different。
I thought he couldn't really be…〃
〃Really be what？〃
Antonia did not answer。
〃I don't know；〃 she said at last。 〃I can't explain。 I thought…〃
Shelton still stood； holding to the branch； and the oscillation of
the boat freed an infinity of
