the island pharisees-第5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！


write？〃



〃Of　course；　don't　be　so　stupid；　you　old　Dick！〃



She　ran　forward　as　the　train　began　to　move；　her　clear　〃Good…bye！〃

sounded　shrill　and　hard　above　the　rumble　of　the　wheels。　　He　saw　her

raise　her　hand；　an　umbrella　waving；　and　last　of　all；　vivid　still

amongst　receding　shapes；　the　red　spot　of　her　scarlet　tam…o'…shanter。









CHAPTER　III



A　ZOOLOGICAL　GARDEN



After　his　journey　up　from　Dover；　Shelton　was　still　fathering　his

luggage　at　Charing　Cross；　when　the　foreign　girl　passed　him；　and；　in

spite　of　his　desire　to　say　something　cheering；　he　could　get　nothing

out　but　a　shame…faced　smile。　　Her　figure　vanished；　wavering　into　the

hurly…burly；　one　of　his　bags　had　gone　astray；　and　so　all　thought　of

her　soon　faded　from　his　mind。　　His　cab；　however；　overtook　the　foreign

vagrant　marching　along　towards　Pall　Mall　with　a　curious；　lengthy

stridean　observant；　disillusioned　figure。



The　first　bustle　of　installation　over；　time　hung　heavy　on　his　hands。

July　loomed　distant；　as　in　some　future　century；　Antonia's　eyes

beckoned　him　faintly；　hopelessly。　　She　would　not　even　be　coming　back

to　England　for　another　month。



。　。　。　I　met　a　young　foreigner　in　the　train　from　Dover　＇he　wrote　to

her＇a　curious　sort　of　person　altogether；　who　seems　to　have　infected

me。　　Everything　here　has　gone　flat　and　unprofitable；　the　only　good

things　in　life　are　your　letters　。　。　。　。　John　Noble　dined　with　me

yesterday；　the　poor　fellow　tried　to　persuade　me　to　stand　for

Parliament。　　Why　should　I　think　myself　fit　to　legislate　for　the

unhappy　wretches　one　sees　about　in　the　streets？　　If　people's　faces

are　a　fair　test　of　their　happiness；　I'　d　rather　not　feel　in　any　way

responsible　。　。　。　。



The　streets；　in　fact；　after　his　long　absence　in　the　East；　afforded

him　much　food　for　thought：　the　curious　smugness　of　the　passers…by；

the　utterly　unending　bustle；　the　fearful　medley　of　miserable；　over…

driven　women；　and　full…fed　men；　with　leering；　bull…beef　eyes；　whom　he

saw　everywherein　club　windows；　on　their　beats；　on　box　seats；　on　the

steps　of　hotels；　discharging　dilatory　duties；　the　appalling　choas　of

hard…eyed；　capable　dames　with　defiant　clothes；　and　white…cheeked

hunted…looking　men；　of　splendid　creatures　in　their　cabs；　and　cadging

creatures　in　their　broken　hatsthe　callousness　and　the　monotony！



One　afternoon　in　May　he　received　this　letter　couched　in　French：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　3；　BLANK　ROW

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WESTMINSTER。



MY　DEAR　SIR；



Excuse　me　for　recalling　to　your　memory　the　offer　of　assistance　you　so

kindly　made　me　during　the　journey　from　Dover　to　London；　in　which　I

was　so　fortunate　as　to　travel　with　a　man　like　you。　　Having　beaten　the

whole　town；　ignorant　of　what　wood　to　make　arrows；　nearly　at　the　end

of　my　resources；　my　spirit　profoundly　discouraged；　I　venture　to　avail

myself　of　your　permission；　knowing　your　good　heart。　　Since　I　saw　you

I　have　run　through　all　the　misfortunes　of　the　calendar；　and　cannot

tell　what　door　is　left　at　which　I　have　not　knocked。　　I　presented

myself　at　the　business　firm　with　whose　name　you　supplied　me；　but

being　unfortunately　in　rags；　they　refused　to　give　me　your　address。

Is　this　not　very　much　in　the　English　character？　　They　told　me　to

write；　and　said　they　would　forward　the　letter。　　I　put　all　my　hopes　in

you。

　　　　　Believe　me；　my　dear　sir；

　　　　　　　　　　（whatever　you　may　decide）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　devoted

