the island pharisees- 第6部分

would　a　single　one　of　them　emerge　again？　　But　the　effort　of　picturing

them　there　was　too　much　for　him；　it　was　too　fartoo　ridiculously

far。



One　particular　couple；　a　large；　fine　man　and　wife；　who；　in　the　midst

of　all　the　dirt　and　rumbling　hurry；　the　gloomy；　ludicrous；　and

desperately　jovial　streets；　walked　side　by　side　in　well…bred　silence；

had　evidently　bought　some　article　which　pleased　them。　　There　was

nothing　offensive　in　their　manner；　they　seemed　quite　unconcerned　at

the　passing　of　the　other　people。　　The　man　had　that　fine　solidity　of

shoulder　and　of　waist；　the　glossy　self…possession　that　belongs　to

those　with　horses；　guns；　and　dressing…bags。　　The　wife；　her　chin

comfortably　settled　in　her　fur；　kept　her　grey　eyes　on　the　ground；

and；　when　she　spoke；　her　even　and　unruffled　voice　reached　Shelton's

ears　above　all　the　whirring　of　the　traffic。　　It　was　leisurely

precise；　as　if　it　had　never　hurried；　had　never　been　exhausted；　or

passionate；　or　afraid。　　Their　talk；　like　that　of　many　dozens　of　fine

couples　invading　London　from　their　country　places；　was　of　where　to

dine；　what　theatre　they　should　go　to；　whom　they　had　seen；　what　they

should　buy。　　And　Shelton　knew　that　from　day's　end　to　end；　and　even　in

their　bed；　these　would　be　the　subjects　of　their　conversation。　　They

were　the　best…bred　people　of　the　sort　he　met　in　country　houses　and

accepted　as　of　course；　with　a　vague　discomfort　at　the　bottom　of　his

soul。　　Antonia's　home；　for　instance；　had　been　full　of　them。　　They

were　the　best…bred　people　of　the　sort　who　supported　charities；　knew

everybody；　had　clear；　calm　judgment；　and　intolerance　of　all　such

conduct　as　seemed　to　them　〃impossible；〃　all　breaches　of　morality；

such　as　mistakes　of　etiquette；　such　as　dishonesty；　passion；　sympathy

（except　with　a　canonised　class　of　objectsthe　legitimate　sufferings；

for　instance；　of　their　own　families　and　class）。　　How　healthy　they

were！　　The　memory　of　the　doss…house　worked　in　Shelton's　mind　like

poison。　　He　was　conscious　that　in　his　own　groomed　figure；　in　the

undemonstrative　assurance　of　his　walk；　he　bore　resemblance　to　the

couple　he　apostrophised。　　〃Ah！〃　he　thought；　〃how　vulgar　our

refinement　is！〃　　But　he　hardly　believed　in　his　own　outburst。　　These

people　were　so　well　mannered；　so　well　conducted；　and　so　healthy；　he

could　not　really　understand　what　irritated　him。　　What　was　the　matter

with　them？　　They　fulfilled　their　duties；　had　good　appetites；　clear

consciences；　all　the　furniture　of　perfect　citizens；　they　merely

lacked…feelers；　a　loss　that；　he　had　read；　was　suffered　by　plants　and

animals　which　no　longer　had　a　need　for　using　them。　　Some　rare

national　faculty　of　seeing　only　the　obvious　and　materially　useful　had

destroyed　their　power　of　catching　gleams　or　scents　to　right　or　left。



The　lady　looked　up　at　her　husband。　　The　light　of　quiet；　proprietary

affection　shone　in　her　calm　grey　eyes；　decorously　illumining　her

features　slightly　reddened　by　the　wind。　　And　the　husband　looked　back

at　her；　calm；　practical；　protecting。　　They　were　very　much　alike。　　So

doubtless　he　looked　when　he　presented　himself　in　snowy　shirt…sleeves

for　her　to　straighten　the　bow　of　his　white　tie；　so　nightly　she　would

look；　standing　before　the　full…length　mirror；　fixing　his　gifts　upon

her　bosom。　　Calm；　proprietary；　kind！　　He　passed　them　and　walked

