the island pharisees- 第19部分

If　there's　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　monsieur；　it　will　give　me

pleasure。〃



〃Nothing；〃　replied　Shelton；　〃I　was　just　passing；　and　thought　I　should

like　to　hear　how　you　were　getting　on。〃



〃Come　into　the　kitchen；monsieur；　there　is　nobody　in　there。　　'Brr！

Il　fait　un　froid　etonnant'！〃



〃What　sort　of　customers　have　you　just　now？〃　　asked　Shelton；　as　they

passed　into　the　kitchen。



〃Always　the　same　clientele；〃　replied　the　little　man；　〃not　so

numerous；　of　course；　it　being　summer。〃



〃Could　n't　you　find　anything　better　than　this　to　do？〃



The　barber's　crow's…feet　radiated　irony。



〃When　I　first　came　to　London；〃　said　he；　〃I　secured　an　engagement　at

one　of　your　public　institutions。　　I　thought　my　fortune　made。　　_

Imagine；　monsieur；　in　that　sacred　place　I　was　obliged　to　shave　at　the

rate　of　ten　a　penny！　　Here；　it's　true；　they　don't　pay　me　half　the

time；　but　when　I'm　　paid；　I　'm　paid。　　In　this；　climate；　and　being

'poitrinaire'；　one　doesn't　make　experiments。　　I　shall　finish　my　days

here。　　Have　you　seen　that　young　man　who　interested　you？　　There　's

another！　　He　has　spirit；　as　I　had　once'il　fait　de　la　philosophie'；

as　I　doand　you　will　see；　monsieur；　it　will　finish　him。　　In　this

world　what　you　want　is　to　have　no　spirit。　　Spirit　ruins　you。〃



Shelton　looked　sideways　at　the　little　man　with　his　sardonic；　yellow；

half…dead　face；　and　the　incongruity　of　the　word　〃spirit〃　in　his　mouth

struck　him　so　sharply　that　he　smiled　a　smile　with　more　pity　in　it

than　any　burst　of　tears。



〃Shall　we　'sit　down？〃　he　said；　offering　a　cigarette。



〃Merci；　monsieur；　it　is　always　a　pleasure　to　smoke　a　good　cigarette。

You　remember；　that　old　actor　who　gave　you　a　Jeremiad？　　Well；　he's

dead。　　I　was　the　only　one　at　his　bedside；　'un　vrai　drole'。　　He　was

another　who　had　spirit。　　And　you　wi11　see；　monsieur；　that　young　man

in　whom　you　take　an　interest；　he'll　die　in　a　hospital；　or　in　some。

hole　or　other；　or　even　on　the　highroad；　having　closed　his　eyes　once

too　often　some　cold　night；　and　all　because　he　has　something　in　him

which　will　not　accept　things　as　they　are；　believing　always　that　they

should　be　better。　　'Il　n'y　a　riens　de　plus　tragique'！〃



〃According　to　you；　then；〃　said　Sheltonand　the　conversation　seemed

to　him　of　a　sudden　to　have　taken　too　personal　a　turn〃rebellion　of

any　sort　is　fatal。〃



〃Ah！〃　　replied　the　little　man；　with　the　eagerness　of　one　whose　ideal

it　is　to　sit　under　the　awning　of　a　caf？　and　talk　life　upside　down；

〃you　pose　me　a　great　problem　there！　　If　one　makes　rebellion；　it　is

always　probable　that　one　will　do　no　good　to　any　one　and　harm　one's

