violets； or those essences which women love； but with nothing； as if
she had taken stand against all meretricity。 In her intercourse with
persons not 〃quite the thing〃 （she excepted the vicar from this
category； though his father had dealt in haberdashery）； her
refinement； gently； unobtrusively； and with great practical good
sense； seemed continually to murmur； 〃I am； and youwell； are you；
don't you know？〃 But there was no self…consciousness about this
attitude； for she was really not a common woman。 She simply could
not help it； all her people had done this。 Their nurses breathed
above them in their cradles something that； inhaled into their
systems； ever afterwards prevented them from taking good； clear
breaths。 And her manner！ Ah！ her mannerit concealed the inner
woman so as to leave doubt of her existence！
Shelton listened to the kindly briskness with which she dwelt upon
the under…gardener。
〃Poor Bunyan！ he lost his wife six months ago； and was quite cheerful
just at first； but now he 's really too distressin'。 I 've done all
I can to rouse him； it's so melancholy to see him mopin'。 And； my
dear Dick； the way he mangles the new rose…trees！ I'm afraid he's
goin' mad； I shall have to send him away； poor fellow！〃
It was clear that she sympathised with Bunyan； or； rather； believed
him entitled to a modicum of wholesome grief； the loss of wives being
a canonised and legal； sorrow。 But excesses！ O dear； no！
〃I 've told him I shall raise his wages；〃 she sighed。 〃He used to be
such a splendid gardener！ That reminds me； my dear Dick； I want to
have a talk with you。 Shall we go in to lunch？〃
Consulting the memorandum…book in which she had been noting the case
of Mrs。 Hopkins； she slightly preceded Shelton to the house。
It was somewhat late that afternoon when Shelton had his 〃wigging〃；
nor did it seem to him； hypnotised by the momentary absence of
Antonia； such a very serious affair。
〃Now； Dick；〃 the Honourable Mrs。 Dennant said； in her decisive drawl；
〃I don't think it 's right to put ideas into Antonia's head。〃
〃Ideas！〃 murmured Shelton in confusion。
〃We all know；〃 continued Mrs。 Dennant； 〃that things are not always
what they ought to be。〃
Shelton looked at her； she was seated at her writing…table；
addressing in her large； free writing a dinner invitation to a
bishop。 There was not the faintest trace of awkwardness about her；
yet Shelton could not help a certain sense of shock。 If sheshe
did not think things were what they ought to bein a bad way things
must be indeed！
〃Things！〃 he muttered。
Mrs。 Dennant looked at him firmly but kindly with the eyes that would
remind him of a hare's。
〃She showed me some of your letters； you know。 Well； it 's not a bit
of use denyin'； my dear Dick； that you've been thinkin' too much
lately。〃
Shelton perceived that he had done her an injustice； she handled
〃things〃 as she handled under…gardenersput them away when they
showed signs of running to extremes。
〃I can't help that； I 'm afraid；〃 he answered。
〃My dear boy！ you'll never get on that way。 Now； I want you to
promise me you won't talk to Antonia about those sort of things。〃
Shelton raised his eyebrows。
〃Oh； you know what I mean！〃
He saw that to press Mrs。 Dennant to say what she meant by 〃things〃
would really hurt her sense of form； it would be cruel to force her
thus below the surface！
He therefore said； 〃Quite so！〃
To his extreme surprise； flushing the peculiar arid pathetic flush of
women past their prime； she drawled out：
〃About the poorand criminalsand marriagesthere was that
wedding； don't you know？〃
Shelton bowed his head。 Motherhood had been too strong for her； in
her maternal flutter she had committed the solecism of touching in so
many words on 〃things。〃
〃Does n't she really see the fun；〃 he thought； 〃in one man dining out
of gold and another dining in the gutter； or in two married people
living on together in perfect discord 'pour encourages les autres'；
or in worshipping Jesus Christ and claiming all her rights at the
same time； or in despising foreigners because they are foreigners； or
in war； or in anything that is funny？〃 But he did her a certain
amount of justice by recognising that this was natural； since her
whole life had been passed in trying not to see the fun in all these
things。
But Antonia stood smiling in the doorway。 Brilliant and gay she
looked； yet resentful； as if she knew they had been talking of her。
She sat down by Shelton's side； and began asking him about the
youthful foreigner whom he had spoken of； and her eyes made him doubt
whether she； too； saw the fun that lay in one human being patronising
others。
〃But I suppose he's really good；〃 she said； 〃I mean； all those things
he told you about were only…〃
〃Good！〃 he answered； fidgeting； 〃I don't really know what the word
