登陆注册
5248400000048

第48章 CHAPTER XIX AN INCIDENT(1)

"Eleven o'clock," said Crocker, as they went out of college. "Idon't feel sleepy; shall we stroll along the 'High' a bit?"Shelton assented; he was too busy thinking of his encounter with the dons to heed the soreness of his feet. This, too, was the last day of his travels, for he had not altered his intention of waiting at Oxford till July.

"We call this place the heart of knowledge," he said, passing a great building that presided, white and silent, over darkness; "it seems to me as little that, as Society is the heart of true gentility."Crocker's answer was a grunt; he was looking at the stars, calculating possibly in how long he could walk to heaven.

"No," proceeded Shelton; "we've too much common-sense up here to strain our minds. We know when it's time to stop. We pile up news of Papias and all the verbs in 'ui' but as for news of life or of oneself! Real seekers after knowledge are a different sort. They fight in the dark--no quarter given. We don't grow that sort up here.""How jolly the limes smell!" said Crocker.

He had halted opposite a garden, and taken hold of Shelton by a button of his coat. His eyes, like a dog's, stared wistfully. It seemed as though he wished to speak, but feared to give offence.

"They tell you," pursued Shelton, "that we learn to be gentlemen up here. We learn that better through one incident that stirs our hearts than we learn it here in all the time we're up.""Hum!" muttered Crocker, twisting at the button; "those fellows who seemed the best sorts up here have turned out the best sorts afterwards.""I hope not," said Shelton gloomily; "I was a snob when I was up here. I believed all I was told, anything that made things pleasant;my "set" were nothing but---"

Crocker smiled in the darkness; he had been too "cranky" to belong to Shelton's "set.""You never were much like your 'set,' old chap," he said.

Shelton turned away, sniffing the perfume of the limes. Images were thronging through his mind. The faces of his old friends strangely mixed with those of people he had lately met--the girl in the train, Ferrand, the lady with the short, round, powdered face, the little barber; others, too, and floating, mysterious,--connected with them all, Antonia's face. The scent of the lime-trees drifted at him with its magic sweetness. From the street behind, the footsteps of the passers-by sounded muffled, yet exact, and on the breeze was borne the strain: "For he's a jolly good fellow!

For he's a jolly good fellow! For he's a jolly good fe-ellow! And so say all of us!""Ah!" he said, "they were good chaps."

"I used to think," said Crocker dreamily, "that some of them had too much side."And Shelton laughed.

"The thing sickens me," said he, "the whole snobbish, selfish business. The place sickens me, lined with cotton-wool-made so beastly comfortable."Crocker shook his head.

"It's a splendid old place," he said, his eyes fastening at last on Shelton's boots. "You know, old chap," he stammered, "I think you--you ought to take care!"

"Take care? What of?"

Crocker pressed his arm convulsively.

"Don't be waxy, old boy," he said; "I mean that you seem somehow--to be--to be losing yourself.""Losing myself! Finding myself, you mean!"

Crocker did not answer; his face was disappointed. Of what exactly was he thinking? In Shelton's heart there was a bitter pleasure in knowing that his friend was uncomfortable on his account, a sort of contempt, a sort of aching. Crocker broke the silence.

"I think I shall do a bit more walking to-night," he said; "I feel very fit. Don't you really mean to come any further with me, Bird?"And there was anxiety in his voice, as though Shelton were in danger of missing something good. The latter's feet had instantly begun to ache and burn.

"No!"? he said; "you know what I'm staying here for."Crocker nodded.

"She lives near here. Well, then, I'll say good-bye. I should like to do another ten miles to-night.""My dear fellow, you're tired and lame."

Crocker chuckled.

"No," he said; "I want to get on. See you in London. Good-bye!"and, gripping Shelton's hand, he turned and limped away.

Shelton called after him: "Don't be an idiot: You 'll only knock yourself up."But the sole answer was the pale moon of Crocker's face screwed round towards him in the darkness, and the waving of his stick.

Shelton strolled slowly on; leaning over the bridge, he watched the oily gleam of lamps, on the dark water underneath the trees. He felt relieved, yet sorry. His thoughts were random, curious, half mutinous, half sweet. That afternoon five years ago, when he had walked back from the river with Antonia across the Christchurch meadows, was vivid to his mind; the scent of that afternoon had never died away from him-the aroma of his love. Soon she would be his wife--his wife! The faces of the dons sprang up before him. They had wives, perhaps. Fat, lean, satirical, and compromising--what was it that through diversity they had in common? Cultured intolerance!

. . . Honour! . . . A queer subject to discuss. Honour! The honour that made a fuss, and claimed its rights! And Shelton smiled.