self。　　The　law　of　the　majority　arranges　that。　　But　I　would　draw　your

attention　to　this〃and　he　paused；　as　if　it　were　a　real　discovery　to

blow　smoke　through　his　nose〃if　you　rebel　it　is　in　all　likelihood

because　you　are　forced　by　your　nature　to　rebel；　this　is　one　of　the

most　certain　things　in　life。　　In　any　case；　it　is　necessary　to　avoid

falling　between　two　stoolswhich　is　unpardonable；〃　he　ended　with

complacence。



Shelton　thought　he　had　never　seen　a　man　who　looked　more　completely　as

if　he　had　fallen　between　two　stools；　and　he　had　inspiration　enough　to

feel　that　the　little　barber's　intellectual　rebellion　and　the　action

logically　required　by　it　had　no　more　than　a　bowing　acquaintanceship。



〃By　nature；〃　went　on　the　little　man；　〃I　am　an　optimist；　it　is　in

consequence　of　this　that　I　now　make　pessimism。　　I　have　always　had

ideals；　seeing　myself　cut　off　from　them　for　ever；　I　must　complain；　to

complain；　monsieur；　is　very　sweet！〃



Shelton　wondered　what　these　ideals　had　been；　but　had　no　answer　ready；

so　he　nodded；　and　again　held　out　his　cigarettes；　for；　like　a　true

Southerner；　the　little　man　had　thrown　the　first　away；　half　smoked。



〃The　greatest　pleasure　in　life；〃　continued　the　Frenchman；　with　a　bow；

〃is　to　talk　a　little　to　a　being　who　is　capable　of　understanding　you。

At　present　we　have　no　one　here；　now　that　that　old　actor's　dead。　　Ah！

there　was　a　man　who　was　rebellion　incarnate！　　He　made　rebellion　as

other　men　make　money；　'c'etait　son　metier'；　when　he　was　no　longer

capable　of　active　revolution；　he　made　it　getting　drunk。　　At　the　last

this　was　his　only　way　of　protesting　against　Society。　　An　interesting

personality；　'je　le　regrette　beaucoup'。　　But；　as　you　see；　he　died　in

great　distress；　without　a　soul　to　wave　him　farewell；　because　as　you

can　well　understand；　monsieur；　I　don't　count　myself。　　He　died　drunk。

'C'etait　un　homme'！〃



Shelton　had　continued　staring　kindly　at　the　little　man；　the　barber

added　hastily：



〃It's　difficult　to　make　an　end　like　that　one　has　moments　of

weakness。〃



〃Yes；〃　assented　Shelton；　〃one　has　indeed。〃



The　little　barber　looked　at　him　with　cynical　discretion。



〃Oh！〃　he　said；　〃it　's　to　the　destitute　that　such　things　are

important。　　When　one　has　money；　all　these　matters…〃



He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　A　smile　had　lodged　amongst　his　crow's…

feet；　he　waved　his　hand　as　though　to　end　the　subject。



A　sense　of　having　been　exposed　came　over　Shelton。



〃You　think；　then；〃　said　he；　〃that　discontent　is　peculiar　to　the

destitute？〃



〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　little　barber；　〃a　plutocrat　knows　too　well

