the island pharisees-第41节

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remarked　that　those　who　are　endowed　with　riches　have　a　right　to　look

down　on　such　as　are　not　by　wealth　and　breeding　fitted　to　occupy　the

same　position。　　I　shall　never　dispute　a　right　so　natural　and

salutary；　seeing　that　without　this　distinction；　this　superiority；

which　makes　of　the　well…born　and　the　well…bred　a　race　apart；　the　rest

of　the　world　would　have　no　standard　by　which　to　rule　their　lives；　no

anchor　to　throw　into　the　depths　of　that　vast　sea　of　fortune　and　of

misfortune　on　which　we　others　drive　before　the　wind。　　It　is　because

of　this；　dear　Madame；　that　I　regard　myself　so　doubly　fortunate　to

have　been　able　for　a　few　minutes　in　this　bitter　pilgrimage　called

life；　to　sit　beneath　the　tree　of　safety。　　To　have　been　able；　if　only

for　an　hour；　to　sit　and　set　the　pilgrims　pass；　the　pilgrims　with　the

blistered　feet　and　ragged　clothes；　and　who　yet；　dear　Madame；　guard

within　their　hearts　a　certain　joy　in　life；　illegal　joy；　like　the

desert　air　which　travellers　will　tell　you　fills　men　as　with　wine　to

be　able　thus　to　sit　an　hour；　and　with　a　smile　to　watch　them　pass；

lame　and　blind；　in　all　the　rags　of　their　deserved　misfortunes；　can

you　not　conceive；　dear　Madame；　how　that　must　be　for　such　as　I　a

comfort？　　Whatever　one　may　say；　it　is　sweet；　from　a　position　of

security；　to　watch　the　sufferings　of　others；　it　gives　one　a　good

sensation　in　the　heart。



In　writing　this；　I　recollect　that　I　myself　once　had　the　chance　of

passing　all　my　life　in　this　enviable　safety；　and　as　you　may　suppose；

dear　Madame；　I　curse　myself　that　I　should　ever　have　had　the　courage

to　step　beyond　the　boundaries　of　this　fine　tranquil　state。　　Yet；　too；

there　have　been　times　when　I　have　asked　myself：　〃Do　we　really　differ

from　the　wealthywe　others；　birds　of　the　fields；　who　have　our　own

philosophy；　grown　from　the　pains　of　needing　breadwe　who　see　that

the　human　heart　is　not　always　an　affair　of　figures；　or　of　those　good

maxims　that　one　finds　in　copy…booksdo　we　really　differ？〃　　It　is

with　shame　that　I　confess　to　have　asked　myself　a　question　so

heretical。　　But　now；　when　for　these　four　weeks　I　have　had　the　fortune

of　this　rest　beneath　your　roof；　I　see　how　wrong　I　was　to　entertain

such　doubts。　　It　is　a　great　happiness　to　have　decided　once　for　all

this　point；　for　it　is　not　in　my　character　to　pass　through　life

uncertainmistaken；　perhapson　psychological　matters　such　as　these。

No；　Madame；　rest　happily　assured　that　there　is　a　great　difference；

which　in　the　future　will　be　sacred　for　me。　　For；　believe　me；　Madame；

it　would　be　calamity　for　high　Society　if　by　chance　there　should　arise

amongst　them　any　understanding　of　all　that　side　of　life　whichvast

as　the　plains　and　bitter　as　the　sea；　black　as　the　ashes　of　a　corpse；

and　yet　more　free　than　any　wings　of　birds　who　fly　awayis　so　justly

beyond　the　grasp　of　their　philosophy。　　Yes；　believe　me；　dear　Madame；

there　is　no　danger　in　the　world　so　much　to　be　avoided　by　all　the

members　of　that　circle；　most　illustrious；　most　respectable；　called

high　Society。



》From　what　I　have　said　you　may　imagine　how　hard　it　is　for　me　to　take

my　flight。　　I　shall　always　keep　for　you　the　most　distinguished

sentiments。　　With　the　expression　of　my　full　regard　for　you　and　your

good　family；　and　of　a　gratitude　as　sincere　as　it　is　badly　worded；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Believe　me；　dear　Madame；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　devoted

