the island pharisees-第8节

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left　the　room；　returned；　and　once　more　filled　his　glass。　　A　lady　now

entered；　pale　of　face　and　dark　of　eyehis　wife。　　The　husband　crossed

the　stage；　and　stood　before　the　fire；　his　legs　astride；　in　the

attitude　which　somehow　Shelton　had　felt　sure　he　would　assume。　　He

spoke：



〃Come　in；　and　shut　the　door。〃



Shelton　suddenly　perceived　that　he　was　face　to　face　with　one　of　those

dumb　moments　in　which　two　people　declare　their　inextinguishable

hatred　the　hatred　underlying　the　sexual　intimacy　of　two　ill…

assorted　creaturesand　he　was　suddenly　reminded　of　a　scene　he　had

once　witnessed　in　a　restaurant。　　He　remembered　with　extreme

minuteness　how　the　woman　and　the　man　had　sat　facing　each　other　across

the　narrow　patch　of　white；　emblazoned　by　a　candle　with　cheap　shades

and　a　thin　green　vase　with　yellow　flowers。　　He　remembered　the　curious

scornful　anger　of　their　voices；　subdued　so　that　only　a　few　words

reached　him。　　He　remembered　the　cold　loathing　in　their　eyes。　　And；

above　all；　he　remembered　his　impression　that　this　sort　of　scene

happened　between　them　every　other　day；　and　would　continue　so　to

happen；　and　as　he　put　on　his　overcoat　and　paid　his　bill　he　had　asked

himself；　〃Why　in　the　name　of　decency　do　they　go　on　living　together？〃

And　now　he　thought；　as　he　listened　to　the　two　players　wrangling　on

the　stage：　〃What　's　the　good　of　all　this　talk？　　There's　something

here　past　words。〃



The　curtain　came　down　upon　the　act；　and　he　looked　at　the　lady　next

him。　　She　was　shrugging　her　shoulders　at　her　husband；　whose　face　was

healthy　and　offended。



〃I　do　dislike　these　unhealthy　women；〃　he　was　saying；　but　catching

Shelton's　eye　he　turned　square　in　his　seat　and　sniffed　ironically。



The　face　of　Shelton's　friend　beyond；　composed；　satirical　as　ever；　was

clothed　with　a　mask　of　scornful　curiosity；　as　if　he　had　been

listening　to　something　that　had　displeased　him　not　a　little。　　The

goggle…eyed　man　was　yawning。　　Shelton　turned　to　Halidome：



〃Can　you　stand　this　sort　of　thing？〃　said　he。



〃No；　I　call　that　scene　a　bit　too　hot；〃　replied　his　friend。



Shelton　wriggled；　he　had　meant　to　say　it　was　not　hot　enough。



〃I'll　bet　you　anything；〃　he　said；　〃I　know　what's　going　to　happen　now。

You'll　have　that　old　asswhat's　his　name？lunching　off　cutlets　and

champagne　to　fortify　himselffor　a　lecture　to　the　wife。　　He'll　show

her　how　unhealthy　her　feelings　areI　know　himand　he'll　take　her

hand　and　say；　'Dear　lady；　is　there　anything　in　this　poor　world　but

the　good　opinion　of　Society？'　and　he'll　pretend　to　laugh　at　himself

for　saying　it；　but　you'll　see　perfectly　well　that　the　old　woman　means

it。　　And　then　he'll　put　her　into　a　set　of　circumstances　that　are　n't

her　own　but　his　version　of　them；　and　show　her　the　only　way　of

salvation　is　to　kiss　her　husband〃；　and　Shelton　grinned。　　〃Anyway；

I'll　bet　you　anything　he　takes　her　hand　and　says；　'Dear　lady。'〃



Halidome　turned　on　him　the　disapproval　of　his　eyes；　and　again　he

said；



〃I　think　Pirbright　's　ripping！〃



But　as　Shelton　had　predicted；　so　it　turned　out；　amidst　great

applause。









CHAPTER　V



THE　GOOD　CITIZEN



Leaving　the　theatre；　they　paused　a　moment　in　the　hall　to　don　their

coats；　a　stream　of　people　with　spotless　bosoms　eddied　round　the

doors；　as　if　in　momentary　dread　of　leaving　this　hothouse　of　false

morals　and　emotions　for　the　wet；　gusty　streets；　where　human　plants

thrive　and　die；　human　weeds　flourish　and　fade　under　the　fresh；

impartial　skies。　　The　lights　revealed　innumerable　solemn　faces；

gleamed　innumerably　on　jewels；　on　the　silk　of　hats；　then　passed　to

whiten　a　pavement　wet　with　newly…fallen　rain；　to　flare　on　horses；　on

the　visages　of　cabmen；　and　stray；　queer　objects　that　do　not　bear　the

light。



〃Shall　we　walk？〃　asked　Halidome。



〃Has　it　ever　struck　you；〃　answered　Shelton；　〃that　in　a　play　nowadays

there's　always　a　'Chorus　of　Scandalmongers'　which　seems　to　have

acquired　the　attitude　of　God？〃



Halidome　cleared　his　throat；　and　there　was　something　portentous　in

the　sound。



〃You're　so　d…d　fastidious；〃　was　his　answer。



〃I've　a　prejudice　for　keeping　the　two　things　separate；〃　went　on

Shelton。　　〃That　ending　makes　me　sick。〃



〃Why？〃　replied　Halidome。　　〃What　other　end　is　possible？　　You　don't

want　a　play　to　leave　you　with　a　bad　taste　in　your　mouth。〃



〃But　this　does。〃



Halidome　increased　his　stride；　already　much　too　long；　for　in　his