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LOUIS　FERRAND。



Shelton　looked　at　the　envelope；　and　saw；　that　it；　bore　date　a　week

ago。　　The　face　of　the　young　vagrant　rose　before　him；　vital；　mocking；

sensitive；　the　sound　of　his　quick　French　buzzed　in　his　ears；　and；

oddly；　the　whole　whiff　of　him　had　a　power　of　raising　more　vividly

than　ever　his　memories　of　Antonia。　　It　had　been　at　the　end　of　the

journey　from　Hyeres　to　London　that　he　had　met　him；　that　seemed　to

give　the　youth　a　claim。



He　took　his　hat　and　hurried；　to　Blank　Row。　　Dismissing　his　cab　at　the

corner　of　Victoria　Street　he　with　difficulty　found　the　house　in

question。　　It　was　a　doorless　place；　with　stone…flagged　corridorin

other　words；　a　〃doss…house。〃　　By　tapping　on　a　sort　of　ticket…office

with　a　sliding　window；　he　attracted　the　attention　of　a　blowsy　woman

with　soap…suds　on　her　arms；　who　informed　him　that　the　person　he　was

looking　for　had　gone　without　leaving　his　address。



〃But　isn't　there　anybody；〃　asked　Shelton；　〃of　whom　I　can　make

inquiry？〃



〃Yes；　there's　a　Frenchman。〃　　And　opening　an　inner　door　she　bellowed：

〃Frenchy！　　Wanted！〃　and　disappeared。



A　dried…up；　yellow　little　man；　cynical　and　weary　in　the　face；　as　if　a

moral　steam…roller　had　passed　over　it；　answered　this　call；　and　stood；

sniffing；　as　it　were；　at　Shelton；　on　whom　he　made　the　singular

impression　of　some　little　creature　in　a　cage。



〃He　left　here　ten　days　ago；　in　the　company　of　a　mulatto。　　What　do　you

want　with　him；　if　I　may　ask？〃　　The　little　man's　yellow　cheeks　were

wrinkled　with　suspicion。



Shelton　produced　the　letter。



〃Ah！　now　I　know　you〃a　pale　smile　broke　through　the　Frenchman's

crow's…feet〃he　spoke　of　you。　　'If　I　can　only　find　him；'　he　used　to

say；　'I　'm　saved。'　　I　liked　that　young　man；　he　had　ideas。〃



〃Is　there　no　way　of　getting　at　him　through　his　consul？〃



The　Frenchman　shook　his　head。



〃Might　as　well　look　for　diamonds　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。〃



〃Do　you　think　he　will　come　back　here？　　But　by　that　time　I　suppose；

you'll　hardly　be　here　yourself？〃



A　gleam　of　amusement　played　about　the　Frenchman's　teeth：



〃I？　Oh；　yes；　sir！　　Once　upon　a　time　I　cherished　the　hope　of　emerging；

I　no　longer　have　illusions。　　I　shave　these　specimens　for　a　living；

and　shall　shave　them　till　the　day　of　judgment。　　But　leave　a　letter

with　me　by　all　means；　he　will　come　back。　　There's　an　overcoat　of　his

here　on　which　he　borrowed　moneyit's　worth　more。　　Oh；　yes；　he　will

come　backa　youth　of　principle。　　Leave　a　letter　with　me；　I'm　always

here。〃



Shelton　hesitated；　but　those　last　three　words；　〃I'm　always　here；〃

touched　him　in　their　simplicity。　　Nothing　more　dreadful　could　be

said。



〃Can　you　find　me　a　sheet　of　paper；　then？〃　he　asked；　〃please　keep　the

change　for　the　trouble　I　am　giving　you。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　Frenchman　simply；　〃he　told　me　that　your　heart

