the island pharisees-第42节
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pities。 They say she was a very pretty woman。〃
〃Oh； not pretty！〃 said Mrs。 Dennant！ 〃more interestin than pretty； I
should say。〃
Shelton； who knew the lady slightly； noticed that they spoke of her
as in the past。 He did not look towards Antonia； for； though a
little troubled at her presence while such a subject was discussed；
he hated his conviction that her face； was as unruffled as though the
Foliots had been a separate species。 There was； in fact； a curiosity
about her eyes； a faint impatience on her lips； she was rolling
little crumbs of bread。 Suddenly yawning； she muttered some remark；
and rose。 Shelton stopped her at the door。
〃Where are you going？〃
〃For a walk。〃
〃May n't I come？〃。
She shook her head。
〃I 'm going to take Toddles。〃
Shelton held the door open； and went back to the table。
〃Yes；〃 the Connoisseur said； sipping at his sherry； 〃I 'm afraid it's
all over with young Foliot。〃
〃Such a pity！〃 murmured Mrs。 Dennant； and her kindly face looked
quite disturbed。 〃I've known him ever since he was a boy。 Of
course； I think he made a great mistake to bring her down here。 Not
even bein' able to get married makes it doubly awkward。 Oh； I think
he made a great mistake！〃
〃Ah！〃 said the Connoisseur； 〃but d' you suppose that makes much
difference？ Even if What 'shis…name gave her a divorce； I don't
think； don't you know； that〃
〃Oh； it does！ So many people would be inclined to look over it in
time。 But as it is it's hopeless； quite。 So very awkward for
people； too； meetin' them about。 The Telfords and the Butterwicks
by the way； they're comin' here to dine to…nightlive near them；
don't you know。〃
〃Did you ever meet her before…er…before the flood？〃 the Connoisseur
inquired； and his lips parting and unexpectedly revealing teeth gave
him a shadowy resemblance to a goat。
〃Yes； I did meet her once at the Branksomes'。 I thought her quite a
charmin' person。〃
〃Poor fellow！〃 said the Connoisseur； 〃they tell me he was going to
take the hounds。〃
〃And there are his delightful coverts； too。 Algie often used to
shoot there； and now they say he just has his brother down to shoot
with him。 It's really quite too melancholy！ Did you know him；
Dick？〃
〃Foliot？〃 replied Shelton absently。 〃No； I never met him： I've seen
her once or twice at Ascot。〃
Through the window he could see Antonia in her scarlet Tam…o'…
shanter； swinging her stick； and he got up feigning unconcern。 Just
then Toddles came bounding up against his sister。 They went off arm
in arm。 She had seen him at the window； yet she gave no friendly
glance； Shelton felt more miserable than ever。 He stepped out upon
the drive。 There was a lurid； gloomy canopy above； the elm…trees
drooped their heavy blackish green； the wonted rustle of the aspen…
tree was gone； even the rooks were silent。 A store of force lay
heavy on the heart of nature。 He started pacing slowly up and down；
his pride forbidding him to follow her； and presently sat down on an
old stone seat that faced the road。 He stayed a long time staring at
the elms； asking himself what he had done and what he ought to do。
And somehow he was frightened。 A sense of loneliness was on him； so
real； so painful； that he shivered in the sweltering heat。 He was
there； perhaps； an hour； alone； and saw nobody pass along the road。
Then came the sound of horse's hoofs； and at the same time he heard a
motor…car approaching from the opposite direction。 The rider made
appearance first； riding a grey horse with an Arab's high set head
and tail。 She was holding him with difficulty； for the whirr of the
approaching car grew every moment louder。 Shelton rose； the car
flashed by。 He saw the horse stagger in the gate…way； crushing its
rider up against the gatepost。
He ran； but before he reached the gate the lady was on foot； holding
the plunging horse's bridle。
〃Are you hurt？〃 cried Shelton breathlessly； and he； too； grabbed the
bridle。 〃Those beastly cars！〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃Please don't； he won't let strangers
touch him。〃
Shelton let go； and watched her coax the horse。 She was rather tall；
dressed in a grey habit； with a grey Russian cap upon her head； and
he suddenly recognised the Mrs。 Foliot whom they had been talking of
at lunch。