walk；　as　in　all　other　phases　of　his　life；　he　found　it　necessary　to　be

in　front。



〃How　do　you　mean？〃　he　asked　urbanely；　〃it's　better　than　the　woman

making　a　fool　of　herself。〃



〃I'm　thinking　of　the　man。〃



〃What　man？〃



〃The　husband。〃



〃What　's　the　matter　with　him？　　He　was　a　bit　of　a　bounder；　certainly。〃



〃I　can't　understand　any　man　wanting　to　live　with　a　woman　who　doesn't

want　him。〃



Some　note　of　battle　in　Shelton's　voice；　rather　than　the　sentiment

itself；　caused　his　friend　to　reply　with　dignity：



〃There's　a　lot　of　nonsense　talked　about　that　sort　of　thing。　　Women

don't　really　care；　it's　only　what's　put　into　their　heads。〃



〃That's　much　the　same　as　saying　to　a　starving　man：　'You　don't　really

want　anything；　it's　only　what's　put　into　your　head！'　　You　are　begging

the　question；　my　friend。〃



But　nothing　was　more　calculated　to　annoy　Halidome　than　to　tell　him　he

was　〃begging　the　question；〃　for　he　prided　himself　on　being　strong　in

logic。



〃That　be　d…d；〃　he　said。



〃Not　at　all；　old　chap。　　Here　is　a　case　where　a　woman　wants　her

freedom；　and　you　merely　answer　that　she　dogs　n't　want　it。〃



〃Women　like　that　are　impossible；　better　leave　them　out　of　court。〃



Shelton　pondered　this　and　smiled；　he　had　recollected　an　acquaintance

of　his　own；　who；　when　his　wife　had　left　him；　invented　the　theory　that

she　was　mad；　and　this　struck　him　now　as　funny。　　But　then　he　thought：

〃Poor　devil！　　he　was　bound　to　call　her　mad！　　If　he　didn't；　it　would

be　confessing　himself　distasteful；　however　true；　you　can't　expect　a

man　to　consider　himself　that。〃　　But　a　glance　at　his　friend's　eye

warned　him　that　he；　too；　might　think　his　wife　mad　in　such　a　case。



〃Surely；〃　he　said；　〃even　if　she's　his　wife；　a　man's　bound　to　behave

like　a　gentleman。〃



〃Depends　on　whether　she　behaves　like　a　lady。〃



〃Does　it？　　I　don't　see　the　connection。〃



Halidome　paused　in　the　act　of　turning　the　latch…key　in　his　door；

there　was　a　rather　angry　smile　in　his　fine　eyes。



〃My　dear　chap；〃　he　said；　〃you're　too　sentimental　altogether。〃



The　word　〃sentimental〃　nettled　Shelton。　　〃A　gentleman　either　is　a

gentleman　or　he　is　n't；　what　has　it　to　do　with　the　way　other　people

behave？〃



Halidome　turned　the　key　in　the　lock　and　opened　the　door　into　his

hall；　where　the　firelight　fell　on　the　decanters　and　huge　chairs　drawn

towards　the　blaze。



〃No；　Bird；〃　he　said；　resuming　his　urbanity；　and　gathering　his　coat…

tails　in　his　hands；　〃it's　all　very　well　to　talk；　but　wait　until

you're　married。　　A　man　must　be　master；　and　show　it；　too。〃



An　idea　occurred　to　Shelton。



〃Look　here；　Hal；〃　he　said：　〃what　should　you　do　if　your　wife　got　tired

of　you？〃



The　expression　on　Halidome's　face　was　a　mixture　of　amusement　and

contempt。



〃I　don't　mean　anything　personal；　of　course；　but　apply　the　situation

to　yourself。〃



Halidome　took　out　a　toothpick；　used　it　brusquely；　and　responded：



〃I　shouldn't　stand　any　humbugtake　her　travelling；　shake　her　mind

up。　　She'd　soon　come　round。〃



〃But　suppose　she　really　loathed　you？〃



Halidome　cleared　his　throat；　the　idea　was　so　obviously　indecent。　　How

could　anybody　loathe　him？　　With　great　composure；　however；　regarding

Shelton　as　if　he　were　a　forward　but　amusing　child；　he　answered：



〃There　are　a　great　many　things　to　be　taken　into　consideration。〃



〃It　appears　to　me；〃　said　Shelton；　〃to　be　a　question　of　common　pride。

How　can　you；　ask　anything　of　a　woman　who　doesn't　want　to　give　it。



His　friend's　voice　became　judicial。



〃A　man　ought　not　to　suffer；〃　he　said；　poring　over　his　whisky；

〃because　a　woman　gets　hysteria。　　You　have　to　think　of　Society；　your

children；　house；　money　arrangements；　a　thousand　things。　　It's　all

very　well　to　talk。　　How　do　you　like　this　whisky？〃



〃The　part　of　the　good　citizen；　in　fact；〃　said　Shelton；　〃self…

preservation！〃



〃Common…sense；〃　returned　his　friend；　〃I　believe　in　justice　before

sentiment。〃　　He　drank；　and　callously　blew　smoke　at　Shelton。

〃Besides；　there　are　many　people　with　religious　views　about　it。〃



〃It's　always　seemed　to　me；〃　said　Shelton；　〃to　be　quaint　that　people

should　assert　that　marriage　gives　them　the　right　to　'an　eye　for　an

eye；'　and　call　themselves　Christians。　　Did　you　ever　know　anybody

stand　on　their　rights　except　out　of　wounded　pride　or　for　the　sake　of

their　own　comfort？　　Let　them　call　their　reasons　what　they　like；　you

know　as　well　as　I　do　that　it's　cant。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　Halidome；　more　and　more　superior　as

Shelton　grew　more　warm；　〃w