the island pharisees-第47节

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of　him！



A　photograph　hung　in　his　bedroom　at　Holm　Oaks　of　a　group　round　the

hall　door；　the　Honourable　Charlotte　Penguin；　Mrs。　Dennant；　Lady

Bonington；　Halidome；　Mr。　Dennant；　and　the　stained…glass　manall　were

there；　and　on　the　left…hand　side；　looking　straight　in　front　of　her；

Antonia。　　Her　face　in　its　youthfulness；　more　than　all　those　others；

expressed　their　point　of　view：　Behind　those　calm　young　eyes　lay　a

world　of　safety　and　tradition。　　〃I　am　not　as　others　are；〃　they　seemed

to　say。



And　from　that　photograph　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Dennant　singled　themselves　out；

he　could　see　their　faces　as　they　talkedtheir　faces　with　a　peculiar

and　uneasy　look　on　them；　and　he　could　hear　their　voices；　still

decisive；　but　a　little　acid；　as　if　they　had　been　quarrelling：



〃He　's　made　a　donkey　of　himself！〃



〃Ah！　　it's　too　distressin'！〃



They；　too；　thought　him　unsound；　and　did　n't　want　him；　but　to　save　the

situation　they　would　be　glad　to　keep　him。　　She　did　n't　want　him；　but

she　refused　to　lose　her　right　to　say；　〃Commoner　girls　may　break　their

promises；　I　will　not！〃　　He　sat　down　at　the　table　between　the　candles；

covering　his　face。　　His　grief　and　anger　grew　and　grew　within　him。　　If

she　would　not　free　herself；　the　duty　was　on　him！　　She　was　ready

without　love　to　marry　him；　as　a　sacrifice　to　her　ideal　of　what　she

ought　to　be！



But　she　had　n't；　after　all；　the　monopoly　of　pride！



As　if　she　stood　before　him；　he　could　see　the　shadows　underneath　her

eyes　that　he　had　dreamed　of　kissing；　the　eager　movements　of　her　lips。

For　several　minutes　he　remained；　not　moving　hand　or　limb。　　Then　once

more　his　anger　blazed。　　She　was　going　to　sacrifice　herself　andhim！

All　his　manhood　scoffed　at　such　a　senseless　sacrifice。　　That　was　not

exactly　what　he　wanted！



He　went　to　the　bureau；　took　a　piece　of　paper　and　an　envelope；　and

wrote　as　follows：



There　never　was；　is　not；　and　never　would　have　been　any　question　of

being　bound　between　us。　　I　refuse　to　trade　on　any　such　thing。　　You

are　absolutely　free。　　Our　engagement　is　at　an　end　by　mutual　consent。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　RICHARD　SHELTON。





He　sealed　it；　and；　sitting　with　his　hands　between　his　knees；　he　let

his　forehead　droop　lower　and　lower　to　the　table；　till　it　rested　on

his　marriage　settlement。　　And　he　had　a　feeling　of　relief；　like　one

who　drops　exhausted　at　his　journey's　end。











End