behind　a　second　less　distinguished　couple；　who　manifested　a　mutual

dislike　as　matter…of…fact　and　free　from　nonsense　as　the　unruffled

satisfaction　of　the　first；　this　dislike　was　just　as　healthy；　and

produced　in　Shelton　about　the　same　sensation。　　It　was　like　knocking

at　a　never…opened　door；　looking　at　a　circlecouple　after　couple　all

the　same。　　No　heads；　toes；　angles　of　their　souls　stuck　out　anywhere。

In　the　sea　of　their　environments　they　were　drowned；　no　leg　braved　the

air；　no　arm　emerged　wet　and　naked　waving　at　the　skies；　shop…persons；

aristocrats；　workmen；　officials；　they　were　all　respectable。　　And　he

himself　as　respectable　as　any。



He　returned；　thus　moody；　to　his　rooms　and；　with　the　impetuosity　which

distinguished　him　when　about　to　do　an　unwise　thing；　he　seized　a　pen

and　poured　out　before　Antonia　some　of　his　impressions：



。　。　。　。　Mean　is　the　word；　darling；　we　are　mean；　that's　what　's　the

matter　with　us；　dukes　and　dustmen；　the　whole　human　speciesas　mean

as　caterpillars。　　To　secure　our　own　property　and　our　own　comfort；　to

dole　out　our　sympathy　according　to　rule　just　so　that　it　won't　really

hurt　us；　is　what　we're　all　after。　　There's　something　about　human

nature　that　is　awfully　repulsive；　and　the　healthier　people　are；　the

more　repulsive　they　seem　to　me　to　be　。　。　。　。



He　paused；　biting　his　pen。　　Had　he　one　acquaintance　who　would　not

counsel　him　to　see　a　doctor　for　writing　in　that　style？　　How　would　the

world　go　round；　how　could　Society　exist；　without　common…sense；

practical　ability；　and　the　lack　of　sympathy？



He　looked　out　of　the　open　window。　　Down　in　the　street　a　footman　was

settling　the　rug　over　the　knees　of　a　lady　in　a　carriage；　and　the

decorous　immovability　of　both　their　faces；　which　were　clearly　visible

to　him；　was　like　a　portion　of　some　well…oiled　engine。



He　got　up　and　walked　up　and　down。　　His　rooms；　in　a　narrow　square

skirting　Belgravia；　were　unchanged　since　the　death　of　his　father　had

made　him　a　man　of　means。　　Selected　for　their　centrality；　they　were

furnished　in　a　very　miscellaneous　way。　　They　were　not　bare；　but　close

inspection　revealed　that　everything　was　damaged；　more　or　less；　and

there　was　absolutely　nothing　that　seemed　to　have　an　interest　taken　in

it。　　His　goods　were　accidents；　presents；　or　the　haphazard

acquisitions　of　a　pressing　need。　　Nothing；　of　course；　was　frowsy；　but

everything　was　somewhat　dusty；　as　if　belonging　to　a　man　who　never

rebuked　a　servant。　　Above　all；　there　was　nothing　that　indicated

hobbies。



Three　days　later　he　had　her　answer　to　his　letter：



。　　。　　。　　I　don't　think　I　understand　what　you　mean　by　〃the　healthier

people　are；　the　more　repulsive　they　seem　to　be〃；　one　must　be　healthy

to　be　perfect；　must　n't　one？　　I　don't　like　unhealthy　people。　　I　had

to　play　on　that　wretched　piano　after　reading　your　letter；　it　made　me

feel　unhappy。　　I've　been　having　a　splendid　lot　of　tennis　lately；　got

the　back…handed　lifting　stroke　at　lasthurrah！　　。　　。　　。



By　the　same　post；　too；　came　the　following　note　in　an　autocratic

writing：



DEAR　BIRD　＇for　this　was　Shelton's　college　nickname＇；

My　wife　has　gone　down　to　her　people；　so　I'm　'en　garcon'　for　a　few

days。　　If　you've　nothing　better　to　do；　come　and　dine　to…night　at

seven；　and　go　to　the　theatre。　　It's　ages　since　I　saw　you。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　as　ever；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　B。　M。　HALIDOME。