was　good。　　If　you　don't　mind　the　kitchen；　you　could　write　there　at

your　ease。〃



Shelton　wrote　his　letter　at　the　table　of　this　stone…flagged　kitchen

in　company　with　an　aged；　dried…up　gentleman；　who　was　muttering　to

himself；　and　Shelton　tried　to　avoid　attracting　his　attention；

suspecting　that　he　was　not　sober。　　Just　as　he　was　about　to　take　his

leave；　however；　the　old　fellow　thus　accosted　him：



〃Did　you　ever　go　to　the　dentist；　mister？〃　he　said；　working　at　a　loose

tooth　with　his　shrivelled　fingers。　　〃I　went　to　a　dentist　once；　who

professed　to　stop　teeth　without　giving　pain；　and　the　beggar　did　stop

my　teeth　without　pain；　but　did　they　stay　in；　those　stoppings？　　No；　my

bhoy；　they　came　out　before　you　could　say　Jack　Robinson。　Now；　I

shimply　ask　you；　d'you　call　that　dentistry？〃　　Fixing　his　eyes　on

Shelton's　collar；　which　had　the　misfortune　to　be　high　and　clean；　he

resumed　with　drunken　scorn：　〃Ut's　the　same　all　over　this　pharisaical

counthry。　　Talk　of　high　morality　and　Anglo…Shaxon　civilisation！　　The

world　was　never　at　such　low　ebb！　　Phwhat's　all　this　morality？　　Ut

stinks　of　the　shop。　　Look　at　the　condition　of　Art　in　this　counthry！

look　at　the　fools　you　see　upon　th'　stage！　look　at　the　pictures　and

books　that　sell！　　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about；　though　I　am　a

sandwich　man。　　Phwhat's　the　secret　of　ut　all？　　Shop；　my　bhoy！　　Ut

don't　pay　to　go　below　a　certain　depth！　　Scratch　the　skin；　but　pierce

utOh！　dear；　no！　　We　hate　to　see　the　blood　fly；　eh？〃



Shelton　stood　disconcerted；　not　knowing　if　he　were　expected　to　reply；

but　the　old　gentleman；　pursing　up　his　lips；　went　on：



〃Sir；　there　are　no　extremes　in　this　fog…smitten　land。　Do　ye　think

blanks　loike　me　ought　to　exist？　　Whoy　don't　they　kill　us　off？

Palliativespalliativesand　whoy？　　Because　they　object　to　th'

extreme　course。　　Look　at　women：　the　streets　here　are　a　scandal　to　the

world。　　They　won't　recognise　that　they　existtheir　noses　are　so　dam

high！　They　blink　the　truth　in　this　middle…class　counthry。　　My　bhoy〃　…

…and　he　whispered　confidentially〃ut　pays　'em。　　Eh？　you　say；　why

shouldn't　they；　then？〃　　（But　Shelton　had　not　spoken。）　　〃Well；　let'em！

let　'em！。　　But　don't　tell　me　that'sh　morality；　don't　tell　me　that'sh

civilisation！　　What　can　you　expect　in　a　counthry　where　the　crimson；

emotions　are　never　allowed　to　smell　the　air？　　And　what'sh　the　result？

My　bhoy；　the　result　is　sentiment；　a　yellow　thing　with　blue　spots；

like　a　fungus　or　a　Stilton　cheese。　　Go　to　the　theatre；　and　see　one　of

these　things　they　call　plays。　　Tell　me；　are　they　food　for　men　and

women？　　Why；　they're　pap　for　babes　and　shop…boys！　　I　was　a　blanky

actor　moyself！〃



Shelton　listened　with　mingled