the island pharisees-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！




Between　the　dark；　safe　houses　stretching　for　miles　and　miles；　his

thoughts　were　of　Antonia；　and　as　he　reached　his　rooms　he　was

overtaken　by　the　moment　when　the　town　is　born　again。　　The　first　new

air　had　stolen　down；　the　sky　was　living；　but　not　yet　alight；　the

trees　were　quivering　faintly；　no　living　creature　stirred；　and　nothing

spoke　except　his　heart。　　Suddenly　the　city　seemed　to　breathe；　and

Shelton　saw　that　he　was　not　alone；　an　unconsidered　trifle　with

inferior　boots　was　asleep　upon　his　doorstep。









CHAPTER　X



AN　ALIEN



The　individual　on　the　doorstep　had　fallen　into　slumber　over　his　own

knees。　　No　greater　air　of　prosperity　clung　about　him　than　is　conveyed

by　a　rusty　overcoat　and　wisps　of　cloth　in　place　of　socks。　　Shelton

endeavoured　to　pass　unseen；　but　the　sleeper　woke。



〃Ah；　it's　you；　monsieur！〃　he　said　〃I　received　your　letter　this

evening；　and　have　lost　no　time。〃　　He　looked　down　at　himself　and

tittered；　as　though　to　say；　〃But　what　a　state　I　'm　in！〃



The　young　foreigner's　condition　was　indeed　more　desperate　than　on　the

occasion　of　their　first　meeting；　and　Shelton　invited　him　upstairs。



〃You　can　well　understand；〃　stammered　Ferrand；　following　his　host；

〃that　I　did　n't　want　to　miss　you　this　time。　　When　one　is　like　this〃

and　a　spasm　gripped　his　face。



〃I　'm　very　glad　you　came；〃　said　Shelton　doubtfully。



His　visitor's　face　had　a　week's　growth　of　reddish　beard；　the　deep　tan

of　his　cheeks　gave　him　a　robust　appearance　at　variance　with　the　fit

of；　trembling　which　had　seized　on　him　as　soon　as　he　had　entered。



〃Sit　down…sit　down；〃　said　Shelton；　〃you　're　feeling　ill！〃



Ferrand　smiled。　　〃It's　nothing；〃　said　he；　〃bad　nourishment。〃



Shelton　left　him　seated　on　the　edge　of　an　armchair；　and　brought　him

in　some　whisky。



〃Clothes；〃　said　Ferrand；　when　he　had　drunk；　〃are　what　I　want。　　These

are　really　not　good　enough。〃



The　statement　was　correct；　and　Shelton；　placing　some　garments　in　the

bath…room；　invited　his　visitor　to　make　himself　at　home。　　While　the

latter；　then；　was　doing　this；　Shelton　enjoyed　the　luxuries　of　self…

denial；　hunting　up　things　he　did　not　want；　and　laying　them　in　two

portmanteaus。　　This　done；　he　waited　for　his　visitor's　return。



The　young　foreigner　at　length　emerged；　unshaved　indeed；　and　innocent

of　boots；　but　having　in　other　respects　an　air　of　gratifying

affluence。



〃This　is　a　little　different；〃　he　said。　　〃The　boots；　I　fear〃and；

pulling　down　his；　or　rather　Shelton's；　socks　he　exhibited　sores　the

size　of　half　a　crown。　　〃One　does　n't　sow　without　reaping　some　harvest

or　another。　　My　stomach　has　shrunk；〃　he　added　simply。　　〃To　see　things

one　must　suffer。　　'Voyager；　c'est　plus　fort　que　moi'！〃



Shelton　failed　to　perceive　that　this　was　one　way　of　disguising　the

human　animal's　natural　dislike　of　workthere　was　a　touch　of　pathos；

a　suggestion　of　God…knows…what…might…have…been；　about　this　fellow。





〃I　have　eaten　my　illusions；〃　said　the　young　foreigner；　smoking　a

cigarette。　　〃When　you've　starved　a　few　times；　your　eyes　are　opened。

'Savoir；　c'est　mon　metier；　mais　remarquez　ceci；　monsieur'：　It　's　not

always　the　intellectuals　who　succeed。〃



〃When　you　get　a　job；〃　said　Shelton；　〃you　throw　it　away；　I　suppose。〃



〃You　accuse　me　of　restlessness？　　Shall　I　explain　what　I　think　about

that？　　I'm　restless　because　of　ambition；　I　want　to　reconquer　an

independent　position。　　I　put　all　my　soul　into　my　trials；　but　as　soon

as　I　see　there's　no　future　for　me　in　that　line；　I　give　it　up　and　go

elsewhere。　　'Je　ne　veux　pas　etre　rond　de　cuir；'　breaking　my　back　to

economise　sixpence　a　day；　and　save　enough　after　forty　years　to　drag

out　the　remains　of　an　exhausted　existence。　　That's　not　in　my

character。〃　　This　ingenious　paraphrase　of　the　words　〃I　soon　get　tired

of　things〃　he　pronounced　with　an　air　of　letting　Shelton　into　a

precious　secret。



〃Yes；　it　must　be　hard；〃　agreed　the　latter。



Ferrand　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃It's　not　all　butter；〃　he　replied；　〃one　is　obliged　to　do　things　that

are　not　too　delicate。　　There's　nothing　I　pride　myself　on　but

frankness。〃



Like　a　good　chemist；　however；　he　administered　what　Shelton　could

stand　in　a　judicious　way。　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　seemed　to　say；　〃you'd　like