that　if　he　mixes　in　that　'galere'　there　's　not　a　dog　in　the　streets

more　lost　than　he。〃



Shelton　rose。



〃The　rain　is　over。　　I　hope　you　'll　soon　be　better；　perhaps　you　'll

accept　this　in　memory　of　that　old　actor；〃　and　he　slipped　a　sovereign

into　the　little　Frenchman's　hand。



The　latter　bowed。



〃Whenever　you　are　passing；　monsieur；〃　he　said　eagerly；　〃I　shall　be

charmed　to　see　you。〃



And　Shelton　walked　away。　　〃'Not　a　dog　in　the　streets　more　lost；'〃

thought　he；　〃now　what　did　he　mean　by　that？〃



Something　of　that　〃lost　dog〃　feeling　had　gripped　his　spirit。　　Another

month　of　waiting　would　kill　all　the　savour　of　anticipation；　might

even　kill　his　love。　　In　the　excitement　of　his　senses　and　his　nerves；

caused　by　this　strain　of　waiting；　everything　seemed　too　vivid；　all

was　beyond　life　size；　like　Artwhose　truths；　too　strong　for　daily

use；　are　thus；　unpopular　with　healthy　people。　　As　will　the；　bones　；in

a　worn　face；　the　spirit　underlying　things　had　reached　the　surface；

the　meanness　and　intolerable　measure　of　hard　facts；　were　too

apparent。　　Some　craving　for　help；　some　instinct；　drove　him　into

Kensington；　for　he　found　himself　before　his；　mother's　house。

Providence　seemed　bent　on　flinging　him　from　pole　to　pole。



Mrs。　Shelton　was　in　town；　and；　though　it　was　the　first　of　June；　sat

warming　her　feet　before　a　fire；　her　face；　with　its　pleasant　colour；

was　crow's…footed　like　the　little　barber's；　but　from　optimism；　not

rebellion。　　She；　smiled　when　she　saw　her　son；　and　the　wrinkles　round

her　eyes　twinkled；　with　vitality。



〃Well；　my　dear　boy；〃　she　said；　〃it's　lovely　to　see　you。　　And　how　is

that　sweet　girl？〃



〃Very　well；　thank　you；〃　replied　Shelton。



〃She　must　be　such　a　dear！〃



〃Mother；〃　stammered　Shelton；　〃I　must　give　it　up。〃



〃Give　it　up？　　My　dear　Dick；　give　what　up？　　You　look　quite　worried。

Come　and　sit　down；　and　have　a　cosy　chat。　　Cheer　up！〃　　And　Mrs。

Shelton；　with　her　head　askew；　gazed　at　her　son　quite　irrepressibly。



Mother；〃　said　Shelton；　who；　confronted　by　her　optimism；　had　never；

since　his　time　of　trial　began；　felt　so　wretchedly　dejected；　〃I　can't

go　on　waiting　about　like　this。〃



〃My　dear　boy；　what　is　the　matter？〃；



〃Everything　is　wrong！



〃Wrong？〃　cried　Mrs。　Shelton。　　〃Come；　tell　me　all；　about　it！〃



But　Shelton；　shook　his　head。



〃You　surely　have　not　had　a　quarrel〃



Mrs。　Shelton　stopped；　the　question　seemed　so　vulgarone　might　have

asked　it　of　a　groom。



〃No；〃　said　Shelton；　and　his　answer　sounded　like　a　groan。



〃You　know；　my　dear　old　Dick；〃　murmured　his　mother；　〃it　seems　a　little

mad。〃



〃I　know　it　seems　mad。〃



〃Come！〃　said　Mrs。　Shelton；　taking　his　hand　between　her　own；　〃you

never　used　to　be　like　this。〃



〃No；〃　said　Shelton；　with　a　laugh；　〃I　never　used　to　be　like　this。〃



Mrs。　Shelton　snuggled　in　her　Chuda　shawl。



〃Oh；〃　she　said；　with　cheery　sympathy；　〃I　know　exactly　how　you　feel！〃



Shelton；　holding　his　head；　stared　at　the　fire；　which　played　and

bubbled　like　his　mother's　face。



〃But　you're　so　fond　of　each　other；〃　she　began　again。　　〃Such　a　sweet

girl！〃



〃You　don't　understand；〃　muttered　Shelton　gloomily；　〃it　's　not　her

it's　nothingit'smyself！〃



Mrs。　Shelton　again　seized　his　hand；　and　this　time　pressed　it　to　her

soft；　warm　cheek；　that　had　lost　the　elasticity　of　youth。



〃Oh！〃　she　cried　again；　〃I　understand。　　I　know　exactly　what　you　're

feeling。〃　　But　Shelton　saw　from　the　fixed　beam　in　her　eyes　that　she

had　not　an　inkling。　　To　do　him　justice；　he　was　not　so　foolish　as　to

try　to　give　her　one。　　Mrs。　Shelton　sighed。　　〃It　would　be　so　lovely　if

you　could　wake　up

to…morrow　and　think　differently。　　If　I　were　you；　my　dear；　I　would

have　a　good　long　walk；　and　then　a　Turkish　bath；　and　then　I　would　just

write　to　her；　and　tell　her　all　about　it；　and　you'll　see　how

beautifully　it'll　all　come　straight〃；　and　in　the　enthusiasm　of　advice

Mrs。　Shelton　rose；　and；　with　a　faint　stretch　of　her　tiny　figure；

still　so　young；　clasped　her　hands　together。　　〃Now　do；　that　's　a　dear

old　Dick！　　You　'll　just　see　how　lovely　it'll　be！〃　　Shelton　smiled；　he

had　not　the　heart　to　chase　away　this　vision。　　〃And　give　her　my

warmest　love；　and　tell　her　I　'm　longing　for　the　wedding。　　Come；　now；

my　dear　boy；　promise　me　that's　what　you　'll　do。〃



And　Shelton　said：　〃　I'll　think　about　it。〃



Mrs。　Shelton　had　taken　up　her　stand　with　one　foot　on　the　fender；　in

spite　of　her　sciatica；。



〃Cheer　up！〃　　she　cried；　her　eyes　beamed　as　if　intoxicated　by　her

sympathy。



Wonderful　woman！　　The　uncomplicated　optimism　that　carried　her　through

good　and　ill　had　not　descended　to　her　son。



》From　pole　to　pole　he　had　been　thrown　that　day；　from　the　French

barber；　whose　intellect　accepted　nothing