"As if man's honour suffered when he's injured!" And slowly he walked along the echoing, empty street to his room at the Bishop's Head. Next morning he received the following wire:

Thirty miles left eighteen hours heel bad but going strong CROCKERHe passed a fortnight at the Bishop's Head, waiting for the end of his probation, and the end seemed long in coming. To be so near Antonia, and as far as if he lived upon another planet, was worse than ever. Each day he took a sculling skiff, and pulled down to near Holm Oaks, on the chance of her being on the river; but the house was two miles off, and the chance but slender. She never came.

同类推荐
  • 李相国论事集

    李相国论事集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 法华文句记

    法华文句记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 妇人诸乳疾门

    妇人诸乳疾门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 观无量寿佛经疏妙宗钞

    观无量寿佛经疏妙宗钞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 文殊师利发愿经

    文殊师利发愿经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 单身红娘

    单身红娘

    陆小词叫了甘茉儿好几声,甘茉儿都没有理会。如果是别人,可能会以为像甘茉儿这样的大美女在装清高,可是陆小词不这么想。她们在高一的时候做过一年同桌,所以陆小词了解甘茉儿。不仅如此,她还知道甘茉儿最近交了桃花运,有个很帅的男朋友,这让还是单身的陆小词好生羡慕。此刻没有帅哥,只有穿着泳装的甘茉儿独自上岸,白皙的肌肤上挂满晶莹的水珠。陆小词跑过去拍拍她光洁的背:“茉儿,你是一个人来的呀?”
  • 远征

    远征

    七十年前,在缅甸有一群这样的中国人。他们是平民百姓,没有崇高理想,也不懂“爱国主义”。他们或许是迫于生计无奈,或许是为了几块大洋的军饷。所以,他们会耍兵痞,会哄抢战利品。然而,国难当头,民族危机之际,却是这样一群人义无反顾地奋战在前线。他们浴血奋战,他们没有豪言壮语,从来不认为自己是英雄,却用鲜血染红军旗。他们进行了中国军队的头一回主动出击,实现了战略大反攻。他们的兄弟情、战友情令人潸然泪下,他们劈鬼子、杀倭寇酣畅淋漓,他们不为虚无缥缈的“荣耀”,只为了保卫自己的亲人与土地。他们牺牲得了不起,失败得了不起,胜利得更加了不起。他们就是抗日战争时期远赴缅甸抗日的鲜为人知的英雄——中国远征军。
  • 案中冤案

    案中冤案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 郑儿八斤

    郑儿八斤

    在这个武林有传奇,个个皆奇葩的时代。作为当代女性传奇的郑小八,简直不能直视,连个人物都称不上的奇葩孩子,她真的够了。从最初迷路,到认识江湖上鼎鼎有名的美男子,再到结识唐门二货少主闺蜜。原本的行程,却被一桩莫名其妙的谋杀案给截止。赵大人之死,牵扯出的皇帝手谕,以及那个神秘的门派,还有已经在江湖武林销声匿迹了二十年的妖孽绿刃,这一切都是肿么了?不行不行,她一定要查清楚,不能让自己统辖的武林蒙受此等不白之冤。十年前徒然失去的记忆,那段时间自己又都发生了些什么?有没有什么禽兽对自己做出不法勾当?不行不行,这个也要查清楚。于是,史上最乌龙的历险,最邪恶的计划,最励志的深宫争宠,就在这位立志成为真正被大家崇拜的武林盟主身上传奇上演。
  • 醒世录

    醒世录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 香水诱惑

    香水诱惑

    曾经人说过:香水应该是一种与你如影随行,不经忘却却无时不在,而不是一种毫无生命力、标签般的香水味。每个人身上都有一种味道,它是吸引猎物最高端的秘密武器。
  • 科技之谷

    科技之谷

    高中废柴,融合系统,振兴华夏,创造辉煌。
  • 向负面情绪说不(套装共3册)

    向负面情绪说不(套装共3册)

    成功,因宽容和积极而充满机遇;失败,因抱怨和消极而困难重重。优秀的人,都是不抱怨的人。心若改变,情绪就会改变;情绪变了,行为就会变:行为变了,习惯就会变;习惯变了,性格跟着变。性格决定命运,情绪左右人生。人的一生,最大的陷阱并不是缺少机会,或是资历浅薄,而是缺乏对自己情绪的控制。如果你想掌控自己的命运,请先掌控自己的情绪!本书包含:《不抱怨 不生气 不失控》 《不浮躁 不纠结 不焦虑》 《 不计较 不折腾 不盲从》。
  • 剑花室诗集

    剑花室诗集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 美好的一年

    美好的一年

    大家就鱼贯而入,洗洗漱漱,各自睡去。刘虹先躺下,美好进去把药拿给她。刘虹拉住美好的手:“闺女,你别怕。”美好停住,胸中怒海翻江,她太明白这句话的深意了。“我不怕!”美好站住,身体挺得笔直,“我对得起你生下我的每一个日日夜夜,过去,现在,将来,一样!”