me　to　think　that　you　have　a　perfect　knowledge　of　life：　no　morality；

no　prejudices；　no　illusions；　you'd　like　me　to　think　that　you　feel

yourself　on　an　equality　with　me；　one　human　animal　talking　to　another；

without　any　barriers　of　position；　money；　clothes；　or　the　rest'ca

c'est　un　peu　trop　fort'！　　You're　as　good　an　imitation　as　I　've　come

across　in　your　class；　notwithstanding　your　unfortunate　education；　and

I　'm　grateful　to　you；　but　to　tell　you　everything；　as　it　passes

through　my　mind　would　damage　my　prospects。　　You　can　hardly　expect

that。〃



In　one　of　Shelton's　old　frock…coats　he　was　impressive；　with　his　air

of　natural；　almost　sensitive　refinement。　　The　room　looked　as　if　it

were　accustomed　to　him；　and　more　amazing　still　was　the　sense　of

familiarity　that　he　inspired；　as；　though　he　were　a　part　of　Shelton's

soul。　　It　came　as　a　shock　to　realise　that　this　young　foreign　vagabond

had　taken　such　a　place　within　his　thoughts。　　The　pose　of　his　limbs

and　head；　irregular　but　not　ungraceful；　his　disillusioned　lips；　the

rings　of　smoke　that　issued　from　themall　signified　rebellion；　and

the　overthrow　of　law　and　order。　　His　thin；　lopsided　nose；　the　rapid

glances　of　his　goggling；　prominent　eyes；　were　subtlety　itself；　he

stood　for　discontent　with　the　accepted。



〃How　do　I　live　when　I　am　on　the　tramp？〃　he　said。　　〃well；　there　are

the　consuls。　　The　system　is　not　delicate；　but　when　it's　a　question　of

starving；　much　is　permissible；　besides；　these　gentlemen　were　created

for　the　purpose。　　There's　a　coterie　of　German　Jews　in　Paris　living

entirely　upon　consuls。〃　　He　hesitated　for　the　fraction　of　a　second；

and　resumed：　〃Yes；　monsieur；　if　you　have　papers　that　fit　you；　you　can

try　six　or　seven　consuls　in　a　single　town。　　You　must　know　a　language

or　two；　but　most　of　these　gentlemen　are　not　too　well　up　in　the

tongues　of　the　country　they　represent。　　Obtaining　money　under　false

pretences？　　Well；　it　is。　　But　what's　the　difference　at　bottom　between

all　this　honourable　crowd　of　directors；　fashionable　physicians；

employers　of　labour；　ferry…builders；　military　men；　country　priests；

and　consuls　themselves　perhaps；　who　take　money　and　give　no　value　for

it；　and　poor　devils　who　do　the　same　at　far　greater　risk？　　Necessity

makes　the　law。　　If　those　gentlemen　were　in　my　position；　do　you　think

that　they　would　hesitate？〃



Shelton's　face　remaining　doubtful；　Ferrand　went　on　instantly：　〃You're

right；　they　would；　from　fear；　not　principle。　　One　must　be　hard

pressed　before　committing　these　indelicacies。　　Look　deep　enough；　and

you　will　see　what　indelicate　things　are　daily　done　by　the　respectable

for　not　half　so　good　a　reason　as　the　want　of　meals。〃



Shelton　also　took　a　cigarettehis　own　income　was　derived　from

property　for　which　he　gave　no　value　in　labour。



〃I　can　give　you　an　instance；〃　said　Ferrand；　〃of　what　can　be　done　by

resolution。　　One　day　in　a　German　town；　'etant　dans　la　misere'；　I

decided　to　try　the　French　consul。　　Well；　as　you　know；　I　am　a　Fleming；

but　something　had　to　be　screwed　out　somewhere。　　He　refused　to　see　me；

I　sat　down　to　wait。　　After　about　two　hours　a　voice　bellowed：　'Has　n't

the　brute　gone？'　and　my　consul　appears。　　'I　've　nothing　for　fellows

like　you；'　says　he；　'clear　out！'



〃'Monsieur；'　I　answered；　'I　am　skin　and　bone；　I　really　must　have

assistance。'



〃'Clear　out；'　he　says；　'or　the　police　shall　throw　you　out！'



〃I　don't　budge。　　Another　hour　passes；　and　back　he　comes　again。



〃'Still　here？'　says　he。　　'Fetch　a　sergeant。'



〃The　sergeant　comes。



〃'Sergeant；'　says　the　consul；　'turn　this　creature　out。'



〃'Sergeant；'　I　say；　'this　house　is　France！'　　Naturally；　I　had

calculated　upon　that。　　In　Germany　they're　not　too　fond　of　those　who

undertake　the　business　of　the　French。



〃'He　is　right；'　says　the　sergeant；　'I　can　do　nothing。'



〃'You　refuse？'



〃'Absolutely。'　And　he　went　away。



〃'What　do　you　think　you'll　get　by　staying？'　says　my　consul。



〃'I　have　nothing　to　eat　or　drink；　and　nowhere　to　sleep；'　says　I。



〃'What　will　you　go　for？'



〃'Ten　marks。'



〃'Here；　then；　get　out！'　I　can　tell　you；　monsieur；　one　must　n't　have　a

thin　skin　if　one　wants　to　exploit　consuls。〃



His　yellow　fingers　slowly　rolled　the　stump　of　his　cigarette；　his

ironical　lips　flickered。　　Shelton　thought　of　his　own　ignorance　of

life。　　He　could　not　recollect　ever　having　gone　without　a　meal。



〃I　suppose；〃　he　said　feebly；　〃you've　often　starved。〃　　For；　having

always　been　so　well　fed；　the　idea　of　starvation　was　attractive。



Ferrand　smiled。



〃Four　days　is　the　longest；〃　said　he。　　〃You　won't　believe　that　story。

。　　。　　。　　It　was　in　Paris；　and　I　had　lost　my　money　on　the　race…course。

There　was　some　due　from　home　which　didn't