means。〃
Her eyes clouded。 〃Dick； how can you？〃 they seemed to say。
Shelton stroked her sleeve。
〃Tell us about Mr。 Crocker；〃 she said； taking no heed of his caress。
〃The lunatic！〃 he said。
〃Lunatic！ Why； in your letters he was splendid。〃
〃So he is；〃 said Shelton； half ashamed； 〃 he's not a bit mad； really
that is； I only wish I were half as mad。〃
〃Who's that mad？〃 queried Mrs。 Dennant from behind the urn〃Tom
Crocker？ Ah； yes！ I knew his mother； she was a Springer。〃
〃Did he do it in the week？〃 said Thea； appearing in the window with a
kitten。
〃I don't know；〃 Shelton was obliged to answer。
Thea shook back her hair。
〃I call it awfully slack of you not to have found out；〃 she said。
Antonia frowned。
〃You were very sweet to that young foreigner； Dick；〃 she murmured
with a smile at Shelton。 〃I wish that we could see him。〃
But Shelton shook his head。
〃It seems to me；〃 he muttered； 〃that I did about as little for him as
I could。〃
Again her face grew thoughtful； as though his words had chilled her。
〃I don't see what more you could have done；〃 she answered。
A desire to get close to her； half fear； half ache； a sense of
futility and bafflement； an inner burning； made him feel as though a
flame were licking at his heart。
CHAPTER XXI
ENGLISH
Just as Shelton was starting to walk back to Oxford he met Mr。
Dennant coming from a ride。 Antonia's father was a spare man of
medium height； with yellowish face； grey moustache； ironical
eyebrows； and some tiny crow's…feet。 In his old； short grey coat；
with a little slit up the middle of the back； his drab cord breeches；
ancient mahogany leggings； and carefully blacked boats； he had a dry；
threadbare quality not without distinction。
〃Ah； Shelton！〃 he said； in his quietly festive voice； 〃glad to see
the pilgrim here； at last。 You're not off already？〃 and； laying his
hand on Shelton's arm； he proposed to walk a little way with him
across the fields。
This was the first time they had met since the engagement； and
Shelton began to nerve himself to express some sentiment； however
bald； about it。 He squared his shoulders； cleared his throat； and
looked askance at Mr。 Dennant。 That gentleman was walking stiffly；
his cord breeches faintly squeaking。 He switched a yellow； jointed
cane against his leggings； and after each blow looked at his legs
satirically。 He himself was rather like that yellow cane…pale； and
slim； and jointed； with features arching just a little； like the
arching of its handle。
〃They say it'll be a bad year for fruit；〃 Shelton said at last。
〃My dear fellow； you don't know your farmer； I 'm afraid。 We ought
to hang some farmersdo a world of good。 Dear souls！ I've got some
perfect strawberries。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said Shelton； glad to postpone the evil moment； 〃in a
climate like this a man must grumble。〃
〃Quite so； quite so！ Look at us poor slaves of land…owners； if I
couldn't abuse the farmers I should be wretched。 Did you ever see
anything finer than this pasture？ And they want me to lower their
rents！〃
And Mr。 Dennant's glance satirically wavered； rested on Shelton； and
whisked back to the ground as though he had seen something that
alarmed him。 There was a pause。
〃Now for it！〃 thought the younger man。
Mr。 Dennant kept his eyes fixed on his boots。
〃If they'd said； now；〃 he remarked jocosely； 〃that the frost had
nipped the partridges； there 'd have been some sense in it； but what
can you expect？ They've no consideration； dear souls！〃
Shelton took a breath； and； with averted eyes； he hurriedly began：
〃It's awfully hard； sir； to…〃
Mr。 Dennant switched his cane against his shin。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃it 's awfully hard to put up with； but what can a
fellow do？ One must have farmers。 Why； if it was n't for the
farmers； there 'd be still a hare or two about the place！〃
Shelton laughed spasmodically； again he glanced askance at his future
father…in…law。 What did the waggling of his head mean； the deepening
of his crow's…feet； the odd contraction of the mouth？ And his eye
caught Mr。 Dennant's eye； its expression was queer above the fine；
dry nose （one of the sort that reddens in a wind）。
〃I've never had much to do with farmers；〃 he said at last。
〃Have n't you？ Lucky fellow！ The mostyes； quite the most trying
portion of the human speciesnext to daughters。〃
〃Well； sir； you can hardly expect me〃 began Shelton。
〃I don'toh； I don't！ D 'you know； I really believe we're in for a
ducking。〃
A large black cloud had covered up the sun； and some drops were
spattering on Mr。 Dennant's hard felt hat。
Shelton welcomed the shower； it appeared to him an intervention on
the part of Providence。 He would have to say something； but not now；
later。
〃I 'll go on；〃 he said； 〃I don't mind the rain。 But you'd better get
b