the island pharisees- 第38部分

〃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　was　not　the　world　composed　of　the

immaculate　alone？　　He　started　pacing　up　and　down；　tortured　by　a

dreadful　heartache。



〃I　must　get　rid　of　this；〃　he　thought。　　〃I　'll　go　for　a　good　tramp；

and　chance　the　storm。〃



Leaving　the　drive　he　ran　on　Toddles；　returning　in　the　highest

spirits。



〃I　saw　her　home；〃　he　crowed。　　〃I　say；　what　a　ripper；　isn't　she？

She　'll　be　as　lame　as　a　tree　to…morrow；　so　will　the　gee。　　Jolly　hot！〃



This　meeting　showed　Shelton　that　he　had　been　an　hour　on　the　stone

seat；　he　had　thought　it　some　ten　minutes；　and　the　discovery　alarmed

him。　　It　seemed　to　bring　the　import　of　his　miserable　fear　right　home

to　him。　　He　started　with　a　swinging　stride；　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　on

the　road；　the　perspiration　streaming　down　his　face。









CHAPTER　XXXI



THE　STORM



It　was　seven　and　more　when　Shelton　returned；　from　his　walk；　a　few

heat　drops　had　splashed　the　leaves；　but　the　storm　had　not　yet　broken。

In　brooding　silence　the　world　seemed　pent　beneath　the　purple

firmament。



By　rapid　walking　in　the　heat　Shelton　had　got　rid　of　his　despondency。

He　felt　like　one　who　is　to　see　his　mistress　after　long　estrangement。

He；　bathed；　and；　straightening　his　tie…ends；　stood　smiling　at　the

glass。　　His　fear；　unhappiness；　and　doubts　seemed　like　an　evil　dream；

how　much　worse　off　would　he　not　have　been；　had　it　all　been　true？



It　was　dinner…party　night；　and　when　he　reached　the　drawing…room　the

guests　were　there　already；　chattering　of　the　coming　storm。　　Antonia

was　not　yet　down；　and　Shelton　stood　by　the　piano　waiting　for　her

entry。　　Red　faces；　spotless　shirt…fronts；　white　arms；　and　freshly…

twisted　hair　were　all　around　him。　　Some　one　handed　him　a　clove

carnation；　and；　as　he　held　it　to　his　nose；　Antonia　came　in；

breathless；　as　though　she　had　rushed　down…stairs；　Her　cheeks　were

pale　no　longer；　her　hand　kept　stealing　to　her　throat。　　The　flames　of

the　coming　storm　seemed　to　have　caught　fire　withi