〃He 'll be quiet now；〃 she said； 〃if you would n't mind holding him a
minute。〃
She gave the reins to him； and leaned against the gate。 She was very
pale。
〃I do hope he has n't hurt you；〃 Shelton said。 He was quite close to
her； well able to see her facea curious face with high cheek…bones
and a flatfish moulding； enigmatic； yet strangely passionate for all
its listless pallor。 Her smiling； tightened lips were pallid；
pallid； too； her grey and deep…set eyes with greenish tints； above
all； pale the ashy mass of hair coiled under her grey cap。
〃Th…thanks！〃 she said； 〃I shall be all right directly。 I'm sorry to
have made a fuss。〃
She bit her lips and smiled。
〃I 'm sure you're hurt； do let me go for…〃 stammered Shelton。
〃I can easily get help。〃
〃Help！〃 she said； with a stony little laugh； 〃oh； no； thanks！〃
She left the gate； and crossed the road to where he held the horse。
Shelton； to conceal embarrassment； looked at the horse's legs； and
noticed that the grey was resting one of them。 He ran his hand down。
〃I 'm afraid；〃 he said； 〃your horse has knocked his off knee； it's
swelling。〃
She smiled again。
〃Then we're both cripples。〃
〃He'll be lame when he gets cold。 Would n't you like to put him in
the stable here？ I 'm sure you ought to drive home。〃
〃No； thanks； if I 'm able to ride him he can carry me。 Give me a
hand up。〃
Her voice sounded as though something had offended her。 Rising from
inspection of the horse's leg； Shelton saw Antonia and Toddles
standing by。 They had come through a wicketgate leading from the
fields。
The latter ran up to him at once。
〃We saw it；〃 he whispered〃jolly smash…up。 Can't I help？〃
〃Hold his bridle；〃 answered Shelton； and he looked from one lady to
the other。
There are moments when the expression of a face fixes itself with
painful clearness； to Shelton this was such a moment。 Those two
faces close together； under their coverings of scarlet and of grey；
showed a contrast almost cruelly vivid。 Antonia was flushed； her
eyes had grown deep blue； her look of startled doubt had passed and
left a question in her face。
〃Would you like to come in and wait？ We could send you home； in the
brougham；〃 she said。
The lady called Mrs。 Foliot stood； one arm across the crupper of her
saddle； biting her lips and smiling still her enigmatic smile； and it
was her face that stayed most vividly on Shelton's mind； its ashy
hail； its pallor； and fixed； scornful eyes。
〃Oh； no； thanks！ You're very kind。〃
Out of Antonia's face the timid； doubting friendliness had fled； and
was replaced by enmity。 With a long； cold look at both of them she
turned away。 Mrs。 Foliot gave a little laugh； and raised her foot
for Shelton's help。 He heard a hiss of pain as he swung her up； but
when he looked at her she smiled。
〃Anyway；〃 he said impatiently； 〃let me come and see you don't break
down。
She shook her head。 〃It 's only two miles。 I'm not made of sugar。〃
〃Then I shall simply have to follow。〃
She shrugged her shoulders； fixing her resolute eyes on him。
〃Would that boy like to come？〃 she asked。
Toddles left the horse's head。
〃By Jove！〃 he cried。 〃Would n't I just！〃
〃Then；〃 she said； 〃I think that will be best。 You 've been so kind。〃
She bowed； smiled inscrutably once more； touched the Arab with her
whip； and started； Toddles trotting at her side。
Shelton was left with Antonia underneath the elms。 A sudden puff of
tepid air blew in their faces； like a warning message from the heavy；
purple heat clouds； low rumbling thunder travelled slowly from afar。
〃We're going to have a storm；〃 he said。
Antonia nodded。 She was pale now； and her face still wore its cold
look of offence。
〃I 've got a headache；〃 she said； 〃I shall go in and lie down。〃
Shelton tried to speak； but something kept him silentsubmission to
what was coming； like the mute submission of the fields and birds to
the menace of the storm。
He watched her go； and went back to his seat。 And the silence seemed
to grow； the flowers ceased to exude their fragrance； numbed by the
weighty air。 All the long house behind him seemed asleep； deserted。
No noise came forth； no laughter； the echo of no music； the ringing
of no bell； the heat had wrapped it round with drowsiness。 And the
silence added to the solitude within him。 What an unlucky chance；
that woman's accident！ Designed by Providence to put Antonia further
from him than before！ Why