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LOUIS　FERRAND。



Shelton's　first　impulse　was　to　tear　the　letter　up；　but　this　he

reflected　he　had　no　right　to　do。　　Remembering；　too；　that　Mrs。

Dennant's　French　was　orthodox；　he　felt　sure　she　would　never

understand　the　young　foreigner's　subtle　innuendoes。　　He　closed　the

envelope　and　went　to　bed；　haunted　still　by　Ferrand's　parting　look。



It　was　with　no　small　feeling　of　embarrassment；　however；　that；　having

sent　the　letter　to　its　destination　by　an　early　footman；　he　made　his

appearance　at　the　breakfast…table。　　Behind　the　Austrian　coffee…urn；

filled　with　French　coffee；　Mrs。　Dennant；　who　had　placed　four　eggs　in

a　German　egg…boiler；　said　〃Good…morning；〃　with　a　kindly　smile。



〃Dick；　an　egg？〃　she　asked　him；　holding　up　a　fifth。



〃No；　thank　you；〃　replied　Shelton；　greeting　the　table　and　fitting

down。



He　was　a　little　late；　the　buzz　of　conversation　rose　hilariously

around。



〃My　dear；〃　continued　Mr。　Dennant；　who　was　talking　to　his　youngest

daughter；　〃you'll　have　no　chance　whatevernot　the　least　little　bit

of　chance。〃



〃Father；　what　nonsense！　　You　know　we　shall　beat　your　heads　off！〃



〃Before　it　's　too　late；　then；　I　will　eat　a　muffin。　　Shelton；　pass　the

muffins！　　〃But　in　making　this　request；　Mr。　Dennant　avoided　looking　in

his　face。



Antonia；　too；　seemed　to　keep　her　eyes　away　from　him。　　She　was　talking

to　a　Connoisseur　on　Art　of　supernatural　appearances；　and　seemed　in

the　highest　spirits。　　Shelton　rose；　and；　going　to　the　sideboard；

helped　himself　to　grouse。



〃Who　was　the　young　man　I　saw　yesterday　on　the　lawn？〃　he　heard　the

Connoisseur　remark。　　〃Struck　me　as　having　anerquite　intelligent

physiog。〃



His　own　intelligent　physiog；　raised　at　a　slight　slant　so　that　he

might　look　the　better　through　his　nose…nippers；　was　the　very　pattern

of　approval。　　〃It's　curious　how　one's　always　meeting　with

intelligence；〃　it　seemed　to　say。　　Mrs。　Dennant　paused　in　the　act　of

adding　cream；　and　Shelton　scrutinised　her　face；　it　was　hare…like；　and

superior　as　ever。　　Thank　goodness　she　had　smelt　no　rat！　　He　felt

strangely　disappointed。



〃You　mean　Monsieur　Ferrand；　teachin'　Toddles　French？　　Dobson；　the

Professor's　cup。〃



〃I　hope　I　shall　see　him　again；〃　cooed　the　Connoisseur；　〃he　was　quite

interesting　on　the　subject　of　young　German　working　men。　　It　seems

they　tramp　from　place　to　place　to　learn　their　trades。　　What

nationality　was　he；　may　I　ask？〃



Mr。　Dennant；　of　whom　he　asked　this　question；　lifted　his　brows；　and

said；



〃Ask　Shelton。〃



〃Half　Dutch；　half　French。〃



〃Very　interesting　breed；　I　hope　I　shall　see　him　again。〃



〃Well；　you　won't；〃　said　Thea　suddenly；　〃he's　gone。〃



Shelton　saw　that　their　good　breeding　alone　prevented　all　from　adding；

〃And　thank　goodness；　too！〃



〃Gone？　　Dear　me；　it's　very〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Dennant；　〃very　sudden。〃



〃Now；　Algie；〃　murmured　Mrs。　Dennant；　〃it　's　quite　a　charmin'　letter。

Must　have　taken　the　poor　young　man　an　hour　to　write。〃



〃Oh；　mother！〃　cried　Antonia。



And　Shelton　felt　his　face　go　crimson。　　He　had　suddenly　remembered

that　her　French　was　better　than　her　mother's。



〃He　seems　to　have　had　a　singular　experience；〃　said　the　Connoisseur。



〃Yes；〃　echoed　Mr。　Dennant；　〃he　's　had　some　singular　experience。　　If

you　want　to　know　the　details；　ask　friend　Shelton；　it's　quite

romantic。　　In　the　meantime；　my　dear；　another　cup？〃



The　Connoisseur；　never　quite　devoid　of　absent…minded　malice；　spurred

his　curiosity　to　a　further　effort；　and；　turning　his　well…defended

eyes　on　Shelton；　murmured；



〃Well；　Mr。　Shelton；　you　are　the　historian；　it　seems。〃



〃There　is　no　history；〃　said　Shelton；　without　looking　up。



〃Ah；　that's　very　dull；〃　remarked　the　Connoisseur。



〃My　dear　Dick；〃　said　Mrs。　Dennant；　〃that　was　really　a　most　touchin'

story　about　his　goin'　without　food　in　Paris。〃



Shelton　shot　another　look　at　Antonia；　her　face　was　frigid。　　〃I　hate

your　d…d　superiority！〃　he　thought；　staring　at　the　Connoisseur。



〃There's　nothing；〃　said　that　gentleman；　〃more　enthralling　than

starvation。　　Come；　Mr　Shelton。〃



〃I　can't　tell　stories；〃　said　Shelton；　〃never　could。〃



He　cared　not　a　straw　for　Ferrand；　his　coming；　going；　or　his　history；

for；　looking　at　Antonia；　his　heart　was　heavy。









CHAPTER　XX



THE　LADY　FROM　BEYOND



The　morning　was　sultry；　brooding；　steamy。　　Antonia　was　at　her　music；

and　from　the　room　where　Shelton　tried　to　fix　attention　on　a　book　he

could　hear　her　practising　her　scales　with　a　cold　fury　that　cast　an

added　gloom　upon　his　spirit。　　He　did　not　see　her　until　lunch；　and

then　she　again　sat　next　the　Connoisseur。　　Her　cheeks　were　pale；　but

there　was　something　feverish　in　her　chatter　to　her　neighbour；　she

still　refused　to　look　at　Shelton。　　He　felt　very　miserable。　　After

lunch；　when　most　of　them　had　left　the　table；　the　rest　fell　to

discussing　country　neighbours。



〃Of　course；〃　said　Mrs。　Dennant；　〃there　are　the　Foliots；　but　nobody

calls　on　them。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　Connoisseur；　〃the　Foliotsthe　Foliotsthe　people

erwhoquite　so！〃



〃It's　really　distressin'；　she　looks　so　sweet　ridin'　about。　　Many

people　with　worse　stories　get　called　on；〃　continued　Mrs。　Dennant；

with　that　large　frankness　of　intrusion　upon　doubtful　subjects　which

may　be　made　by　certain　people　in　a　certain　way；〃　but；　after　all；　one

couldn't　ask　them　to　meet　anybody。〃



〃No；〃　the　Connoisseur　assented。　　〃I　used　to　know　Foliot。　　Thousand

pities。　　They　say　she　was　a　very　pretty　woman。〃



〃Oh；　not　pretty！〃　　said　Mrs。　Dennant！　〃more　inte