Shelton　had　nothing　better　to　do；　for　pleasant　were　his　friend

Halidome's　well…appointed　dinners。　　At　seven；　therefore；　he　went　to

Chester　Square。　　His　friend　was　in　his　study；　reading　Matthew　Arnold

by　the　light　of　an　electric　lamp。　　The　walls　of　the　room　were　hung

with　costly　etchings；　arranged　with　solid　and　unfailing　taste；　from

the　carving　of　the　mantel…piece　to　the　binding　of　the　books；　from　the

miraculously…coloured　meerschaums　to　the　chased　fire…irons；

everything　displayed　an　unpretentious　luxury；　an　order　and　a　finish

significant　of　life　completely　under　rule　of　thumb。　　Everything　had

been　collected。　　The　collector　rose　as　Shelton　entered；　a　fine　figure

of　a　man；　clean　shaven；with　dark　hair；　a　Roman　nose；　good　eyes；　and

the　rather　weighty　dignity　of　attitude　which　comes　from　the　assurance

that　one　is　in　the　right。



Taking　Shelton　by　the　lapel；　he　drew　him　into　the　radius　of　the　lamp；

where　he　examined　him；　smiling　a　slow　smile。　　〃Glad　to　see　you；　old

chap。　　I　rather　like　your　beard；〃　he　said　with　genial　brusqueness；

and　nothing；　perhaps；　could　better　have　summed　up　his　faculty　for

forming　independent　judgments　which　Shelton　found　so　admirable。　　He

made　no　apology　for　the　smallness　of　the　dinner；　which；　consisting　of

eight　courses　and　three　wines；　served　by　a　butler　and　one　footman；

smacked　of　the　same　perfection　as　the　furniture；　in　fact；　he　never

apologised　for　anything；　except　with　a　jovial　brusqueness　that　was

worse　than　the　offence。　　The　suave　and　reasonable　weight　of　his

dislikes　and　his　approvals　stirred　Shelton　up　to　feel　ironical　and

insignificant；　but　whether　from　a　sense　of　the　solid；　humane；　and

healthy　quality　of　his　friend's　egoism；　or　merely　from　the　fact　that

this　friendship　had　been　long　in　bottle；　he　did　not　resent　his　mixed

sensations。



〃By　the　way；　I　congratulate　you；　old　chap；〃　said　Halidome；　while

driving　to　the　theatre；　there　was　no　vulgar　hurry　about　his

congratulations；　no　more　than　about　himself。　　〃They're　awfully　nice

people；　the　Dennants。〃



A　sense　of　having　had　a　seal　put　on　his　choice　came　over　Shelton。



〃Where　are　you　going　to　live？　　You　ought　to　come　down　and　live　near

us；　there　are　some　ripping　houses　to　be　had　down　there；　it's　really　a

ripping　neighbourhood。　　Have　you　chucked　the　Bar？　　You　ought　to　do

something；　you　know；　it'll　be　fatal　for　you　to　have　nothing　to　do。　　I

tell　you　what；　Bird：　you　ought　to　stand　for　the　County　Council。〃



But　before　Shelton　had　replied　they　reached　the　theatre；　and　their

energies　were　spent　in　sidling　to　their　stalls。　　He　had　time　to　pass

his　neighbours　in　review　before　the　play　began。　　Seated　next　to　him

was　a　lady　with　large　healthy　shoulders；　displayed　with　splendid

liberality；　beyond　her　a　husband；　red…cheeked；　with　drooping；　yellow…

grey　moustache　and　a　bald　head；　beyond　him　again　two　men　whom　he　had

known　at　Eton。　　One　of　them　had　a　clean…shaved　face；　dark　hair；　and　a

weather…tanned　complexion；　his　small　mouth　with　its　upper　lip　pushed

out　above　the　lower；　his　eyelids　a　little　drooped　over　his　watchful

eyes；　gave　him　a　satirical　and　resolute　expression。　　〃I've　got　hold

of　your　tail；　old　fellow；〃　he　seemed　to　say；　as　though　he　were　always

busy　with　the　catching　of　some　kind　of　fox。　　The　other's　goggling

eyes